The town centre, the Square, features a Daniel O'Connell monument . His election to the British parliament by a huge majority in 1828 forced Britain to lift its bar on Catholic MPs and led to the Act of Catholic Emancipation a year later. The 'Great Liberator' stands on an extremely high column, so far above the rest of us you would hardly know he was there.
Eamon de Valera was the parliamentary representative for Clare from 1917 to 1959; a bronze statue of him stands near Ennis courthouse, , a short walk north of town along Gort Rd.
Numerous modern sculptures can be found scattered around the town centre. Works include the Weathered Woman , which is both interesting and provides a handy place to sit. Get the Ennis Sculpture Trail map from the tourist office.
