Lions Club of Ennis

Club History   

Following a number of recruiting meetings, and the very considerable help of our sponsors, the Roscrea Lions, the Lions Club of Ennis held its first meeting in the Cloister, Ennis during 1976 and was subsequently chartered by District Governor Harry Roche in February 1977.
Many members of Roscrea Club attended the meeting, inclding Guiding Lion John Cahill.

The Charter Members were:
President:  Aidan Spooner,  Secretary;  Michael Evans,  Treasurer;  Harry Goddard  with;
Tony Barry,  Larry Brennan,  Joe Britton,  Paddy Bugler,  Dan Chambers,  John Costelloe,
Sean Costelloe,  Pat Diggin,  John Hickey,  John Logan,  Sean Mahon,  George Marlborough,
Donal Madden,  Tom Mannion,  Dermot Merry,  Gay Murphy,  Niall McMahon,  Tom McEvoy,
Dan Neylon,  John Normoyle, Frank O'Dea,  Gus Rau,  John Ryan,  Thomas Ryan and Chris Taylor.

Seven of our Charter Members are still members of the Club.
They are; Tony Barry,  Larry Brennan,  Michael Evans,  John Logan,  Tom Mannion,  Frank O'Dea, and Thomas Ryan.
Sadly, Tommy McEvoy died in March 2005.

From the beginning the Club became involved in a host of fund raising activities with our first ambitious project being the provision of an Intensive Care Unit in the County Hospital in Ennis.
It was largely through those initial activities and the drive and enthusiasm demonstrated by individual members that the Club's stature in the town was established.
Our reputation as efficient fundraisers and organisers has prospered. Many groups now come to the Lions Club when in need. The Club itself activly co-operates with other service groups, particularly ClareCare, in helping many worthwhile causes.

We hosted the District Convention of 105 I, Ireland on two occasions,
in 1981 and again in 1997.

We also hosted the Multiple District Convention in 2003.

We have chartered Lions Clubs in  Kilrush  and  Gort.

We jointly chartered the Lions Club of Shannon with the Lions Club of Limerick.

TWINNING

Our Club is twinned with the following three Clubs:-

CLARE & DISTRICT, Lions Club, South Australia  

FRANKLIN SQUARE, Lions Club, Long Island City, New York  

PHOENIX Downtown, Lions Club, Phoenix, Arizona.
Address ; 2001 West Camelback Road Ste 285, Phoenix, Arizona 85015.