This was always Colin dream to see The Missile run in Shelbourne Park and having been in hospital until yesterday afternoon he'll travel to Dublin today with Enable Ireland and his family to cheer on his hero. His Dad Gerry has said that he's looked forward to this all week, it's kept him going and he's very thankful to Shelbourne Park management who have been very attentive in looking after Colin's needs.
Also hoping to attend is Noel Coote's father Paddy who at 87 belies his years and can regale greyhounds he ran and coursed seventy years ago. Paddy recalls dogs like old gaels recall Mick Mackey and Christy Ring in their heydays and now he's another one to add to that repertoire. At However if he breaks like he has been and can get to the bend trouble free then you'll hear The Banner Roar shouting him home.
All we need is a top three finish and he's in the Derby final. If that were to happen then it would quite simply be beyond our wildest expectations but to be competing in a televised Derby semi final and have Colin with us cheering on The Missile is a dream in itself. Whether it's hurling, football or greyhound racing one aspires to reach the pinnacle of the sport but for the majority of us that's just a pipe dream.
However it's the expectations each year that drives us on, that we'll get a run in the Championship or win a few races on the track. One must start at the beginning to get the full picture of this extraordinary story of a greyhound called Newhall Missile who has given a new lease of life to young Colin Barry and everyone connected with the dog.
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You see Colin who has Spina Bifida celebrated his 21st birthday at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, the bug bit and he wanted a greyhound of his own. When Colin asked his dad Gerry could they buy a greyhound he nearly had a coronary but this is where he enlisted the help of his great friend Noel Coote who is steeped in greyhounds all his life. Gerry is originally from Cahercalla Road, Ennis and was an outstanding hurler with Clare, Eire Og and St Flannan's while Noel's dad Paddy had greyhounds all his life along with running the well known bakery at Kilrush Road Cross so they were friends from childhood.
Noel then contacted his good friend and greyhound trainer John Browne in Ballyea and told him of his predicament. The Browne name is synonymous throughout the country in the greyhound world as John's late father Michael ran all his dogs under the prefix Burnpark and enjoyed many successes on the track and field.
John told Noel to take the pup he had recently reared for both of them and put Colin name down as the owner along with his own and he'd train the dog for them. He was unnamed at this stage and Colin quickly came up with the name Newhall Missile. As one can imagine this evoked some laughter when we heard the name and our aspirations at that stage were to win a race or two and enjoy some nights out at the track with Colin and his family.
Over the next few weeks Colin paid a number of visits to the Browne kennels to see his new acquisition but was getting anxious to see him run. To see the smile on Colin's face that day would melt your heart and everyone was over the moon for him. After the celebrations in The Halfway Bar it was decided that his first track race would be in Galway Greyhound Stadium on 1st December last year. However it was never about money for all involved but suddenly we realised that The Missile might be above average. In the next few months Missile ran in Limerick where he won two races and was in the frame in three others.
With the coursing season over and more time on his hands trainer John Browne decide to enter him in a 12 dog sweep at the mecca of Irish Greyhound Racing at Shelbourne Park. As John Browne always says the dog knows nothing about odds and he blasted out of Trap 2 with Noel giving commentary to Colin who was in The Regional hospital over the phone. Rounding the third bend the hot favourite challenged Missile but like a good corner back aka John's son Jack the gap was closed on the inside bend and Missile sailed home.
All Colin could hear was Noel and I roaring down the phone but according to his dad Gerry it was the last time he needed oxygen in hospital. Come to think of it Noel and I could have done with a bit such was our excitement which was helped greatly by reliving the bookies of some cash.
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After a few weeks rest it was decided to enter him in the Irish Greyhound Boylesports Derby at Shelbourne Park starting on 18th August with dogs going into the draw. However John Browne is one of the shrewdest doggie men around and his mantra was that we may never again have a dog good enough to at least go to post in a Derby and Noel and Colin were fully behind his decision.
Now following four rounds of the Derby and his superb win on Saturday night the Missile will contest the Derby semi finals next weekend. To put this achievement in context it's like a small trainer with one or two horses taking on the Aidan O Briens and Jim Bolgers of this world and matching them stride for stride. In all his four rounds of the Derby to date The Missile has been rank outsider but he continues to confound the experts and even ourselves.
What Newhall Missile has done for Colin is beyond belief and now every nurse and doctor in the Regional Hospital not to mind all Clare are behind this one in a life time greyhound. It certainly is a dream and we are all living it together. No matter what happens next Saturday night in the semi finals Newhall Missile will compete on finals night in a fortnight's time be it in the Derby Final or Consolation Final and will go down as the fairy-tale dog of the season.
And who's to say the dream is not over yet for John, Noel and Colin.
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If you were passing down the Lower Market in Ennis last month you could not but wonder what the scaffolding was doing in front of Moroney's Bar. Many of the locals characters had their own spin on things but the fact was that the two chimney stacks which are over years old along with their six pots needed to be restored to their former glory. Indeed there was a privet hedge growing out of one of them which when inspected was found to have roots going down feet through the bricks.
Now while this might look fetching from the ground it was causing extensive damage and in time would have burst out the chimney. The chimney to the left facing up to Summerhill was not quite as bad but was leaking water and one of the pots had to be replaced.
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One must remember that each of these stacks was 12 feet in length and eighteen inches wide but they don't look that big when you are on the ground. Being a three story building in one of the busiest areas of Ennis and the chimneys being listed this was not going to be a straight forward project. Added to the fact that everything had to be taken up by hand as no machinery could be used to hoist up materials due to the main road this made it extremely difficult to plan.
None of the chimneys were any longer in use which was a help and the only ones to be discommoded by blocking them up was our local crow population.
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In the twelve months before starting the project I found myself looking up at chimneys all over the town and to my surprise there are many building without them as they were removed when the buildings were renovated down the years and those that are still there are not in use or need repairs themselves. My first call was to Larry Brennan founder of the Clare Roots Society and one of the most knowledgeable men on the history of the town. It quickly became apparent that I couldn't take the chimneys down due to them being listed so Larry took on the role of Project Leader and liaised with Dick Cronin, Architectural Conservation Officer with Clare County Council to see exactly what was permitted.
After we got the go ahead the main contractor TJ Scanlan came on board and along with his uncle Eamon Kenny, John Browne and Bernard O Sullivan took on the huge task of restoring the chimneys. Fergus Curtin of Sean Curtin Scaffolding and his team put up the five story scaffolding frame and they were a pleasure to deal with as with the footfall in The Market area it was not an easy task putting it in place. It goes without saying that without the expertise and skill of those involved this project would not have been completed within the two week time frame permitted as the Munster Fleadh was due to start and the council required the scaffolding removed.
Early morning starts 5am -6am were the order of the day and thankfully the weather was fantastic which helped enormously.
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As they say many hands make light work and my brother James and his son Shane were called on and they stepped up to the plate. While the scaffolding was in place Eddie Hayes took the opportunity to paint the front of the building and this was a complete surprise as I'd meant to ask Eddie previously but thankfully he could read my mind and did a super job.
To each and everyone who help to see this project to fruition Mile Buiochas and I would also like to thank our neighbour and fellow publican John Quinn for his help. In the Photo Gallery there are 36 photo under the heading Moroney's Chimney Project so take a look and enjoy. Our eighth game of the All Ireland Hurling Championship finished in devastation for the Clare hurlers and their management at Thurles yesterday afternoon but what a summer these unbelievable guys have given each and every Clare hurling supporter both at home and abroad.
These amateur players have given up the best years of their life to don the saffron and blue and while us supporters are down today we are eternally grateful to these men for lighting up our lives and giving us some marvelous days out this summer and over the last few years. We salute each and every member of the panel, the team management and all the background staff for your tremendous dedication and efforts on behalf of the Clare hurlers and just to say us supporters are eternally grateful and proud of your efforts.
You lifted the county over the summer and the passion and never say die attitude you have shown makes one so proud to be from Clare. Hon The Banner from all in Moroney's. Saturday afternoon next is a momentous day for Ennislusc Club Secretary Mike Jones when he walks down the aisle with the love of his life Caroline Flannery at the picturesque setting of St Joseph's Church in Miltown Malbay at 1.
Since the foundation of Ennislusc Mike and his Dad Liam have been stalwarts of the club and have been on numerous club trips to Elland Road. Mike in his capacity as secretary set up a What's App group for Ennislusc members and this has been a tremendous success in keeping everyone updated. The wedding reception is being held in The Falls Hotel, Ennistymon and for those who can't made the reception Mick and Caroline would like as many of their friends to join them in Moroney's Bar, Market St.
All Mike's and Caroline's friends at Ennislusc and Moroney's Bar would like to wish them long life and happiness as they embark on married life. After an unbelievable weekend of hurling where the Clare hurlers came back from a nine point deficit after 17 minutes to draw with Galway after extra time in a pulsating All Ireland Hurling Semi Final in Croke Park it's off to Thurles next Sunday for a replay at 2pm. Unfortunately for many loyal Clare fans they won't get the chance to shout on their favourites at the home of hurling due to the ticket debacle.
The GAA hierarchy decided that no tickets would be circulated to clubs but patrons would have to buy them on line or at Centra supermarkets and to compound matters didn't say when they would go on sale.