Tag Archives: Ennis

THE Clare launch of Darkness Into Light 2018 took place in Shannon this week, with walks set to take place in Doolin, Sixmilebridge, Killaloe-Ballina, Ennis and Shannon on May 12. This is Pieta House’s flagship annual fundraising and awareness event and, last year, 180,000 people took part. Nora Conway is clinical manager of the Pieta House Centre in Mungret and she says the event has grown dramatically, showing how people feel about removing any remaining stigma around mental health. “It’s the 10th anniversary of Darkness into Light and, I suppose, from the days when 100 or 150 people would come out, compared to 120,000 nationally, it’s phenomenal. I think it’s a statement, really, that the people of Ireland are making. A statement by coming together, walking shoulder to shoulder and doing what they can to lift the stigma around suicide and self-harm. The more we promote the service, the more we encourage people to ask for help, and the more …

Lidl has confirmed that plans will be lodged in the coming days for a second development in Ennis. “We have worked closely with the local authority, planners and architects to ensure that our proposed mixed use development will contribute positively to the local area. The planned store, will be a new environmentally friendly build, will offer customers in the area a superior shopping experience. Alongside the store there are planned additional commercial units, one of which will likely be a creche,” said a spokesperson for the company. Lidl currently operates 195 stores nationally and employs over 5,000 people. In a recently commissioned economic report, it was found that Lidl buys over 500 million of Irish goods and services annually. In addition to this, 1.4% of Irish food and drink exports was for resale in Lidl stores around Europe.

There is a limited stock of properties to offer for sale in County Clare, a survey has confirmed. The price of the average three-bed semi in Clare rose by 1.1% to €180,000 in the first three months of the year, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance. Clare prices increased by 9.1% in the year to March 2018. The REA Average House Price Survey concentrates on the actual sale price of Ireland’s typical stock home, the three-bed semi, giving an up-to-date picture of the property market in towns and cities countrywide to the close of last week. “While there has been an increase in the number of mortgage approved home-buyers, there is a lack of supply in Clare,” said Liam Browne of REA Paddy Browne, Ennis. The average semi-detached house nationally now costs €229,111, the Q1 REA Average House Price Survey has found – a rise of 1.5% on the Q4 2017 figure of €225,806. Overall, …

Green is the colour throughout County Clare this weekend, as we celebrate the feast day of our patron saint, St Patrick. A festival atmosphere is evident in  town and village, with parades showcasing our traditions, culture and music, as well as everyday life in farming, business and industry.  Of course, no parade would be complete without colourful characters representing local, national and even international figures. The county’s main parade in Ennis attracted a huge crowd, which stretched all along the route from Áras Contae an Chláir on New Road to O’Connell Street.  Mayor of Ennis Paul Murphy and grand marshall John Burke, the Everest climb hero, led the parade in a horse drawn carriage.

Members of the Clare Association in Dublin will break new ground this weekend, when, for the first time in the long history of the association, they will be participating in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Ennis on Saturday. They will carry their own banner and will  travel in a  vintage Mercedes car, placed at their disposal by Pat Foudy Tyre Sales, Ennis. The grand marshal for the parade, which will start at New Road at 11am, will be Spanish Point hotelier John Burke, who has been selected by the Clare Association as their Clare Person of the Year for 2018. They recognised his achievement of being the first Clare man to climb Mount Everest and his efforts to provide and promote mental health wellness programmes for young people through his charity, Elevate. He will be presented with his award at the association’s annual dinner dance on April 28 in Dublin. This weekend will be busy for the Clare Association in Dublin. On this …

THE pulse of the county capital has been taken and the results are in. Ennis was chosen as one of 10 Irish towns to take part in a Town Centre Health Check (TCHC), assessing people’s impressions of the town and what they would like to see in the future. The survey found 59% of businesses expect trading to improve in the next two years, 27% expect no change and 15% expect a downturn, while 90% of firms plan to continue trading in the town centre. Both shoppers and businesses rated highly the quality and choice of cafes and restaurants, service and safety and the town’s attractiveness. Parking availability was rated poor by 43% of shoppers, compared to 71% of businesses. Brian McCarthy, acting director of service for Ennis Municipal District, said, “The key aim of the pilot TCHC is to assess the vitality, vibrancy and viability of the town centre and to highlight the critical role town centres play.” The …

Roscommon 2-19 Clare 2-12 DISCIPLINE is costing the Clare footballers. For the second successive game, Ciaran Russell was sent off, this time on a straight red card, eight minutes into the second half. Russell was also sent off against Down in Newry, on a yellow and black card. In their last home game, against Tipperary on February 11, Jamie Malone was red carded, while David Tubridy and Eoin Cleary were shown black cards. After that game, Clare manager Colm Collins was suspended for a month, while Gordon Kelly was hit with a three month ban, for apparently squirting water at an umpire. While a team can be unlucky on a once off, Clare’s disciplinary issues are now costing them. When Russell was red carded, Roscommon were 1-10 to 1-8 ahead and winning it was going to be difficult enough for Clare as it was. However, Roscommon were able to pick up all of the Clare forwards and deploy Niall Kilroy …

At Ennis Circuit Court today (Wednesday), a student nurse got visibly upset in the witness box, as she alleged how a HSE paramedic rendered her unconscious during an evening first aid class at the Vocational Education Centre in Scariff in March 2013. Mary Nihill, a fourth year nursing student and a mother of one, told the court that after the incident “I was in shock. I thought I was in safe hands with a professional paramedic. He tried to knock me out – he did knock me out”. In the case, Andrew Long (35) of Carraig Dubh, Tobertaosceain, Ennis has pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Mary Nihill and Elise McMahon – who was seven months pregnant at the time – in March 2013. In the case, mature student, Ms Nihill said she was taking an evening occupational first aid course that was been given by Mr Long. She said that after the class, Mr Long called her out …