€50,000 to support Christmas events in Ennis

THE provision of contemporary lighting along O’Connell Street and a projector screening festive images are among the projects selected by Clare County Council to benefit from a €50,000 grant to support Christmas events in the Ennis area.

The allocation from the Department of Planning and Local Government follows a call from Minister of State Alan Dillon for funding proposals from local authorities along the western seaboard, in recognition of the unique challenges faced in these counties. 

Grants of €50,000 have now been confirmed for Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway City and County, Clare, Limerick and Kerry.  

While much of the funding will support Christmas lighting and markets across the region, there will also be support for other more unusual initiatives, such as an ice rink in Sligo and outdoor movies in Mayo.  All schemes have the common objective of enhancing the festive atmosphere and encouraging people to shop local and support their town centres in the run up to Christmas.   

Clare County Council will spend its allocation on five different schemes in the Ennis area, including a projector to screen festive images, lighting for trees and other contemporary lighting for O’Connell Street.

Welcoming the funding, Clare Fine Gael General Election candidate Leonora Carey explained that the money was allocated from the Local Government Fund (LGF), which was established in 1999 to fund local authorities, primarily through Local Property Tax allocations. 

“Every year there is a separate allocation from the exchequer to fund a number of projects and initiatives across the Local Government Sector and I am delighted that each of the local authorities along the western seaboard will receive funding for festive events that will encourage people to shop local this Christmas,” she added.