*An artist’s impression of Ennistymon Community School.
STAFF resources “at strategic locations” will be provided by Clare County Council to assist with traffic management for the opening of Ennistymon Community School in what has been described as “one of the largest investments ever in North Clare”.
In a joint motion before this month’s West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Shane Talty (FF), Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) and Cllr Joe Killeen (FG) asked what supports and resources the office has “been able to provide to the new Ennistymon Community School, in advance of its highly anticipated and very welcome opening over the coming weeks”.
Acting senior executive officer in the West Clare MD, John Corry outlined that staff from the North Clare local area office have “extensively engaged with local stakeholders including the school principal, local Gardaí and Bus Éireann over the past few months in the lead up to the opening of the new Community School in the coming weeks”.
He added, “We have attended on site to agree a plan that will facilitate all 16 school busses dropping off and collecting students at the school. We will also be providing staff resources at strategic locations to assist with traffic management. We will continue to engage with all relevant Stakeholders after the school opens to monitor and review traffic management arrangements”.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Talty recalled, “In 1824 Edmund Rice sent three Christian Brothers to Ennistymon to set up a Christian Brothers school in Ennistymon, the nuns have followed”. He continued, “We’re finally within weeks of seeing a new school and amalgamated school opening in Ennistymon”.
“It has been on the agenda for 35 years, it is the largest investment in West Clare Municipal District over the last five years, it is a huge moment for Ennistymon in the coming months, there is massive excitement and students are hoping to be in from April 8th onwards,” Talty stated.
Ennistymon’s challenges on traffic, congestion and Blake’s Corner were also referenced by the postmaster. “Everyone is familiar with some of the challenges in ET around traffic, congestion and Blake’s Corner, it is inevitable that the reconfiguring of the sites will bring challenges, that is the aim of the motion to ensure we are proactive”. He said “teething problems and challenges” were bound to occur.
Opening of the new school is “a generational investment in Ennistymon,” Cllr Garrihy commented. “People want to live in rural areas and education will be top of their agenda in making these decisions”. He felt the site itself was “awkward” but that it looked “fantastic” when travelling from the Lahinch direction. “It is a vote of confidence in North Clare and the whole area, the builders will be moving on to start a new primary school”. He labelled it as “one of the largest investments ever in North Clare”.
According to Cllr Killeen, Ennistymon will experience “a huge change”. He advised, “We met the school principal and MD office to try see what arrangements could be put in place to make sure there are no difficulties with regard to traffic. The buses can drive into the new school which is a big advantage, they can drive up and around the turn table and come back again”.
Habits from the first week will become the norm for parents and students, the former school principal remarked. “People find out what is the best way to drop off and collect the kids, for the first week we need to have boots on the ground”. He continued, “It is fantastic to see the new facility in Ennistymon, a lot of young people in my own area had great football success in CBS Ennistymon”.
