Moroney's Bar

It's hard to credit that a year has passed by since the last Ennis Trad Festival took place and as the old saying goes time does seem to be flying by these days. And so we are here once again looking forward to another great week of fantastic music, renewing old acquaintances and enjoying the company of top class musicians. Moroney's has a great tradition of trad sessions and one must compliment Brian John McCarthy in this respect. On taking over the management of Moroney's over six years ago Brian made it one of his missions to promote top class trad sessions on a regular basis and to this day the Wednesday night session are legendary.

Musicians such as Marcus Moloney, Michael Butler, Martin Breene, Kieran Kissane, Murty Ryan, Dermot Lernihan, John Joe Kelly, Martin Dermody and Ann Marie McCormack to mention but a few have all been regular contributers… Read more

Last Tuesday night our very own Zara McCarthy made her TV debut in the well know Irish soap Fair City, swapping Moroneys for McCoys ( the bar in the series!). Zara who has a degree in TV & Film Production along with a Diploma in Acting is well know to all Moroney customers as she has been working in the bar when on holidays from college. So on Tuesday night at 8pm all the locals tuned in to RTE 1 for episode 154 ( this is year 21 of the series) and none were more prouder of Zara's than dad BJ of her great achievement.

Hopefully this is the start of a great career for Zara and all her friends, colleagues and customers in Moroneys wish her every success in her future career.

On Saturday last the Banner Ladies got some compensation for their recent county final defeat when they won the All Ireland Intermediate Sevens title after seven tough games in Dublin. The Kevin Greene managed Banner Ladies were winning the title for the first time and emulated the achievements of the clubs U 14 teams who won All Ireland Feile na nOg titles at A and B level in the last decade. In their first game they beat Kinnegad (Westmeath) by 7-09 t0 0-09 and followed this up with victories over Garda( Dublin) by 9-09 to 2-07, Grainne Mhaol ( Galway) by 6-05 to 0-07 and St Brigit's (Antrim) by 4-08 to 2-05 to teach the quarter finals.

In the quarter finals they came up against a fancied Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) but came through on a 1-09 to 0-04 scoreline. Their opponents in the semi final were Railyard (Kilkenny) and after a… Read more

Despite a brave second half comeback the Banner Ladies relinquished their county crown to West Clare Gales, who were winning their first senior title on a scoreline of 4-10 to 1-14. As the old adage goes,goals win games and so it was in this case but the Banner Ladies can be very proud of their efforts. Indeed they were back training on Thursday night last in preparation for the League Semi Final where once again they will meet West Clare Gales and the All Ireland Sevens which takes place in Dublin in two weeks time.

The girls were thrilled with their new casual tops which they wore on the night and were sponsored by Moroneys Bar. Indeed after the game the girls made their way back from Cooraclare to Moroneys and despite their loss partied into the night. They also made a presentation to Moroneys of a crest of the Banner… Read more

Today in Woodenbridge in The Garden County of Ireland the Ennis Senior Golf Team won the JB Carr All Ireland Title after a titanic struggle with a gallant Galway team. One of the stalwarts of the team is our very own Ennislusc member John Finn and we sincerely congratulate him and his colleagues (Noel Pyne, Michael Culliney, Sean O Gorman, Aidan Lynch, Eamonn Corry, Tony Keogh,Luke and Tony Coote,Paul Higgins, Paddy Cahill and Tim McAllister and manager Jimmy McNamara ) on such a tremendous achievement. This competition is a Men's Team event for the Over 60's and it is played in the Scotch Foursomes format.

Ennis won on a 3-2 score line with Noel Pyne and Michael Culliney winning on the 19th to ensure victory. Also there shouting on the Ennis men was another Ennislusc member Eoin Doohan ( himself a scratch golfer) and it's said that our anthem Marching On… Read more

On Saturday evening next in Doonbeg the Banner Ladies will try to emulate Clonbony and Fergus Rovers in completing a hat trick of Clare Senior Ladies Football titles when they play West Clare Gales. This year the Banner are coached by Kevin Greene who led his native Newmarket to their only senior title in 1991 and is determined to add another title to his managerial CV. The Banner beat Cooraclare last weekend to reach the final and will be captained by Louise Henchy who also led Clare to the TG4 All Ireland Intermediate title last September.

The Ladies have a very experienced panel with a host of well known players including Sonya Maher, Emma O Driscoll, Niamh Keane ,Michelle Delaney and Niamh O Dea to mention but a few. However it must be emphasized that it's the panel that is the strength of this Banner team and each girl on it… Read more

The inaugural Noelie Ryan tournament took place at St Flannan College ( courtesy of Vice Principal John Minogue) on Saturday 21st August and despite a torrential downpour before proceedings the day turned out to be a tremendous success. In total 16 teams took part in both the O/35 and O/45 sections with teams from Kilrush, Corofin, Shannon Airport and many of Noels ex playing colleagues making up the remaining Ennis teams. Indeed Noel son Barry who plays in goal for Galway United entered his own team for the event. The monies raised will go to the Sunset Foundation who help the visually impaired and will help fund a trip to Lourdes later on in the year. This was a cause close to Noel's heart as it was set up by his good friend Paddy Murphy who worked with Aer Rianta Catering in Shannon and was himself struck down with a… Read more

On Saturday morning at 10am in St Flannan's College sports fields the first Noelie Ryan Memorial Tournament kicked off. The soccer tournament is split into two sections for O/35,s and O/45,s and will be run on a league basis. It was the brain child of his colleagues in the Airport Police Fire Service who have put up a beautiful plaque for the occasion and the money collected will go to the Sunset Foundation. This is a cause that was close to Noel's heart as it's run by his great friend Paddy Murphy ( who also worked in Shannon Airport ) and will help over 30 people with visual problems travel to Lourdes later on in the year.

Noelie, one of Ennis greatest sportsmen was born in Summerhill and played hurling and football at all grades for Clare and Eire Og. However he is probably best know for his soccer exploits… Read more

Market native Bob Kearney who left Ennis in the early 50's for Kansas was home on a visit to his birth place recently and used the opportunity to catch up on some old friends. Two of the people he looked up were Mai Quinlivan ( who resides across the road from Moroneys) and in October will be 101 making her Ennis's oldest resident and his great friend Gerry Moroney. Bob who's sister Peggy and brother Tommy still live in Ennis said that Ennis has changed out of all proportions especially in the last twenty years. Bob home house was on the site of the Post Office beside Willie McCannon's so he's a true Market man in every sense of the word.

He called into Moroney's during his stay and took many picture of the posters on show with all the old shop bills that are long gone but well know to… Read more

On Sunday night last Brian John changed the music scene at Moroney's from the traditional sessions when he booked the group Blaze to play. It was like a blast from the past as Blaze features Joe Mulcahy formerly of the Limerick group The News who played in Woody's, Darcy's and Brandon's in the 90's and his wife Nuala. The session went down very well with the locals and Joe was delighted to meet up with his great friend Ger Hanrahan on the night and enjoyed being back gigging in Ennis. It's now hoped that Blaze will be a regular feature at Moroney's in the coming weeks and months.

This Saturday night Dave Mulcahy will play in Moroneys ( gig starts at 10.30pm) and his fabulous repertoire of songs should go down a treat with the regulars and visitors alike. So now you know where to go for a good sing song… Read more

Two new display units have been fitted in the smoking area of Moroneys which can now display 120 photos. They were designed and fitted by local man TJ Scanlon and today will see them display photos from the Hermitage 50th Anniversary Dinner Dance. A special thank you must go to Willie Donnellan who took these photos and played for The Tage as a scoring forward for many years. Many regulars and locals have offer us pictures to display over the last few years but it was not always been possible to do so as our previous display unit was not of adequate size.

Now that these units are in place we hope to have regular photo updates both of old and new events which should generate some talking points. Already we have received
offers of photos to display so if you have any that may be of interest be sure… Read more

What a contrasting weekend for Clare hurling supporters with the seniors beaten by thirteen points in Croke Park by the Anthony Daly managed Dubs while in Thurles yesterday the minors bridged a gap of 21 years to bring back the Munster crown. Being one of a small band of Clare supporters to travel to the home of hurling one has to be very proud of these young men who were beaten in the first round on 29th April by this Waterford side on a scoreline of 1-21 to 0-16. They then had to go the backdoor route beating Kerry, Tipperary and Limerick before beating The Deise 1-16 to 1-11 yesterday.

On the 1989 winning team Davy Fitzgerald and Jamesie O Connor went on to further honours and one would like to think that in the years to come some of these young lads will made the senior team. It was great… Read more

On Friday last, news filtered through just after 5pm that our great friend, member and ex President Mike McNamara had gone to his eternal rest. Mac as he was known to all of us had only been in hospital for little over a week so it came as a tremendous shock. Ironically at the club AGM in Moroneys a week previous, his best friend Slim Corry was elected President, something which Slim took great pride in telling Mac on visiting him in hospital.

To us Mac was a true gent whose smile and wit we will miss. But most of all it's his company on our trips to Leeds or watching live matches in Moroneys(when he would give full commentaries on the failings of his beloved Leeds)that we will miss most of all. When the club was formed in Nuggys ( Fafa Considines in Parnell St) in 2001 the first man… Read more

Today is a very special day in the life of our good friend Frank Mitchell as he celebrates his 50th birthday. Now Frank is not the type of guy that likes a fuss and no doubt he'll be shocked when we sing Happy Birthday to him tonight when he comes in for his regular pint but I'm sure he'll take it in good spirits.

Best wishes Frank, long life and happiness from all your friends and staff in Moroneys.

On Saturday night last in the West County Hotel the culmination of months work came to fruition for Hermitage FC when they celebrated their 50th year in great style with over 300 guest at the clubs Dinner Dance. Many great players and committee members from past eras were present including Mickey Kenny, Arthur Greer, Gerry Gilligan, Seanie Clohessy Joe Shannon, Ollie O Loughlin, Mike Leahy and PJ Dilger who traveled home from Kentucky for the event. Guest of honour on the night was FAI Chief Executive John Delaney who praised the club on their milestone and presented the founding members families (Johnny Quinn, Paddy Woods, Anthony Higgins, Tex Corry and the late Haulie Molloy) with tickets for the forthcoming soccer international on 27th Nov in the new Aviva Stadium ( formerly Lansdowne Road) between the Republic Of Ireland and Argentina. He did'nt stop there as he also presented 50 tickets… Read more

On Saturday last Eoin O Loughlin said goodbye to all his friends in Moroneys as he headed across the Atlantic to work in California for the summer. Eoin who recently qualified as a Civil Engineer from NUIG hopes to pursue a Masters Degree in his choose field when he returns after his summer vacation. Eoin had just finished pulling his last pints of Guinness in Moroneys when it was time for a few hours sleep and then off to Shannon Airport to board a plane to the US.

All his friends and customers in Moroneys wish him the best of luck Stateside and trust he'll show them how to pull a real pint of porter.

It's that time of the year again when the Fleadh Nua returns to the capital of the Banner County. First held in 1970 the Fleadh has been held in Ennis every year since 1975 and although it does not draw the huge crowds off old it still a very important commercial and tourist attraction for the town. As usual there will céilithe, music, song and dancing workshops, street entertainment and of course the parade through the streets on Sunday 30th.

During the Fleadh Moroneys will be hosting trad sessions along with it's now famous Wednesday night session with Marcus Moloney. The programme in Moroneys is as follows:

Friday 28th May : Noely Ryan, Laura Kerr and Grace Kelly, Session Begins at 9.30pm

Saturday 29th May : Alan Kelly, Fabian Joyce, Jessie Healy, Session Starts at 9.30pm.

Sunday 30th May: Maebh O Hare, Ann Marie McCormack, John Joe Kelly,Session Starts at 7.00pm

Looking forward to… Read more

Our good friends in the Rineanna Syndicate are really gone to the dogs now. Having purchased their first greyhound two years ago and named him Oscar Two they have now gone along and bought two pups from Kieran Browne of the famed Burnpark Kennels near Kilmihil. All the lads work in Shannon Airport and now that Oscar has recently been sold ( he'll continue his career racing in Scotland) the lads felt it was time to purchase once again. Having scoured the papers and internet for possible new recruits for the syndicate news finally filtered through that there may be a chance of purchasing a pup from the Burnpark dynasty.

On Tuesday evening Austin Clair, Mike McNamara (who was born next door to Moroneys but now resides in Tulla) and Johnny Moroney went back to Kilmihil with the intention of buying a 11 month old pup for the syndicate. Two hours… Read more

On Sunday next in Doora the Clare Soccer League team will endeavor to win the Oscar Traynor Trophy for the second time in their history (their fist success was in 2005) when they entertain the Wexford League with kick off at 2.30pm. When Davie Russell leads out the team on Sunday they will be thinking of their late great manager Hughie Kelly who sadly passed away little over three weeks ago and has been a driving force in Clare soccer for over 25 years. Indeed Hughie managed the team to it's 2005 triumph and as the present team will testify was more like a father figure than a manager.

Last Sunday in Turners Cross (Cork) the Clare League beat the current holders Cork AUL by 1-0 with inspirational captain David Russell scoring the all important goal just before half time. With selectors John O Malley, Don McMillan, Donie Garrihy and Pat… Read more

Tonight we welcome Ger Hanrahan ( better know to one and all as Hanna) to the staff of Moroneys and we are delighted he was come on board. Ger is well know in Clare sporting circles as one of the best footballers ever to grace the soccer fields having lined out for St Michaels, Villa United, Newmarket Celtic and Avenue United winning numerous League titles and Cup medals. In a week where Clare play Wexford in the Oscar Traynor Final I'm sure Ger like all the rest of us will be in Doora on Sunday to shout on the boys as Hanna played for many years on such Oscar teams for the county.

Ger retired from Element Six ( former De Beers) last year and has since been seen regularly on the bypass cycling mad and he's also playing more golf another sporting passion of his. Many will know Ger's brothers… Read more