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BORN in Wexford in 1978, Barry Ennis grew up in Kennedy Park, one of six children of Pat and Breda.
He went to school in Johns Road and then The Christian Brothers. Even as a young boy Barry showed a kind and caring nature that people often commented on.
In his teens Barry helped his father build their new home in Barntown. He loved working with his dad and was so proud of the fact that they had built it together and credited his dad for instilling a work ethic and drive that shaped him into the man he became.
Even years later he would drive out to Barntown and stand on the road just looking at the house and reminiscing. On one such occasion accompanied by his brother he pointed and said ‘that house is where I grew from a boy into a man’.
It was in Barntown that Barry’s interest in music promotion first began. His friends all had a talent for playing musical instruments or singing, Barry on the other hand, by his own admission could do neither.
‘So I decided I’d manage them, get them bookings. They had to agree because they had nowhere else to practice only my poor mam and dad would put up with the awful noise we made every night in our garage,’ he said.
Barry’s career started in Williams Bakery, Taghmon and then Joyces on the Main Street. He then went into the building trade with his dad.
When the recession hit he changed course and with no background or experience in music promotions he managed to convince Jack L to play in a tent at the back of Colfers pub, in Bannow and so began a career that would see him bring national and international acts to his beloved Wexford Town.
He first worked as music promoter for the Hub and Langtons hotel, in Kilkenny. In 2012 he went into partnership with his brother David and set up Ennispromotions in Wexford town.
Together they organised what Barry described as the proudest achievement in his career the, Heritage Park Festival. This event was held in the beautiful surroundings of the National Heritage Park on June 30, 2012.
And anyone lucky enough to have attended will remember what a very special event occurred that day.
Both brothers and Brian Byrne then went on to start what was to become one of the best and most unique events to take place in Ireland, the Wexford Spiegeltent Festival.
Barry loved the atmosphere and intimacy of the gigs held in the Spiegeltent and the quality of the acts that he brought to Wexford through his infinite list of contacts in the music industry.
The Spiegeltent is a beautiful Circus tent and no one was in any doubt that Barry was its ringmaster.
Barry and Brian under the name of Lantern Promotions went on to bring Wexford on Ice and the Winter Wonderland to the town. Last year Barry decided to go back to his first love, the building trade and had worked in Dublin and was developing plans to do projects back in his home county.
Barry shared a love of horse racing with his dad and was a member of a syndicate that owned the horse ‘Our Vinnie’ that ran at the Cheltenham Festival.
Barry met his future wife Louise in 2000 and they were together for 14 years.
They had two beautiful children Sarah-Kate, aged 12, and Leila, aged eight, daughters any parent would be proud of.
‘We are grateful that Louise and the children remain such a huge part of our lives,’ the family said.
Two years ago Barry met his fiancée Jenny and they quickly became inseparable. Barry’s love for both Jenny and her son Coady was clear for all to see and they were making plans to get married in the future.
Barry loved Wexford with a passion. He loved its beauty and its people and would often comment on how lucky he was to live here. He always wanted to give something back to the town and he achieved that and then some.
His family said they had been overwhelmed in recent days by the help, love and support given to us by relatives, friends and people who they had never met before that knew Barry.
‘The kind words of those people and the stories we have been told about his generosity and willingness to help others have warmed our hearts and given us comfort through this difficult time.
‘To his Friday night drinking buddies we cannot thank you enough for the help and support you have shown, you were all very special to him.’
To say Barry adored his parents would be an understatement.
In his eyes there wasn’t a woman in the world that could match up to his mother and we often felt sorry for Louise and then Jenny for having to compete with that. To their eternal credit they never tried to and in fact always encouraged it.
But in any event Barry had enough love for everyone and ‘we were so lucky to have him in our lives. We will miss his funny stories, his laugh and that smile that would light up a room, our world is a darker place without him. We miss you more than any words can say’.
Barry was the beloved son of Pat and Breda, dearly loved father of Sarah-Kate and Leila. He is sadly missed by Louise, his fiancée Jenni and her son Coady. The much-loved brother of David, Pat, Cathy, Alan and Mark, his death at the young age of 38, is deeply regretted by his brother-inlaw David, sisters-in-law Triona, Josephine, Emma and Nicola, goddaughter Leanne and godson Niall, nephews, nieces, relative and friends.