*Flan Brennan, Cllr Paul Murphy, Marie Roche, Cecelia O’Sullivan, Cllr Pat Daly. Photograph: Paul Corey
PRICELESS volunteers were honoured at a mayoral reception in Ennis on Friday.
Hosted by Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Pat Daly (FF), the reception honoured Ennis Town FC’s U12 side who tasted national glory, St Michael’s Villas Choir, Marie Roche of Clare Community Games and Tidy Town groups within the MD.
‘Clare My Heart My Home’ was the opening song performed by the Choir seated in the public gallery of the Council Chamber.
Mayor Daly commending the “outstanding volunteers” who were worthy of recognition. He said the achievement of Ennis Town winning the U12 National Cup was “great”, villages would be lost without Tidy Towns who are a credit to their respective areas, he labelled Marie Roche as “one of the greatest athletes Ennis ever produced”, she won U16 and U18 national titles before venturing into coaching when her competitive running career concluded. The formation of the St Michael’s Villas Choir has helped its members look “ten years younger” such is the benefits of their social gatherings.
Terry Considine, a founding member of Ennis Town FC recalled that they were established in 2003. “There are a lot of clubs in Clare founded way before us that have never won a national title, this is the first in my memory of any schoolboy national title in Clare”. He said the final which went to extra time was “one of the best games I’ve witnessed in all my life”. Nine of the players from the squad have represented the county with two playing for the region. “We’ve great hopes of some of these becoming professional footballers in the future, they are a credit to their families and community, they are brave and courageous,” TC stated. Personnel involved included Willie Treacy, Amy Horgan, Damien Maxwell and Odhran O’Dwyer. “Winning this competition is the icing on the cake in my lifetime,” TC remarked.
President of Ennis and Clare Community Games, Cecelia O’Sullivan was among the proud spectators as Marie Roche’s achievements were recalled by Flan Brennan. “Volunteers are a very important thing for all organisations, without doubt Community Games is very fortunate to have volunteers,” he said, chief among them is Marie Roche who was encouraged to get involved at local and national level by her late father Christy Gormley”.
A winner of a gold medal as part of the Ennis team is Mosney in 1992, Marie continues to volunteer with the Community Games. “Marie has helped co-ordinate many events, she also got many Ennis relay teams to win gold medals over the years, she takes great pride in presenting the Christy Gormley Cup each year”. Flan said, “I often wonder where she gets the energy which is a key motivation to others, she has demonstrated these qualities down through the years”.
After her youngest son Jamie took up athletics, Marie joined Ennis Track and she continues to coach their U8 athletes, Dean Casey, Dylan Casey and Mark Hanrahan who have gone on to run at national and European level were among the first group of athletes in the club coached by Marie., “Her workrate is incredible with Ennis Track and Community Games, you can find her on Lees Rd track every evening or down in St Flannan’s College. When it comes to dedication to community games there is no one better than Marie Roche in giving back to community games, she brings the energy and the fun”.
No member of St Michael’s Villas Choir was afforded the opportunity to speak despite a representative having prepared a script in advance of the reception.
Speaking on behalf of Barefield Tidy Towns, Cllr Ann Norton (IND) said they were “extremely proud” of their achievements in recent years. “In the last four years we’ve made huge efforts to integrate older residents with younger residents. We need to get them involved in the community and make them realise how much we can get out of volunteering in the community, we’ve been working very well with the school and the younger residents in the area”.
Chairperson of Ennis Tidy Towns, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) noted, “There is a common thread going through here today and it is volunteers. Volunteers are not paid not because they are worthless but because they are priceless”. She said she was “incredibly proud and humbled” at the work of Tidy Towns volunteers in Ennis who give “countless hours”. She added, “sheer love for the town drives the work our volunteers do. It takes hard work, sweat and a fair bit of elbow grease”.
Founded in 2019, the Clooney/Spancilhill/Maghera Tidy Towns group was formed as a sub-group of the Clooney/Spancilhill Community Group. Evelyn Skehan outlined, “the group’s main action goal was to create a village”. She explained that they have worked with the main community group to “create focal points”. She added, “We do not use pesticides and are committed to sustainable planting and a bee-friendly environment”. New projects they are working on include rock-bridge cleaning at Clooney Church and the Clooney House wall renovation.
Kilnamona Development Association was established in 2019 following a community survey, Chairperson Trina Rynne detailed. “Our role is to enhance the lives of those living in our communities”. They are currently fundraising to get a defibrillator.
A “significant step forward” was made by Clarecastle Tidy Towns in 2023 by winning a bronze medal, Christy Leyden said. In 2011, they re-entered the national competition after a 17 year absence. Economic activity in the village experienced “a detrimental impact” due to the bypass and recession, he said. “We learned the hard way of having to have projects shovel ready when funding applications arise,” Christy reflected. He welcomed the recently published Climate Action Plan by Clare County Council. “We see the competition as a bonus, the important work is the management of the community plan,” he added. “The gap between Clarecastle and the national winners is narrowing, we’re chasing our neighbours and I must say Ennis Tidy Towns are role models”.
Speaking at the reception, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said the Ennis Town team have memories to last a lifetime, “when ye get older and get bad knees ye will remember winning the All-Ireland. The work of Tidy Towns in their communities was labelled as “fantastic” by the Clarecastle native, “it can be unseen because not everybody wants to put on a pair of gloves, it makes all our communities tick, it is unparalleled really”. He was involved in nominating the Tidy Towns groups and also Marie Roche.
Cllr O’Callaghan said he took a step back to allow his colleagues who had served since 2019 to put forward nominations. “Community is very much to my heart, my late sister Yvonne, the community were there for us during that stage, she was very passionate about the Community Games”. He admitted to being “fascinated” by the hours and dedication of Tidy Towns committees. He said of the SMV Choir, “I’ve met you in a short space of time but feel as if I know you in a family, you bring the people together and bring the goodness out of everyone”.
Sounds of the choir were praised by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF). She singled out the Ennis Town footballers for winning an All-Ireland title but also the patience they displayed in the Chamber, “you were first honoured, you listened patiently and had no qualms about it”. She spoke of the “incredible skill” Marie Roche has exhibited when it comes to Community Games finals and acknowledged facilities in the county need to improve.
“Since COVID there is nothing more enjoyable than being in a choir,” Cllr Howard said. Inclusion and fun are to the fore with the SMV Choir, she noted.
