Destination Ennis

By Breda Quirke

The name 'Ennis' derives from the Irish word 'Inis' meaning 'Island' and is the capital town of County Clare located in the west of Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, Ennis town lies just north of County Limerick and south of County Galway.




The town of Ennis is just 19 km or 12 miles from Shannon and Shannon Airport. Located at the mouth of the Fergus estuary, Ennis is the gateway to the West of Clare via the N85 Western road for people travelling from the Limerick and East Clare regions.



Ennis town originally grew up around a 13th century Franciscan Friary and was a very important market town in the west of Ireland. Today the Franciscan Friary is one of the top attractions in Ennis and the market square is still home to many stalls. Another top attraction in Ennis is The De Valera Library and Museum.



Ennis town is steeped in history and is associated with some of the great political leaders of the past. For a historic background on this great town visit The Ennis Library website for further details.



The 2006 census showed that Ennis had a population of 24,253 making it the largest town in Munster and the 6th largest town in Ireland. In 2005 Ennis won the Irish 'Tidy Towns Competition' and has since maintained this high status over the years and came in 2nd place in 2008.



Ennis has a great sense of tradition and became a centre for Irish Traditional Music after hosting the Fleadh Nua festival over the last 40 years - taking place in late May each year. This festival is the second largest traditional music festival in Ireland and attracts thousands of people, both young and old each year. The purpose of this festival is to promote traditional Irish music and culture.



This year the people of Ennis welcomed boxer Muhammad Ali to his ancestral home of Ennis! Muhammad Ali's great grandfather Abe Grady originated from the Turnpike area of Ennis in County Clare and on 1st September 2009, Muhammad Ali was made the first Honorary Freeman of Ennis on his very first visit to Ennis. This was a historic moment for the town and people of Ennis and received worldwide coverage.



Visit http://www.goireland.com/ for all you need to know before visiting Ireland, like what to see and where to go. View B&Bs, guesthouses and self catering accommodation all over Ireland, as well as hotels. Check out our Ennis Hotels page and book a hotel in Ennis securely online today.



Breda Quirke writes for GoIreland.com - Ireland's leading travel and accommodation website.



Visit http://www.goireland.com/ for all you need to know before visiting Ireland, like what to see and where to go. View B&Bs, guesthouses and self catering accommodation all over Ireland, as well as our Hotel Deals Ireland page for some great offers.



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