A community in shock

THERE are few deaths that shock an entire town, few deaths that literally cast a pall over the streets, that stun people into silence, but the death of Barry Ennis was one that did all of these.

He had a smile that would light up the darkness, an inate cheeriness that drew people to him. Barry was a true gentleman.

His death at 38 is a terrible blow to the town, to his loved ones and to all those who had been lucky enough to meet with him during his alltoo-short life.

The beloved son of Pat and Breda, and dearly loved father of Sarah-Kate and Leila, Barry is sadly missed by his ex-wife Louise, fianceé Jenni and her son Coady.

He is the much-loved brother of David, Pat, Cathy, Alan and Mark.

His funeral Mass took place at the Church of the Annunciation in Clonard last Saturday followed by burial in St Ibar’s Cemetery, Crosstown.

Barry, who had been living in Clonard, is most well known in recent years for his work bringing the Spiegeltent to Wexford town. Back in 2012, Barry and David Ennis, of then-Ennis Promotions and Brian Byrne, of Luminate Project Management, joined forces to bring the Spiegeltent to Wexford for the first time.

Brian came across the tent while researching marquees for the Volvo Ocean Race for which he was a venue manager.

He got talking to Barry and David, the 2012 organisers of the Heritage Music and Arts Festival in the Irish National Heritage Park in Ferrycarrig, and together they laid the groundwork for Lantern.ie which has brought the Spiegeltent Festival to the town ever since.

Barry’s involvement with Lantern ended during 2016.

A master of persuasion, in 2009 Barry managed to bag Imelda May for a concert in Wexford when he offered her manager a taxi ride to Dublin airport. He said he could have sold the tickets out three times over.

‘I rang her manager on the mobile and he just happened to be in Ireland at the time so I offered to collect him at the hotel and drive him to the airport,’ he said at the time.

‘We chatted along the way and I honestly believe that if I had just emailed him, the concert never would have happened.’