21. You never met Biddy Earley but you know she was bad news
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
And she was responsible for the bad days like this in the 1993 Munster final. You still shudder at the scoreline – Tipperary 3-27 Clare 2-12
20. And you were there when her curse was finally lifted in 1995
Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan
A Munster title was followed by an All-Ireland triumph. Did you hear the Banner roar in Ennis at the homecoming?
19. You learnt from this man that Clare were no longer the whipping boys
YouTube: hjmartin1
A boy Dalo.
18. You have developed notions of becoming a pro surfer after a day in Lahinch
Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
17. You feel ready for The Open after 18 holes on the links in Lahinch
Pic: INPHO/Getty Images
16. You are as passionate about your county as this man
Pic: INPHO/Patrick Bolger
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
15. And you’ve developed a fondness for Reading having spent time in a public house in Ennis
Twitter: @boyhunt via balls.ie
14. He wasn’t listed on the match programme but you remember Eamonn Taaffe for the greatest goal of all time in September 1995
YouTube: hockeyhurlingshinty3
The vital green flag that Clare raised in the 1995 All-Ireland final.
13. And you think this effort from Jamesie was the greatest point of all time
Go to 0.43
YouTube: LovelyHurling Ire
12. You’ve welcomed Trap to the Cliffs of Moher
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Trap kicks around with Paudie The Puffin, the Cliffs of Moher mascot.
11. You know that Donal Tuohy did not step outside the square for that puckout in the 2008 Munster U21 final
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
10. The cows on your family farm never got milked after this game on July 19th, 1992
Pic: INPHO
Francis McInerney lifts the cup after Clare’s 2-10 to 0-12 Munster final victory over Kerry.
9. The Cooraclare man at midfield was one of your heroes on that team
Pic: INPHO/Alan Betson
The one and only Tom Morrissey. A bit of a character.
8. They went to school in Limerick and played for Limerick clubs but you must point out that Keith Wood and Marcus Horan are CLARE natives
Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland
They learnt it all in Killaloe and Clonlara.
7. You’ve had this man (the one on the right) do MC at your club’s annual dinner dance
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Marty at the Great Wall in China before the 2008 Olympic Games.
6. And you saw him hone his goalkeeping skills back in the day on the pitch in Quilty
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
5. You maintain that it was the Banner blood that made Ali the Greatest
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
Muhammad Ali visits Ennis in September 2009.
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
The inscription on the monument to commemorate Ali’s visit.
4. You will always wonder what would have happened if Jimmy Cooney had not called time early in 1998
Pic: INPHO/James Meehan
3. And while on the subject, you’d like to point that everyone was against Clare that summer
Ger Loughnane sits in the stand with Colin Lynch.
Pic: INPHO/Patrick Bolger
2. You believe these are the three wise men
Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan
1. And this is the Messiah
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
I Think the Banner were robbed of an All Ireland in 98.big time
Ah c’mere…..
You forgot they’re shtone mad..
You celebrate a clearance out the field by Brian Lohan more than a goal.
Marty Morrissey. So much fake tan.
There was no love lost between ourselves in Waterford & yourselves in Clare during the late 90′s but I’d love to see ye breakthrough again. Very promising young hurlers, Sunday v Cork will be interesting.
You know how to get to Craggy Island parochial house without getting lost.
….not overlooking his twin Susan Boyle…a talented family, of that there is no doubt!
Marty is genuine .
Fitzgerald is still paranoid that the whole world is against Clare!!
You can safely book your holidays for September every year
Clare people dread the border from limerick being extended , so clonlara n cratloe will in the green county
NO SURRENDER!!
Clare and proud!!!!
Great times spent along the west coast of Clare.
Loughnane. And the way he might look at ya.
I don’t know much about Clare, but the one thing I expected to see listed was the Banner Roar, and it ain’t there!
You’ve come to accept crushing disappointment as a summer formality.
U have to meet Martin Morrissey mother – she’s such a lovely lady! Also Tom Morrissey’s family r great craic – such stories about them are hilarious!
No mention of Seanie McMahon playing in the 1995 Munster semi-final against Cork with a broken collarbone.
If ur last to leave the county, please turn out the lights ??? That line from The song !!!!
Wasn’t Jamsie O’Connor one of the most exciting hurlers of recent times? pure dead-eye..
When you hailed the return of Pat O’Donnell as the sponsor on the Clare jersies instead of Eircell/Vodafone etc as the best thing since sliced bread!
And it looks as if its LIMERICKS turn for this article next week !! Well they have done all the other counties in Munster !!!
Roll on next Friday…..
Yup, looking forward to Limerick’s run! :) Manys the happy day spent in Limerick-on-Sea (Kilkee) and Lahinch so in fairness Clare gets some things right!
We do indeed Ann-Marie. ;)
I don’t get the Noel Hunt / Reading link to Clare. Noel Hunt is from Waterford.
Can anybody explain please?
Himself and Davy Fitz own The Dugout Bar in Ennis
Gotcha. Thanks. I wonder how that arrangement came around.
Tom Morrissey is a legend. He led Cooraclare to the county title back in 1997. The nicest family you’d ever meet!!
I sat beside him on a plane on Christmas eve 2010. Flight was delayed so we all got pissed up. A deadly laugh and you are right he’s a legend of a man and sound out to boot. Great craic we had!
Please give the definitive definition of the ‘banner’? Up the Banner.
Why is Clare called ‘The Banner County’? The custom of carrying banners goes back a long way. There is little doubt that the Dal gCais carried banners at the battle of Clontarf in 1014 or that the Clare Dragoons carried banners at Fontenoy in 1745 and in the many battles fought by the Clare Regiments on the continent during the eighteenth century. However, the name ‘the banner county’ would appear to be of recent origin. In the last century as the population became more politicized, the custom of carrying banners to political meetings became widespread. Many banners welcomed Daniel O’Connell at the Clare election of 1828 and the freeholders marched behind banners to the Ennis courthouse to cast their votes for O’Connell on that occasion.
Nicky says
As per usual, Limerick is left till last, or maybe even ignored totally.
Saving the best til last! :)