About Ennis
What makes Ennis great? There are many answers to this question but number one has to be: our people. We are friendly (seriously – we’ve won national awards for our friendliness), we are welcoming, we’re never short of a story or time for a chat and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Mind you, life on an urban island only three metres (10ft) above sea level does tend to keep you grounded!
Vibrancy
There’s a vibrancy about Ennis that’s tangible. Much of the hustle and bustle is thanks to the narrowness of the main streets, threaded together by a labyrinth of laneways and bow-ways. (What is a bow-way, we hear you ask. It's actually a uniquely Ennis word, meaning a laneway with a barrel-shaped (arched) covering. We have lots of them.)
Openness
We know our town is different and we take pride in its quirky quaintness. Ennis is a rare example of a Gaelic medieval town, which means it grew organically without defensive walls. In our case, the town grew outwards from the Old Friary, built circa 1240, which was a seat of learning, attracting hundreds of European students. Ennis was therefore always open. That openness is part of our DNA and contributes to our welcoming spirit.
Independence
Ennis also has a strong pedigree when it comes to independent thinking, particularly of the political kind. Throughout the centuries, our people had the courage of their convictions; they defied intimidation to vote for whom and what they believed in. The ‘Liberator’ Daniel O’Connell stands tall in the heart of Ennis as testament to that courage.
Independence remains a strong theme in Ennis today. It manifests itself on our main streets through an eclectic collection of speciality and curio shops to eye-catching fashion boutiques. No homogenised high streets here – we're all about the ‘independents’!
The most perfect location
While we love our town – the craic, the year-round music sessions in our pubs, the seasonal and local food in our cafés and restaurants, the indoor and outdoor dining experiences, the shopping (we could go on) – we also appreciate that Ennis is the capital town of the most glorious county in Ireland: Clare. The scenery and drama of our landscape never ceases to amaze and inspire us. And in case you were wondering, it's virtually impossible to take for granted the splendour of natural attractions such as the Burren or the Cliffs of Moher. We remain forever in awe – and we're pretty sure you will too.
Independence remains a strong theme in Ennis today. It manifests itself on our main streets through an eclectic collection of speciality and curio shops to eye-catching fashion boutiques. No homogenised high streets here – we're all about the ‘independents’!
More to explore – beyond Ennis
Ennis is the capital town of the most glorious county in Ireland and there is so much to do and see, from exploring the Wild Atlantic Way to taking in the mystical landscape of the Burren.
