Moroney's Bar

The fifteenth Ennis Trad Festival which ran from November 6th to 10th inclusive was an outstanding success with visitor numbers and musicians reaching new levels. As always Moroney's played it's part and had some outstanding sessions from Wednesday through to Sunday evening. The list of musicians that played is as follows :

Wed 5th Nov. Marcus Moloney, Kieran Kissane, Martin Dermody, Kevin Ryan and friends.

Thurs 6th Nov. Martin Breen, Michael Butler, Anne Marie McCormack and friends.

Fri 7th Nov. Siobhan Peoples, Murty Ryan, John Kelly and friends.

Sat 8th Nov. Ronan Moloney, Carmel O Dea, Kieran Hehir and friends.

Sun 9th Nov. Marcus Moloney, Mags Moloney, Murt Ryan and friends.

The Friday night gig turned into a mega session with at one stage fifteen musicians giveing it their all ( see picture gallery) and everyone present had a whale of a night. All the sessions where packed out and it's a tribute to Brian John… Read more

Preparations are at an advanced stage for the charity soccer tournament for the Moroneys Bar Shield which will take place in the Fairgreen on Saturday, October 18th. Members of the Avenue Ramblers led by Pat Basil Whelan and Jacko McMahon and the Jim McMahon led Chelsea Supporters Club are training hard for the match which is the 10th Anniversary of an event organised to collect money for local charities.

The winners of that game will take on the Eddie Walsh managed Moroneys All Stars in the final. Kick off in the Fairgreen is at 4pm and all are welcome wheather you want to take part or just enjoy the crack. For further information contact Basil at 086-3859003 or Jim McMahon on 086-8119086.Good on you lads. Guess we'll have a party in Moroneys on Saturday night - be there !

Last Sunday was a day of double delight for our own Irene Hehir. The very popular Irene who serves in Moroneys every weekend celebrated winning a county senior football medal with the Banner Ladies and also her birthday. Irene who lined out at corner forward also scored a goal in their defeat of the West Clare Gaels. This was a great victory for the Ennis team who were winning their first senior title since their foundation in 1994.

One person who derived great joy from Irene's achievement was Gerry Moroney who is now in his 80's and is himself the holder of four senior football medals with the Ennis Faughs. Hopefully this is the first of many senior titles to come for the Banner Ladies in the years ahead and all at Moroneys congratulate Irene and her team mates on their first title.

Banner Ladies Squad : Emma O Driscoll, Niamh Martin,… Read more

Last May ten work colleagues from Aer Rianta ( now DAA) got together to form a syndicate with the intention of buying a greyhound pup. Included in the syndicate are Moroney regulars Enda Howard, his dad Noel, Austin Clair, Johnny Moroney and an old next door neighbour from the Market and ex Clare hurler Michael McNamara. Along with Gerry (Murt) O Connor, Pat Ryan, Declan Cullinan, Val O Sullivan, Jason Roche and Stephen Whynne the syndicate decided on the name Delta One as the greyhounds racing name.

The dog was purchased from the Buckley family from Pallasgreen,County Limerick and is by Droopsy Kewell ( hope he's nothing to injury prone Harry of Leeds and Liverpool fame )and out of a bitch called Velvet Kizzy. He is a beautiful blue January dog and it's hoped to have him racing in Galway and Limerick in April or May next year. Obviously one always… Read more

This evening in the Fairgreen there will be a charity match in aid of the Ennis Old Folks between an Avenue Wanderers X1 and a Moroneys Bar X1. The Avenue team will be managed by Pat Basil Whelan while the Moroney's team will be in the hands of ex Hermitage player Eddie Walsh. All the players involved will be non league players so as the ad for the game says make sure you have an insurance ploicy , next of kin are advised and oxygen will be available on the sideline to those who require an extra boost during the game.

Afterwards there will be a night in Moroneys where the crack should be mighty and the stories great. At the end of the day it's hoped that a substantial amount of money will be raised for this worth cause of our fellow townfolk. Well done to all the players and… Read more

Finally the pictures from BJ and Tracy wedding can be see in the photo gallery. Hopefully they will bring back some of the memories of what was a super day in County Sligo. If you have any comments to make feel free to put them on the guestbook. A special thank you to Louise Dunleavy and Irene Hehir who supplied the pictures of BJ and Tracy's big day.

On 6th September next Adie Murphy son of the late Christy Murphy from Hermitage who was founder of the 1st Ennis Boy Scout Troop will head to Chad for six months duty as part of his role with the Irish Army. This will be nothing new to Adie as since joining the army after leaving school these overseas duties have become part and parcel of his life in the forces.

All your friends in Moroney's are very proud of your achievements with your career in the forces and wish you sincere good wishes during your time abroad. If you ever get lonely for home you know all you have to do is log on to Moroneysbar.com and it's sure to bring a smile to your face looking through the picture gallery. You'll even see a picture of your lovely wife Deirdre.

Good luck and safe return from all your fellow townies… Read more

Sunday next promises to be a great day in Moroneys with the Clare hurlers playing Cork in the All Ireland Quarter Final on the big screens and more importantly the return of the honeymooners BJ and Tracy from the holiday paradise of Mauritius. A big party awaits the newly married couple and there should be a great buzz around the place with the hurlers into action at 4pm.

All BJ's and Tracy's friends will be there to welcome them home along with many of their trad musician friends. So one can expect that it will be like having the Strawboys in Moroneys for the happy couple. So if it's fun, crack, food and drink you want all roads lead to Moroney's on Sunday. Welcome home Mr and Mrs McCarthy from all your friend in your favourite local.

It is hoped to have some pictures from the wedding on the website in the… Read more

This weekend promises to be a great occassion with two very important events taking place. First up is the wedding of Brian John and Tracy on Saturday in Sligo while on Sunday at 4pm in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick ,Clare and Tipperary will contest the Munster Senior Hurling Final.

It is ten years since Clare contested a Munster Final so one can expect a huge Clare following urging their charges on come Sunday evening. As usual the match will be live on the big screens in Moroneys so if you can't make the game you know where to watch it.

You might also be luck to meet some of the guests on their way back from the wedding and catch up on BJ's and Tracy's big day. Best wishes to all on their respective big days from all your friends and fans in Moroneys.

After an exciting tussle with Limerick last Sunday in Thurles, Clare qualified for a Munster Final meeting with arch rivals Tipperary on 13th July at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. While Clare never reached the dizzy heights of the Waterford game their never say die attitude got them through after weathering a great Limerick comeback.

As you would expect there was a great crowd in Moroneys for the game and for those unlucky not to get a ticket for the final are welcome to shout on their countymen on the three TV's in the bar. Win , lose or draw you'll be guaranteed a great afternoon and evening of crack and great porter. Come On The Banner

On the 12th July in Markree Castle, Collooney, Co. Sligo the man responsible for the well being and running of Moroneys, Brian John McCarthy will wed the lovely Tracy McNevin. Knowing the couple this promises to be a spectacular day and if the setting is anything to go by it will be a five star affair. Interestingly BJ's future father in law Colm is an integral part of the Moroneys operation and this indeed will be a proud day for him and his family also.

All the staff and most of all loyal customers wish Tracy and BJ long life, health and happiness and look forward to toasting the happy couple on their return to Ennis.

Last Sunday in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick the Clare hurlers gave a tremendous display to defeat reigning Munster Hurling Champions Waterford in the first round of the MSH Championship. It's five years since Clare last won a first round so to win by nine points was something unexpected but welcome by the many Clare supporters that traveled to Limerick for the 2pm throw in.

Many who were unable to make the early throw in watch it in their local and Moroneys was no exception on this occassion. With the Eire Og and Clare flags flying high outside the pub the atmosphere inside was once of optimism rather than confidence. Mind you many of the locals made a handsome profit on the generous odds of 9/4 on offer from local bookmakers and when the final whistle was blown the pub erupted in a crescendo of noise.

Nothing is won yet… Read more

A determined Rock Rovers who played an exciting brand of football upset the favourites Bunratty to claim the Clare Cup at Doora on Saturday evening last. It was one of the better finals over the last few years and the Tommy Leahy managed Rock deserved their day in the sun. While it was a team effort, Luke Coote was awarded Man Of The Match but in truth it could have gone to an one of the starting eleven.

Rocks first goal was an own goal when a Dean Gardiner cross was turned into the net by a Bunratty defender but their second was of the spectacular variety. Niall McNevin better known as Niggles scored with a rocket from twelve yards following a cross from Ashley Glynn and only the crossbar denied him a second. With ten minutes remaining Bunratty pulled one back but despite being under constant pressure and six minutes… Read more

On Saturday evening at 6.30pm in the County Grounds at Doora, Rock Rovers will line out in the Cup Final against cup specialists Bunratty. This is a great achievement for Tommy Leahy's boys who play in Division 1 of the Clare & District Soccer League and have beaten Newtown, Shannon Olympic A, Corofin and Rineanna Rovers on their way to the final.

Rock will have new kit bags for the final sponsored by Brian John McCarthy of Moroneys and here's hoping we see the boys win the cup over the weekend. Now that the weather is tropical like go on down to Doora and support the Rock boys in their quest for cup glory. Best wishes from all your supporters and friends in Moroneys.

Having decided to travel to Barcelona to celebrate 21 years of playing soccer together The Barca 14 are back and in recovery after a super three days in Europe's No 1 city. Each member of the party was given a beautiful polo top courtesy of Brian John McCarthy which had the Moroney emblem, Barcelona '08 and a footballer with 21 years on the sleeve. Theses were also worn to the game on Saturday night and really made us stand out. Some of the locals heard stories that we were celebrating having played Barcelona 21 years ago and were unlucky to loose on a penalty shoot out but that's for another day.

The highlight of the trip for many of the lads was the tour of the Camp Nou and surprisingly enough not the match between Barcelona and local rivals Espanyol which turned out to be a drab affair. Our Hotel… Read more

Just under two weeks ago the Ennis Town Concil erected an island in the centre of the road in the Lower Market area know as The Mall and directly outside Moroneys Bar. This has ment that there is now no parking on either side of the road in this area and gives easier access to Lysaghs Lane car park know locally as Quinn's Lane car park. Also access to O Connell Street has been closed off to cars and this has helped make the area very safe for pedestrians.

Included in the island is an area where flowers will be planted and this will enhance the Lower Market area no end. It also opens up Moroneys as there are no cars parked in front of the door, although it has made it difficult to get deliveries. On the whole it's a positive move on behalf of the council and is the… Read more

What better day than Good Friday to give a pub a facelift with a day's painting and so it was that Noel (Squaw) McCarthy and Colm McNevin got the brushes out and got to work. At 8 o'clock this morning when most people were asleep, the boys got to work taking down all the pictures and preparing to paint. When most are trying to get into a pub on one of two closed pub days in the year the lads had the pub to themselves.

They finished at 7pm and the pub looks really pristine. Added to this a new 37 inch TV was installed on the wall over the fireplace in the lower bar and this should go down really well with all the footie and hurling fans. Also six new speakers were put up in the pub along with one in the smoking area so surround sound is the… Read more

Yesterday in Croke Park the Welsh rugby team defeated Ireland 16-12 to win the Triple Crown and set up a tilt at the Grand Slam next week in Cadiff against France. The win also set off wild celebrations in Moroneys where a group of Welsh supporters had gathered to watch the game after their coach driver Mickey Meere had dropped them off for the game. It was the groups third visit to Ennis for a rugby weekend but their first visit to Moroneys and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

They were full of praise for the staff on duty (Irene and Zara ) and were very appreciative of the food and hospitality they received and also for the butterballs compliments of the house to celebrate their great victory. They were also presented with three Moroney polo tops on their departure which they were thrilled to receive. On their departure they sang a… Read more

Well as they say everything comes to those who wait and this is certainly true in Spurs case when they defeated London rivals Chelsea in todays Carling Cup Final at Wembley. Having only defeated their great rivals on three occassions in the last 42 attempts one can understand how Spurs fans Brian John McCarthy , Mickey Clohessy, John Casey and Anthony Daly felt when the final whistle was blown.

The Chelsea Supporters Club meet in Moroneys so the banter was great this evening especially when Chelsea took the lead only for Spurs to level from the penalty spot. Then in extra time the unthinkable happened and ex Leeds United star Jonathan Woodgate headed the winner much to the delight of proprietor BJ. Expect the drinks to be on the house this evening.Come on ye Spurs will be the cry!

What started off nearly twenty years ago as a group of friends getting together to play inter pub soccer for Cheers Bar ( formerly Darcys Bar and run by Cyril Cusack and Kieran Gleeson ) will be celebrated in Barcelona in April (18th -21st) when a group of 14 will fly over and watch the mighty Barca play in the famous Camp Nou against local rivals Espanyol. Over the years players have come and gone and regettably one of our stalwarts Seamie O Sullivan is gone to his eternal rest but he is always with us in spirit when we play our indoor football during the winter and spring months. Always our No 3 , that's Seamie.

Over the years the group played inter pub soccer for Cheers, Woodys, Brannagans and Knox's where after years of near misses the coveted inter pub trophy was finally won beating Murty McMahon's from… Read more