Moroney's Bar

On Sunday Eire Og will do battle with Ogonnelloe in the Senior Hurling B Final in Cusack Park and John Russells boys will be hoping for victory for what is a very young senior team. Also on the day the Eire Og senior championship winning team from 1982 will be honoured and players such as Declan Coote, Jack and Francis Heaslip, Pa Lynch, the Barrys Joe, Pete and Gerry will be honoured.

Hopefully they can bring home the Ryan Hannon Trophy and give a much needed boost for hurling in the town.

On Sunday next Eire Og take on Lissycasey in the County Senior Football Final in Cusack Park in what is a repeat of last years final. On that occassion The Townies emerged winners having overcome a stubborn Lissycasey fight back in the second half. Once again there should be nothing between the sides at the final whistle and all at Moroneys wish captain Shane Daniels and the boys every success in their efforts to bring back the Jack Daly cup to Ennis on Sunday evening.

For some of Moroneys younger brigade Tuesday proved a fruitful day at the Tipperary races. Cathal McCarthy who works in the bar and his colleagues Ross Griffin, Chris Shannon, Ian Guilfoyle, Stephen Dinan, Danny Russell and Eamon Callinan had a day only some of us can dream about that is fleecing the bookie. The boys headed down in two cars and unfortunately were late for the first race where they were going to back Prospectorous and you guesses it he romped home.

Not to be detered the boys asked a bookie friend of theirs for some tips and by the end of the race meeting the boys had four winners to their name. Indeed one of the lads had got a loan of €5 and ended up the day with €190 to his name. They reserved their biggest cheer for Monty Mint who obliged them in the last race and sparked… Read more

On October 1st Mike Fahy will launch his new venture Green Light Driving Instruction based in Newmarket on Fergus. Mike who along with his good wife Jacquie are regulars in Moroneys will offer 1 & 2 hour lessons in your own car or theirs, students welcome ( discounts available), intensive driving courses and pre test assessments.
We in Moroneys wish both Mike & Jacquie best wishes and success in their new venture from all their friends. Mike can be contacted as follows;
Tl No: 086-8322122 or @ www.greenlightdrivinginstruction.ie
There is a picture of the happy couple in the picture gallery under the heading people.

Now most of us like to take things easy for our 40th, others would prefer to let the day pass un noticed but not our good friend Christy Nestor. Instead Christy and his friends went to Lanzarote for themselves and even found an Irish bar run by a Ennis man to celebrate the great occasion.

Frank Burns runs Murphy's Bar in Lanzarote and to compound matter further his father also Frank was born next door to Moroneys bar in the Market where the Burns family also had a public house,so Christy and the crew must have really felt at home. All the gang wore their Moroneys tee shirts for the big night and their was plenty of ol, craic agus ceoil during the evening and long into the night. If you want to hear more of the going on you'd better talk to the crew, although I expect the motto… Read more

Bodhran player extraordinaire John Joe Kelly will play Glor along with accordianiast Dermot Byrne, fiddler Ciaran Tourish, flute player and piper Mike McGoldrick and guitarist John Doyle. This promises to be a great night for traditional music and expect Glor to have the full house signs up.

John Joe is a regular visitor to Clare and one can expect to see him in Moroneys catching up with old friends like Marcus Moloney and of course Brian John. As he spoke to Gerry Quinn for an article for this week Clare People John Joe explained " I've been over and back to Ennis a bit lately,Ive got lots of friends there. I often go to the session in Moroney's bar on a Wednesday night. The Landlord in there, Brian John McCarthy is a good mate. Marcus Moloney, a banjo player who plays there, is another friend of mine.

I've know Marcus since I… Read more

Despite the terrible summer we had weather wise it seems an eternity since the soccer season ended. On Sunday next one of the clashes of the season takes place when Liverpool and Chelsea clash at Anfield and expect Moroneys to be rocking come kick off at 4pm.
The Scottish Premier League is also back with another mouth watering clash on Sunday when Aberdeen take on Celtic at Pittordie.This is one for the Celtic boys who meet regularly at Moroneys for the Celtic games. The following is a list of the games that will be shown on Sky Sports over the coming months.One can also see all the Setanta soccer fixtures in Moroneys once again this season.Now hurry on down and support your team .

AUGUST
Thu 16 Rotherham v Sheff Wed (7.45pm) 7.30pm Carling Cup
Sat 18 Portsmouth v Bolton (12.45pm) 12.30pm Premier League
Sat 18 Stoke City v Charlton Athletic… Read more

Sunday is a big day in the hurling year with Clare and Limerick meeting in the All Ireland Q/F in Croke Park.While many will make the trip those of you who stay at home can join us in Moroneys where the Banner Roar will be heard throughout the afternoon hopefully cheering Clare to victory. Come on and join us and enjoy the Trad session after the games when the crack will be great.

Congratulations to Cyril White ( Young Spinky) who got engaged on Saturday last to Carole Ann McNamara in the romantic city of Paris.It looks like Spinky Snr won't be going on any Leeds trips this season as he'll be saving hard for the big day. With Cyril also changing jobs this week it has certainly a hectic week for him and all at Moroneys wish the happy couple years of long life and happiness.And of course the next generations of Spinkies !

What started two years ago as a small event in Lower Market Street has now evolved into a annual festival. Along with musical workshops,puppet shows, face painting, the Galway Circus Project will showcase their skills at a workshop to be held in the Holy Family School. In addition to these events a gig rig will be set up in the Upper Market with five live bands performing between 2-8pm finishing with a performance by the Ennis Brass Band. Hopefully the weather will not spoil what promises to be a great days entertainment.

To coincide with the Ennis Street Festival Clare Hurling All Star Tony Griffin will arrive home in Ennis on Sunday evening following his epic 7000km cycle across Canada in aid of cancer research. Tony undertook the journey in memory of his late father Jerome who died of cancer in December 2005 and he hopes to raise €1 million for the Ride For The Cure Foundation.
Tony will arrive in Ennis on Sunday evening after completing the Irish leg of the journey by which time the festivities in Ennis will be in full swing. All at Moroneys congratulate Tony on his fantastic achievement and remind him that his great friend Travis McDonagh who was a driving force behind the cycle and himself are welcome to those pints of porter that were promised long before the cycle was dreamed. Cheers guys!

This weekend the Fleadh Nua reaches it's climax with a cultural prade through the streets of Ennis at 4pm. The time has been changed to let the natives watch the Munster Hurling Championship game between Clare and Cork which is being shown live on RTE at 2pm. Despite the mixed weather this week, crowds are expected in Ennis as musicians from all over Ireland decend on the town to showcase their talents. On Sunday evening their will be a trad session in Moroney's from 6-9pm and all are welcome.

The Ennis Branch of the Glasgow Celtic supporters club were in jubilant mood yesterday evening when Celtic completed the double by beating Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final. As usual they celebrated in style and they had a great sing song going well into the evening.Congratulations to all concerned from Brian John and staff.

On Saturday next the 2nd June in St Mary's Church Mullagh Pat "Basil" Whelan will walk down the aisle with Patricia Cahill followed afterwards with a reception in The Bellbridge Hotel,Spanish Point. Basil is a staunch Leeds United supporter and a member of the Ennis Leeds United Supporters Club which meets in Moroney's. Basil has extended an invite to all his friends in the club to attend the evening reception if they wish.

Less than a week later on Wednesday 6th June in far away Sorrento Italy Enda Howard will marry Marguerite "Mags" Murphy from Clarecastle. Enda is also a member of Ennislusc and of course a true Eire Og supporter. It will be interesting to see what happens if Eire Og meet The Magpies in the hurling championship in that household.

Everyone in Moroney's wish both couples long life, health and happiness and we look forward to meeting you on your… Read more

Our friends in the Ennis Leeds United Supporters Club who meet and watch games in Moroney's may be downhearted with their beloved Leeds being relegated to Division 1 of the Football League but they are already planning for next seasons trips. Despite the slagging from the Man United,Liverpool & Chelsea fans the Leeds fans are a hardy group and are staying loyal to their team.

Paul "Nuggy" Nihill,Johnny Moroney & Slim Corry are already planning their trips for next year with Millwall & Huddesfield Town their favoured options. Already they have taken 20 bookings for their first trip even though the fixtures are not yet out. Looks like the Leeds boys are here to stay. Now that's what I call loyalty.

In the battle for Abbey Trophy hounours seasoned veteran Ger Hanrahan defeated first time competition entrant Kieran "Ginger " Ryan on the 18th after an epic battle. Ger is a previous winner of the trophy so Kieran can be well proud of his achievement in taking Hanna all the way to the last hole. Incidentally Ger was beaten in the next round by his playing partner and ex Hermitage footballer Eamonn Kenny,himself a noted shark on the fairways.

In the other clash of Moroney patrons Senan Ryan beat his good friend Davy Considine 3/2 but unfortunately went out in the next round like Ger. So no trophy to celebrate in Moroneys but plenty of good stories of how things might have been if this putt dropped or that drive found a fairway.Funny old game that golf.

On Sunday last Moroneys was heaving with supporters of the famed Hoops gathering for their potential Championship winning game vs Kilmarnock. A win for Celtic would guarantee the League title and Colm McDonagh,John Lavery,John Reynolds,Chris & Ann Dobbins of the Ennis Supporters Club along with many more members bedecked in the Celtic jerseys were there to shout on their heroes.

With the game entering injury time up stepped Celtic's Player of the Year Shunskuke Nakamura to curl a left footed free kick over the wall and into the net.As you can imagine the supporters when wild and celebrated accordingly.Songs were sung, beer was drank and the slagging was mighty.Congratulations to all the Celtic supporters on your great year from all in Moroneys and we look forward to seeing you once again for the Scottish Cup Final on 26th May vs Dunfermline when we hope you complete the DOUBLE.

In the qualifying round for the Abbey Trophy,one of the oldest competitions played at the Ennis Golf Club five regulars from Moroney's qualified for the last 16. Interestingly four of the lads have been paired to meet each other in the match play section which had added a bit of spice to the proceedings.

Top qualifer Ger "Hanna " Hanrahan has been drawn to play Kieran " Ginger " Ryan and this has all the hallmarks of an old St Michael's vs Hermitage match in which both these guys starred in down the years. Now the battle is on the fairways but no doubt the intensity of battle without the flying tackles will be just as hard fought.

Also drawn together are great buddies and regular Sunday partners Senan Ryan and joker Dave Considine. It would be worth going to watch this pairing even it was only for the laugh… Read more

If you are in town on Saturday after the parade which finishes in The Market why not drop in and join us in cheering for Ireland in their Six Nations Rugby match vs Italy.
The atmosphere will be electric and you will also be able to see the All Ireland Club Hurling and Football Finals during the afternoon. Happy St Patrick's Day to all our customers home and abroad from all the gang in Moroney's.

On Friday next 9th March 23 supporters of the Ennis Leeds United Supporters Club will travel over to Elland Road for the Championship game vs Luton Town. The club is based in Moroneys and we wish the club best wishes in their quest for three points and their fight against relegation.See you all Sunday evening for the updates on the weekend.