The capital town of Conty Clare, Ennis, is one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland with a population of 20,000 people. Ennis is situated in the centre of the county and is the principle place of local government for Clare.

The river Fergus flows through the town and there are a number of fine walk ways and paths that follow the meander of the river. It is a compact town with most of the shopping available on the three principal streets: O’Connell Street, Abbey Street and Parnell Street.

The layout of the town is Medieval, narrow winding one way streets allowing just about one car to pass through. There is a bustle and local town atmosphere as you walk through the town.
Ennis claimed its place as the principal county town in the sixteenth century. The borough of Ennis was created in 1621 which gave the town the right to hold fairs and markets.

The markets in Ennis attracted a lot of people from the hinterland and slowly the commerce of the town built up. The town has an industrial tradition going back two centuries, mainly cottage industry in the provision of clothing, footwear and household goods. There was also an agricultural export business in cattle hides, tallow and butter. Goods were mainly imported and exported through the town of Clarecastle from the quays of the Shannon River.

The Abbey street car park once had a brewery and there was a distillery and malt house near Knox’s Bridge owned by a firm called Harleys. These industries used 30,000 barrels of barley, all of which was grown locally.

In 1780 John Lloyd in a short book called “Short Tour of Clare” recorded that“ This town in general is populous, the inhabitants are liberally humane and laudably accomplished with praiseworthy notions of industry. There are two plentiful markets held on Tuesdays and Saturdays”.

In a statistical study in 1808 on behalf of the Royal Dublin Society, Hely Dutton records a large quantity of flax and some fine orchards to be seen on the approach to the town. Great mills and warehouses, many of which have been converted since into apartments and other use, also in evidence.
The mid nineteenth century saw the building of the Pro Cathedral, a landmark of the town and well worth a visit. Also, the Courthouse, which was constructed in 1850. One of the finer buildings of the town, Our Ladys Hospital, on the Gort road was built with fine rusticated limestone and a central, classical Italian centrepiece tower with supporting volutest. The Church of Ireland in Bindon Street was completed in 1871.

The Centre of the town is marked with a statue to the great Daniel O’Connell, “the Liberator” elected MP for Clare in 1828. O’Connell was the voice for the disenfranchised Catholic Irish and won emancipation. His organisational skills and ability to rally large crowds at “monster meetings” made him a very popular and influential figure in Irish politcs up to famine times. At his earlier political meetings in Clare, supporters made banners proclaiming his ideals and slogans. This phenomenon later gave rise to the naming of Clare as “the Banner County”, an appellation still carried to this day at sporting events where the cry of “up the Banner” exhorts Clare men and women to victory!

The Abbey in Ennis is situated at Abbey Street just beside the Garda station. It was built circa 1220 for the Franciscian order by Donogh Cairbreach O’Brien. It is regarded as one of the principal convents of the order in Ireland. The O’Brien family, High Kings of Thomond were benefactors over the years as were the Mc Mahon family of Clare. The Abbey ruins are in reasonable repair and are worth a visit.

The Clare Museum situated off O Connell Square is a repositary of antiquities, ephemera and folklore from the county and beyond.

Ennis is best explored on foot. The narrow streets are packed full of smaller shops and boutiques that are delightful to explore. There is a selection of huxter shops selling fishing gear and outdoor pursuit equipment, antiques, bookshops.