Moroney's Bar

When the shocking news filtered through today that Gerard Dilger late of Circular Road Hermitage had passed away suddenly in Kentucky, it sent shock waves around the town. For Townies of a certain vintage he was known to one and all as Stunt. I first heard of Stunt from his late father PJ who was a regular in Moroney's. He told me that his son Gerard was gone to work for the summer at the White family stud farm in Ballyalla ( now owned by the Costello family). Little did I know that his passion for horses would culminate in the extraordinary events of the 6th May 2017, when Always Dreaming won the 143rd Kentucky Derby. This feat was made all the more impressive as this horse was bred and reared in Ger's Dromoland Farm Stud in Lexington, Kentucky.

Back in 1972 there was an U13 soccer league formed in the… Read more

This year Moroney's Bar celebrates 180 years in business having been founded by James Moroney as a bar & grocery in the Lower Market area or to give it it's correct name The Mall area of Ennis. We plan to celebrate this auspicious birthday during the year with some events but recently we received a huge surprise in the post from California to kick start our birthday. It came in the form of a fantastic watercolor painting of the facade of Moroney's which was painted by William McMahon 111. William traveled to Ireland in 2016 to see his daughter perform in Dublin on St Patrick's Day and at the International Band Championships in Limerick. On the history side William's grandfather( also William ) was born and raised in Corbally while his uncle was James Kearney from The Market. As William stated in his letter accompanying the painting his uncle James… Read more

It's hard to believe that nineteen years have passed since Ennislusc was founded in Fafa Considine's Bar in Parnell Street, Ennis which at the time was run by Paul ( Nuggy) Nihill. It was a conversation he had with Sean ( Bombs ) McCarthy that set the ball rolling and in conjunction with Cyril ( Slim) Corry, Johnny Moroney and the late Mick McNamara that Ennislusc came to be. At the time it was never dreamed that the club would grow to present day numbers and even when the club was relegated to the first divisions our numbers never waned. The club has met in Moroney's, Market Street since 2006 for live games and is the home of Ennilusc.

Once a Leeds fan always a Leeds fan and we are now the envy of many fan clubs across the country. Thanks to Paul Nihill who has done trojan work for the… Read more

Another year has passed and as we enter 2020 Moroney's Bar Market Street, Ennis will celebrate 180 years in business. Moroney's has been in the Market area of Ennis since 1840 and has seen many changes over the years. However it has retained that feeling of the local pub where everyone is welcome,the banter is good and of course the drink is top class. However without our tremendously loyal customers this would not be possible and were are truly in debt for your continued support. As John White always says without you our wonderful customers we are only four walls and it's you are what make Moroney's one of the best and friendliest pubs in Ennis. To All our loyal customers and friends we sincerely wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. John Whyte, Trina, Ronnie, Ger Hanna, Wayne and the Moroney family look forward… Read more

As part of our ongoing initiatives to keep our website up to date we have replaced the opening page photo with a more modern one of the front of Moroney's Bar, Market Street, Ennis. Hope you like our colourful new opening page.

Today is a big day in the life of John Whyte who runs Moroney's Bar as he walks down the aisle with his beautiful fiancee Trina McLaughlin. John first set eyes on Trina over the counter of Boylesports in Chapel Lane where she is manageress as he was endevouring to place a bet. Needless to say the horse he backed finished down the field but his luck was in as instead he romped out the door with a date with Trina. Fast forward over two years and today John will be in the winners enclosure as he walks down the aisle with Trina on his hand. He's had to endure hours of slagging from all his customers but today they'll be cheering on the happy couple as they celebrate into the small hours at the Inn at Dromoland.

On behalf of the Moroney family and all his loyal customers we would… Read more

The Munster Fleadh returns to Ennis for the second consecutive year and promised to be bigger and better than last year's successful event. The Gig Rig will be in the Abbey Street car park on Friday 19th (From 4pm), Saturday 20th ( From 4pm) and Sunday 21st from 2pm while Glor will host The Clare Youth Trad Orchestra on Thursday 18th, Shaskeen on Friday 19th, Martin Hayes & Tulla Ceili Band on Saturday 20th and finishing up with the legendary Kilfenora Ceili Band on Sunday 21st July.

There will be Music & Dance competitions in St Flannan's, Music and Irish Classes in Clareabbey GAA, CD launches in The Sanctuary, the famous Pub Trail with session in all pubs through out the week and on Sunday 21st there will be Dancing at The Crossroads at Kerin's Cross, Clarecastle. As always Moroney's will have trad session throughout the week with our famous Wednesday… Read more

Some weeks back I came across an advertisement in the Irish Examiner where Horse Racing Ireland were offering members of the public the opportunity to visit a racing stable and see the behind the scenes activities of a working stable. So last Saturday morning I had the privilege of visiting race horse trainer Richard J. O Brien's stables in Kilmihil ( yes believe it or not) County Limerick as part of the National Racehorse Trainers Open Morning along with fifty other people. Richard only took out his trainers licence in December 2016 having qualified and worked as a dentist prior to this. Richard is a Clare man from Kilmaley and his father Dr William O'Brien works as an anaesthetist at the A&E department of Ennis General Hospital. However his involvement with horses began as a teenager riding out for Joe Crowley in Piltown, County Waterford and he also rode out… Read more

This weekend both the Clare hurlers and footballers embark on their opening games in this years Munster Championship. First up are the footballers this evening in Cusack Park where they play Waterford with the winners having home advantage next time out against The Kingdom. Then on Sunday afternoon in Walsh Park, Waterford the Clare hurlers take center stage against The Deise. With this game live on TV at 2pm coupled with the exciting end to the last day of The Premiership season the normally loyal Clare supporters are not travelling in their droves. Indeed the Clare County Board returned 750 tickets of their allocation and with a ground capacity of 11,000 The Banner supporters will be well outnumbered.

Following on from a 16 point drubbing some eight weeks ago in Walsh Park in the National Hurling League, Clare will be hoping to atone from this defeat with a big performance. All… Read more

After being off the track since last November Newhall Missile returned to action at Shelbourne Park last night and beat a top class field on his comeback from a neck injury he sustained in the St Ledger in Limerick last November. Despite missing his customary fast break ( from Trap 2) and getting bumped at the third bend he got up by a short head on the line. His owners Colin Barry and Noel Coote could not be in attendance as Colin is just recently out of hospital but they watched it live on the IGB website with all the Barry family roaring him home.

Once again The Missile was not rated by the bookmakers as he was returned at odds of 5/1 much to the delight of his faithful followers. Huge kudos to his trainer John Browne who has been extremely patient with Missile's recovery. Like all top athletes, greyhounds… Read more

At the recent Ennis Tidy Town Awards held in the Ennis Town Council Offices in Waterpark House, Moroney's Bar were the recipients of the Business Award for the Market Street Area. The judging for this award is based on the appearance of the building including painting, signage, flowers and the general appearance of the building as a whole. During the summer the two chimney stacks on the building which contain six chimney pots each and are listed ( all works have to be sanctioned by the conservation officer before they can be carried out) were repaired and now are an eye catching feature whether you come down the Market or enter it from O Connell Street.

We at Moroney'a are thrilled with the award and would like to thank all those who worked on the building during the year as the award is a thank you for your professional skills.… Read more

Last night at Limerick Greyhound Track on the Dock Road, Firestorm Ellie owned by Mike McNamara and Johnny Moroney was crowned Bitch of The Year by the Limerick & Clare Greyhound Owners & Breeders Association. Ellie takes the award having won 8 times, being 2nd twice and 3rd on eight occasions during 2018 season and is trained in Tulla by Mike's son Donnacha. Indeed Donnacha only took out his trainers licence in January 2018 so this is a fantastic kick start to his career. This is a real Market Street affair as Mike was a neighbour of Johnny's in the Market in his youth where his parents had a public house between Moroney's and Paddy Quinn's before moving out to reside in Tulla.

Firestorm is the prefix that Johnny and Mike run their dogs under and Ellie was named by Johnny's wife Marian after singer songwriter Ellie Goulding. Others that… Read more

On Friday 14th December in Gleeson's Bar in The Turnpike there was a surprise party for Martin O Brien who retired from our indoor footie crew after thirty years being involved in organising and playing. What started off as inter pub team back in 1989 with Cheers and Woodies grew into a life long friendship for a group of lads thanks to Martin's drive and love for football. Back then in Ennis there was no hall available to play indoor football so Martin decided to bring us to Gort where his good friend and fellow Garda member Brian Brennan got us a slot in the local hall on a Monday night. Come hail or snow we drove up each Monday evening ( including one horrendous storm ) and the banter in the cars was as enjoyable as the footie. One would want thick skin as everyone was fair game for… Read more

With another year about to end we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers 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 and award winning pub it is for which we are eternally grateful. Happy New Year and sincere Best Wishes from John White, Hanna and Ronnie. LookING forward to your continued support in 2019.

Tonight in Shelbourne Park there will be a big Ballyea contingent present to see Colin Barry's and Noel Coote's brilliant greyhound Newhall Missile go to traps in the Ted Hegarty Bookmaker Night Of Stars 575yds race which goes to traps at 11.00pm. The reason for the late start is due to the All Black's game in the near by Aviva Stadium which kick off at 7pm and racing has been put back until 8.30pm. This is a one off race with €10,000 to the winner and trainer John Browne is hopeful that The Missile has shaken off his recent injury woes. Having won the Boylesports Consolation Derby in September Newhall Missile was invited to run in The Night Of Stars which is a celebration of all the top greyhounds in Ireland racing over varying distances in one off races with exceptional prize money on offer.

Colin has been looking forward… Read more

This weekend Ennislusc will embark on their annual trip to Elland Road with the biggest group to travel to the holy grail since 2010. It's an early rise as many will be meeting at the West County at 4.55am to travel to Shannon Airport. It's a tribute to the club that there are 36 travelling to Elland Road for the game vs Nottingham Forest and the fact the Leeds are top of The Championship only whets the appetite.

No other supporters club in the region even those supporting the top Premiership teams can boast this number traveling across the water for a game that's being shown live on Sky Sports. On the trip will be Oisin Murphy who will be making his first ever trip to Elland Road and on his birthday as well.Least we forget Caroline Jones will be also making her first trip but this time as Mrs… Read more

On Sunday Ballyea and Cratloe will contest the Clare Senior Hurling Championship Final at Cusack Park with thrown in @ 3.30pm. Having met earlier in the championship where Ballyea prevailed in extra time this promises to be another cracking contest. For those heading to The Park early they can taken in the Minor A hurling final where Clarecastle take on Clonlara. This will be The Magpies fourth final in six years and like the senior game both teams met earlier in the league format with Clonlara coming out on top. A big talking point is the €20 entrance fee and with the match programme costing another €5 it will certainly put off those with no affiliations from attending the finals especially as the game has deferred viewing on TG4.

All in Moroney's would like to take this opportunity to wish the Ballyea Senior hurlers and all our great friends in the… Read more

This evening at Frank Healy Park Clare oldest soccer club Hermitage FC which is now in it's 58th year in existence will contest the Second Division League Cup Final against Bridge United B. The Tage as they are better know throughout the county and beyond were founded in 1960 by Johnny Quinn, Haulie Molloy, Paddy Woods, Tex Corry and John Hayes.Down through the years Hermitage was a great family club with numerous brothers playing alongside each other such as the Kennys, Woods, Ryans, Murphys, Gilligans, Considines, O Loughlins,O Briens, Dilgers, McCarthys, Corrys, McAllisters, Skerritts, Moloneys, Clohessys, Moroneys, Dinans and many more that are gone to their eternal rest. In 1967 a youths team was formed and when Clare won the Inter County Cup in 1971 it was backboned by Hermitage players Michael and Stephen Kenny, Martin Woods, Tony Considine, Gerry Gilligan and goalkeeper Billy Greer.

Over the years the club… Read more

You couldn’t make it up and boy are they right ! Six extraordinary weeks after starting out in The Boylesport Irish Greyhound Derby as a no hoper in everyone’s mind, the name of Newhall Missile is now known throughout the doggie world and beyond. The dog that Colin Barry named to much laughter lived up to his name and bombed out of Trap 4 to win the Consolation Greyhound Derby at a jam packed Shelbourne Park last Saturday night. Needless to say the odds of 4/1 were taken up by many of the Clare contingent in the crowd. The reception that Colin received when going out to the presentation area with co-owner Noel Coote was absolutely phenomenal. The whole stand stood to applaud and the icing on the cake was for Colin to be in Shelbourne Park for the second consecutive week. Every one of the six rounds Missile has… Read more

While there was some disappointment last weekend when Newhall Missile failed by the narrowest of margins to qualify for the Derby Final, there was certainly much to be grateful for as Colin got see his beloved Missile run in Shelbourne Park. And indeed he will be back this weekend to see Missile take his place in the Consolation Final. Considering the amount of time Colin has spent in hospital this year, one was afraid that he wouldn’t be well enough to travel but nothing was going to stop Colin seeing The Missile run in the Derby. Thanks to Enable Ireland Colin made the trip to Dublin along with his parents Gerry and Noelette. They were joined by his sister Emily, brother Ronan along with a bus load of supporters from Ballyea. Small margins in sport define a win from a defeat but to lose out by less than a length… Read more