This article is from page 16 of the 2012-06-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
THE Office of Public Works (OPW) has been urged to leave the historic 13th-century Ennis Friary visible to the public when it closes for winter.
The Friary, which had been closed to the public for three years to facilitate restoration works, re-opened last week.
Ennis Friary is open daily from 10am to 6pm up to October 31. The last admission is 45 minutes before closing. Public car and coach parking facilities are provided close to the site. A visitor leaflet providing background to the Friary has been translated from English into Irish, French, German, Italian and Spanish and is available on site.
The purpose of the estimated € 100,000 works project is to provide protection for the collection of carved features which survive at Ennis Friary.
A roof has been installed over the 18th-century church in order to pro- vide protection for the collection of carved features, which survive at Ennis Friary.
The OPW also plans to improve visitor access at the site.
Authorities on medieval sculpture have highlighted the importance of the Friary’s unique collection, which contains a complete set of panels representing the 12 apostles and stages of the Passion of Christ.
One Ennis man, whose father kept the keys of the Friary at his nearby business on Abbey Street, welcomed the re-opening but urged the OPW not to repeat the mistakes of previous years.
Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) said, “I spoke to the OPW and I asked them not to put up those horrible hoarding boards that were up for the past few years. Everyday, particularly during the summer, you could see tourists standing outside trying to get a look in. It was a disgrace because this is one of the town’s main tourist attractions.”
Cllr Mulqueen added, “It’s a relief to have it open again but I’m not sure about the timber frames they have around the windows. I think it would have looked better if they’d been toned down a bit to blend in with the rest of the building. But I’m delighted it is open.”
Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said, “I would encourage anyone interested in discovering more about the origins and early days of Clare’s county capital to pay a visit to the Friary during the summer months.”