Moroney's Bar

This weekend a beautiful mural was completed in Lysaght's Lane as one enters the car park area behind Paddy Quinn's Bar . Over the last number of weeks as the painting was progressing many of the locals were wondering what the scene was going to depict and now we can revel that it commemorate the death of young Patrick Morrissey ( 5 years & 10 months ) of Lysaght's Lane on 14th August 1915. Thanks to Larry Brennan of the Clare Roots Society who published a history of the event entitled " Patrick Morrissey The Troubles 1921" we now know that Patrick was playing marbles in Scabby Lane with another boy when he was hit in the cross fire between The Volunteers and Black and Tans .

The volunteers had attempted to take a revolver from one of the two RIC constables on O Connell Street but following a struggle… Read more

It was with deep shock and sadness that on Wednesday last, news filtered through of the passing of our great friend and ex President of Ennislusc Joe ( Josie) Hester. I had only met Josie in The Market a few weeks back outside O Connor's Newsagents as he collected his weekly Clare Champion and the Connaught Tribune. A proud native of Mayo most of us got to know Josie in St Flannan's College where he taught French, and was well liked by all the students that had the pleasure of having him as a teacher. Indeed in my time in St Flannan's I had no idea that Josie was an avid Leeds supporter and was a mine of history on the club. It was only years later his great friend and teaching colleague the late John Finn said to me that Josie would like to join the supporters club.

I told… Read more

We are now beginning the second month of our new music gigs and we are delighted with the reception and feed back from customers and friends to the first months offering. The musicians / singers have been top class and we thank them sincerely for their excellent repertoire and top class gigs. The following is the gig line up for April :

Friday 5th The Rogues

Saturday 6th : Faye Moloney

Friday 12th : Sarah Croker

Saturday 13th : Bart Lever

Friday 19th : Ali Woodford

Saturday 20th : Sarah Croker

Friday 26th : The Rogues

Saturday 27th : Faye Moloney

Come to one of the gigs in Moroney's and you won't be disappointed.

On Tuesday 12th March the top meeting of the National Hunt season kicks off at Cheltenham and you can watch all four days racing in Moroney's on our eight screens so you will miss none of the action. With such a strong Irish contingent heading over punters will be hoping that Willie Mullins, Gavin Cromwell, Martin Brassil and Henry de Bromhead to name but a few of the Irish trainers involved can help relieve the bookmakers of some cash as they back their charges. It promises to be an exciting week racing and if you can't head across the water then Moroney's is the next best place to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the craic while food will be provided each day to patrons.

Starting on Friday 8th March Moroney's Bar are delighted to bring a new brand of music to The Market with two gigs each weekend on a Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9pm . There has been a big demand for quite a while from patrons asking would it be possible to have some singer / guitarists playing the odd gig and in fairness to Maurice and Tomas they have run with this idea. Our regular Trad Session will now take place once a month on a Friday night.

The following is the schedule for March

Friday 8th March : Tommy Benn

Saturday 9th March : Sarah Croker

Friday 15th March : Marcus Moloney

Saturday 16th March : Fay Moloney

Friday 22nd March : Ali Woodford

Saturday 23rd March : Fay Moloney

Friday 29th March : Damien Gormley

Saturday 30th March : Bart Lever and Trish O Dea

So if you… Read more

The annual Ennis Book Festival takes place in the town from Friday 1st March to Sunday 3rd March inclusive. It gives those who have a love of books and reading to attend book launches, readings and to socialise while visiting our beautiful town. Most of the events which are listed below take place in venues around the town from The Templegate, Glor, The Old Ground Hotel, The Courthouse, Ennis Book Shop and The County Library among others. There is also a walking tour of the town on Saturday morning with Jane O Brien and this is certainly a must do for those visiting the town for the weekend as it gives a tremendous history of Ennis. Best Wishes and continued success to all involved with this excellent festival.

We Are Human Too launch (Book Launch)
Friday 1st March 12pm
Venue: The Temple Gate Hotel
Tickets: Free of charge and ticketed
Edited by Anne… Read more

As we say goodbye to another year we at Moroney's Bar, Market Street, Ennis would like to take this opportunity to THANK ALL our loyal customers and friends both at home and abroad for your continued patronage which we truly appreciate. As we always say it is you who make the bar and for that we are eternally grateful.

Happy New Year and Sincere Best Wishes from Maurice, Tomas, Ronnie, Hanna and Dan. Looking forward to seeing you all in 2024.

Despite the inclement weather, lack of accommodation for visiting musicians the Ennis Trad Festival kick off this evening in the Queen's Hotel with the festival launch and this year's event promises to be a great spectacle. Given these dark wintry evenings what better way to enjoy them than going out to hear the many top class musicians playing on the session trail around the town. As always there is a huge array of events from CD launches, master classes in fiddle, accordion, concertina, flute, sean nos dancing and singing, Teen Trad disco, Trad quiz and of course the pub session trail.

Maurice and Tomas Walsh have put together a great line up over the weekend at Moroney's which includes three sessions on Saturday alone. The following is the list of trad sessions at Moroney's for the Trad Festival :

6:30pm Fri 10 Nov 2023 : Ornaith Lynch, Andrew McNamara, Pat… Read more

On Saturday afternoon Johnny " Shoes" Murphy retired from his shoe maker repair shop in the Upper Market and so saw the loss of another well known Ennis family business. The business was started in July 1956 by Johnny's late father John Snr and was located on 59 O Connell Street , Ennis which was formerly known as The Forester's Club. As a young lad Johnny used serve Mass in The Friary and his late mother Breda used tell him when he was finished there to go up and help his father in the shop. In the Summer of 1980 after completing his Leaving Certificate in Ennis CBS Johnny started work in the shop alongside his father on the 21st June and 43 years later brings down the curtain on a fantastic career serving the people of Ennis, Clare. and afar.

In 2002 the shop moved to Cronin's Yard in… Read more

It was with deep sadness on Sunday last that we heard of the sad passing of one of life's most courteous gentleman and fellow Ennis publican PJ Kelly. I first got to know PJ when I started working in Shannon Airport in the late 70's and he was working in the Flight Kitchen. On my first day of employment as I walked nervously through the Flight Kitchen PJ shouted out " Welcome to the base young Moroney and in the next breath had you breakfast yet ". Suffice to say I never went hungry there and thanks to the kindness and welcoming of PJ on my first day in employment it opened up a whole new world and set me up for a long career in Shannon. PJ was a big sports fan and loved hurling , soccer or a flutter on the horses. Indeed many is the winner he… Read more

One of Ennis's finest musicians Kieran Hanrahan was recognized with a Hall of Fame Award from the Clare Association Dublin at a ceremony in The Falls Hotel Ennistymon on Saturday night last. Kieran of the famed Stockton's Wing and RTE Radio's programme Céili House was honoured for his dedication and promotion of traditional music both at home and abroad. Hailing from St Michael's Villas, Kieran along with fellow Villas native Paul Roche, Maurice Lennon, Tommy Hayes and Tony Cullinan formed the famed Stockton's Wing band in 1977 and was later joined by his singer songwriter brother Michael. Kieran's family are steeped in traditional music, having inherited their love of music from their later parents Jackie and Mary Hanrahan. Brothers Joe and John are also accomplished musicians while Ger "Hanna" Hanrahan better noted for his soccer prowess played the drums when a group from St Michael's Villas won the Ceili Band… Read more

Last week despite the broken weather ,well known Ennis painter Eddie Hayes gave the front of the bar a facelift . Eddie is an early riser and was down at 7am to wash down the front before getting started on the painting. Never short of a word Eddie was in full flow with the locals passing up and down when I arrived and as always did a tremendous job. Many moons ago, even before my time I was told that there was an old timber Guinness sign hanging on the front wall of the pub. It was always something that I thought would be nice to bring back but it had to be in keeping with the building. Ironically Maurice had sourced an old antique one which he got restored and was wondering if it could be erected on the front.

On Saturday morning his great friend Cully Fitzgerald along… Read more

It was with deep shock and sadness that we heard on Friday last of the sudden passing of our dear friend and Ennis Leeds United Supporters Club colleague John Dooley. Every time one met John they were greeted with a broad smile, a big hello and for us Ennislusc members what's was happening with Leeds. He was a regular in Moroney's for the televised Leeds games often in the company of his great friend and Liverpool fan James Fenton. No matter how vociferous we would get roaring them on John would sit back and never get excited just smiling away. John came on club trips to Leeds with us, with his first being the Colchester game on 1st February 2010. He was ecstatic to finally see Elland Road and often said to me it was one chalked off his life's wishes.

John was a true Dubliner who enjoyed the magnificent… Read more

This morning I rambled around the corner to wish our great friend and fellow Market publican Brian Kelly all the best on his retirement. Brian who has been a brilliant neighbour is stepping away from behind the counter after 34 years in the bar trade having taken over the premises on Chapel Lane in 1989 . All his many friends at Moroney's would like to take this opportunity to wish Brian long health and happiness on his retirement and many enjoyable hours on the golf course. We look forward to seeing Brian around The Market when he calls down to Kelly's but this time on the other side of the counter.

Yesterday in Jackman Park Limerick, Newmarket Celtic captured the blue ribbon of Irish Junior Football when they beat St Michael's ( Tipperary Town) in a gripping FAI Junior Cup Final. The great Avenue United team of the 90's set the template for others to follow when they were unluckily beaten in the final in 1990 by a superb Cherry Orchard side who won the cup on six occasions in eleven years. I had the privilege of being in Dalymount Park back then shouting on Mannix & co so it was great to finally see a Clare team lift the trophy. We sincerely congratulate all present and former Newmarket Celtic players & mentors on this historic achievement. Also not forgetting our two excellent barmen and Celtic supporters, Newmarket native Ronnie Delaney and Ger " Hanna" Hanrahan who was a brilliant midfielder with Celtic and were thrilled with this victory.

As a tribute to two of Clare's outstanding hurlers of any era we recently commissioned Ennis artist Harry Guinane to paint two portraits of Eire Og's Shane O Donnell and Ballyea's Tony Kelly. Harry hails from St Joseph's Terrace on Carmody Street and is son of the late Sean who himself was an outstanding hurler, footballer and County Secretary took many hours painstakingly perfecting the portraits. We certainly are thrilled with them and they now take pride of place on the back wall in our outdoor area. In the photo of Harry himself can be seen an oil painting of Newhall Missile who won the Boylesports Greyhound Consolation Derby 2018 for owners Noel Coote and the late Colin Barry and trainer John Browne.

Check out our Photo Gallery to view the photos.

The pinnacle of the National Hunt season gets under way tomorrow as Cheltenham starts their four day festival meeting. Thousands of Irish travel over every year and here at home many take annual leave and make a week of it especially as St Patrick's Day falls on the last days racing. Here at Moroney's you won't miss any of the action on our seven TV screens where the atmosphere will be electric and craic second to none. Food will be provide each day along with free bets and a few surprises. Doors open at 12 noon each day and Maurice, Ronnie, Hanna ,Dan, Tomas and Dara will be on hand over the four days to cater for all your needs. Call to Moroney's the best place to watch racing in Ennis.

All at Moroney's Bar, The Mall, Ennis would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers and friends both at home and abroad for their continued custom. It is you who has put Moroney's on the map and made it the popular pub that it is today for which we are eternally grateful. Happy New Year and Sincere Best Wishes from Maurice, Tomas, Ronnie, Hanna and Dan. Looking forward to seeing you all in 2023.

Last Friday evening saw one of the towns best known characters Tony McInerney retire from the Ennis Town Council Environment Department after 41 years service . Many people of all ages would know Tony from his thirty plus years serving as a Clare Soccer League Referee a role in which he was highly respected by both players, management and spectators alike. All his friends at Moroney's wish him long health and happiness in his retirement and Tony you can now forget about those 5am weekend starts !

History was made in Clare Soccer League circles this week with the election of Deirdre Shannon as Chairperson of the Clare Schoolboys / Schoolgirls Soccer League and in so doing becomes the first woman to hold the role. Deirdre is one of the driving forces within Hermitage FC which is one of the oldest clubs in the Clare League having been founded in 1960 and indeed the Shannon family's name has been synonymous with the club since its inception.

Deirdre also finds time to manage the Hermitage Ladies FC Premier Division team which are presently top of the Shannon Hotel Supplies Ladies Premier League and recently Moroney's Bar presented the team with a new set of jerseys. All her friends and customers at Moroney's wish Deirdre sincere best wishes in her new role and would also like to take this opportunity to wish continued success to the Hermitage FC Ladies team.