The Bar
That had Balls.
foley's.
seriously, like over 4000 of them.
"the game has been called"
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Foley's, like all New York bars and restaurants, had to shut dow in March of 2020. As effects of the shutdown lingered (no sports, no office workers, limits on indoor dining), combined with a complicated lease situation, in May of 2020 Shaun made the difficult decision to close Foley's on 33rd street permanently.
Although he had strong hopes of reopening "Foley's 2.0" in a different location, sadly, that will not be happening. Despite exploring many, may options, he couldn't find a good fit.
With that, he wants to thank everyone that supported him through the good times and the bad. Foley's was always about the people. Raise a glass, toast to the friendships and cherish the memories.
We had beer.
about
Foley's NY
Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant was the top baseball bar in New York (according to Yahoo!) and was widely regarded as one of the best sports bars in the country. It was also the home of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.
Foley’s walls were adorned with 3,500 autographed balls, hundreds of bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, stadium seats and other artifacts. It was named among the best restaurants for kids by Time Out New York, and was famously known as "The Bar that Banned Danny Boy."
The food was so much more than just “pub grub,” making it a great place to grab a bite when you were watching a game! Like the legendary Toots Shor’s Saloon, Foley’s was a favorite stop for visiting athletes, celebrities, sports executives, umpires, media and fans. So as the saying goes... "You never knew who you might meet at Foley's!"
Foley’s was named after legendary sportswriter Arthur “Red” Foley, a longtime official scorer for both the Mets and Yankees, who may have witnessed more baseball games than anyone else in New York history.
meet.
Shaun Clancy
Shaun Clancy grew up in the hospitality industry. The Clancy family ran an award-winning restaurant in County Cavan, Ireland. His dad, John, worked at the legendary Toots Shor’s, which attracted celebrities, politicians, law officials, mobsters and average folks. “Toots Shor’s was a place where everyone felt at home. That’s the atmosphere we strived to build here,” Shaun says.
Shaun never watched a baseball game until he began working as a bartender in New York in the 1990s. He quickly fell in love with the sport and found it to be a topic he could discuss with visitors from all across the U.S. When he open Foley’s in 2004, Shaun created an “Irish Bar with a Baseball Attitude,” and named it after legendary sports writer Red Foley.
Foley’s combined old fashioned Irish hospitality with 15 big screen TVs and the best public collection of sports memorabilia in New York. Foley’s was a place that baseball players, executives, umpires, and sports writers call home. It featured more than 4,000 autographed baseballs – including balls signed by 100+ Hall of Famers -- along with hundreds of bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, championship rings, stadium seats, and other memorabilia.
Shaun believed giving back was an important part conducting business. Over the years, Foley's raised thousands of dollars for veterans, cancer research, suicide prevention, Hurricane Sandy relief, and many other causes.
Memorabilia
look.
Foley’s had perhaps the most eclectic public displays of sports memorabilia in America, including 4,000+ baseballs, hundreds of bobbleheads, game-used equipment, signed jerseys, championship rings, stadium seats, and other items.
The autographed baseballs at Foley’s were signed by players from Hank Aaron to Ryan Zimmerman. There were game-used balls from no hitters and perfect games and signatures of 100+ Hall of Famers. Among the many celebrity signees are Bono, Meryl Streep, and Katy Perry.
Among the more unusual items were:
• A brick from Wrigley Field
• The Tiffany bag that covered the 2013 World Series Trophy
• Gloves used to carry the NASCAR Sprint Cup into Foley's in 2008
• A copy of the Mitchell Report
• Baseballs signed by Dr. Frank Jobe, who pioneered Tommy John surgery, and a diagram of A-Rod’s hip surgery drawn by his surgeon here at Foley’s!
Foley’s was about more than just baseball. It featured pucks signed by hockey legends Mark Messier, Mario LeMieux, Martin Brodeur, Bobby Orr, and Sidney Crosby. The boxing section featured gloves signed by Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta, “The Raging Bull.” Foley’s also housed a Gaelic football used by the Cavan team that won the All Ireland championship in New York at the Polo Grounds in 1947.
IRISH AMERICAN BASEBALL
HALL OF FAME
Founded in 2008, the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame recognizes players, managers, executives, journalists, and entertainers of Irish descent who have significantly and positively impacted the game. Read More
