*Photograph: Ennis MD
FUTURE plans for O’Connell Street in Ennis and its potential pedestrianisation is the focus of a new survey launched by Clare County Council.
Input from the public has been sought in an online survey as the Council considers pedestrianisation as an option for O’Connell Street.
Ahead of drawing up plans for possible pedestrianisation measures, Ennis Municipal District has provided an online survey asking residents, businesses and visitors to the county town for their feedback on full or partial pedestrianisation. The online survey went live on Monday (December 8th) and will accept submissions until January 4th 2026.
Physical copies of the survey are also available at Council owned buildings including libraries.
O’Connell Street is currently closed to all vehicles until February 16, 2026, allowing the public to familiarise themselves of the new streetscape following the completion of main construction phase of the long-running €11.5m public realm works. A final decision is expected to be announced prior to this date in mid-February with a formal Section 38 process to begin next month.
Previous research has found that 81 percent of properties on O’Connell Street do not have a back door to receive deliveries.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis MD, senior engineer Paddy Tiernan detailed that the survey has also been distributed to businesses around the town. “We want to hear as many views as possible,” he stated. “With regards to businesses, myself and Padraic McElwee have called to between sixty to seventy businesses on O’Connell Street, Abbey Street and Bank Place in the last week or so. We met owners in about forty five of those premises, we’ve recorded their feedback and have had great engagement with the business community, the majority have agreed to put the posters up”.
In October, an online survey by The Clare Echo on the subject of pedestrianisation had 276 responses. Of this, 44% wanted O’Connell Street fully pedestrianised, 25% preferred a mix of pedestrianisation and vehicles, 24% wished to see O’Connell Street always open to traffic and 7% said it didn’t bother them what was decided. A futher 1,346 viewed the survey but did not cast a vote.
Retailers of Ennis in a survey completed in November received 68 written responses on the ‘Future of O’Connell Street. The results were 55% were in favour of a compromise arrangement to be agreed with the Ennis MD, 22.5% favoured permanent pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street and 22.5% favoured having permanent traffic through O’Connell Street.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented, “originally when it was proposed it was to be fully reopened but things change over time. I’m a business owner, I think from practical point of view, I’m delighted you have consulted with businesess, it is to get the proper balance and when it can be achieved, I’m thinking of practicality of delivering goods, if those things can be looked at then we can get a favourable outcome for all”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) asked if she was able to take paper copies of the survey. “I was at Brothers of Charity last summer and I was explaining about Local Transport Plan, they didn’t realise at the time they could engage at the time and they sent a number of letters to Eamon O’Dea” (senior engineer). She also questioned if school involvement could be facilitated.
Schools have already been contacted, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) flagged. “I know I got a personal email from my principal before it came out, I think ye have covered that basis, it went out to staff and parents of the school I work in”.
Senior engineer Tiernan confirmed they have contacted schools, GAA clubs and organisations. “We’ve sent this out to as many groups as possible, we’re not just putting up on our website and hoping for the best”. He said he would liaise with Cllr Howard on paper copies but said the local authority had embossed the documents “to protect the integrity” to avoid duplicated submissions.
In a statement, Director of Service for he Ennis MD, Jason Murphy, said, “This period before and after Christmas is a huge opportunity for businesses, shoppers, visitors, and the local community to experience O’Connell Street as a pedestrianised street and offers them the time to provide informed feedback on how our main thoroughfare is used in the future”.
Complete the survey here – Pedestrian friendly measures O’Connell Street, Ennis
