Ennis’ booming days as a market town could return in the future, an optimistic Cllr Pat Daly has told The Clare Echo.
An elected member of Clare County Council since 1999, Cllr Daly (FF) was not on the Town Council that backed the €1.75m redevelopment of the Market in Ennis which also included the €500,000 Market Building.
In September 2016, he proposed it be named ‘Ennis Market’. “It’s a pity it didn’t work out, the original idea was to put in the building and bring in the Farmers Market but they became successful out in Roslevan and they declined to come in, that was a major disappointment in the Council”.
“It’s a fine building but it’s totally lost at the moment because there is no activity there. There is a few cars in there everyday but that wasn’t the idea of the building at all, it was there for the markets. I would suggest a regular car boot sale every week, antiques sale on a weekly basis they are gathering great momentum across the country. There might be alternative farmers markets that might come there, it’s a pity it is not being used more for retail”.
Pat recalled the success of Ennis Market when he was growing up. “I was born beside the Market in Parnell St, the markets in the 60s and 70s were booming here in the town of Ennis, every Saturday you couldn’t move in the Market because it was packed. This building would have been a great asset towards bringing that back. Whoever goes in there would want free parking in the area and a few perks, to catch a fish you’ve to throw out a bait, you have to invite them and give them some perks to go in on a regular basis”.
He admitted that he had no issue with building being used as a car park during the week but its weekend use should be for retail. “We might come back to the booming days of the 60s and 70s”.
