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Ballybunion

Coordinates: 52°30′36″N 9°40′19″W / 52.510°N 9.672°W / 52.510; -9.672
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Ballybunion
Baile an Bhuinneánaigh
Town
Ballybunion Castle and coastline
Ballybunion Castle and coastline
Ballybunion is located in Ireland
Ballybunion
Ballybunion
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°30′36″N 9°40′19″W / 52.510°N 9.672°W / 52.510; -9.672
CountryIreland
ProvinceMunster
CountyCounty Kerry
Elevation
30 m (100 ft)
Population
 (2022)[1]
1,618
Irish Grid ReferenceQ862415

Ballybunion or Ballybunnion (Irish: Baile an Bhuinneánaigh)[2] is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, on the Wild Atlantic Way, 15 km (9 mi) from the town of Listowel. As of the 2022 census, Ballybunion had a population of 1,618.[1]

Name

The Placenames Database of Ireland associates the town's Irish language name, Baile an Bhuinneánaigh or the 'town(land) of An Buinneánach', with the Anglo-Norman surname "Bunyan".[2] The Bunyan (Bonzon) family were historically associated with Ballybunion Castle.[3]

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes promontory fort and ring fort sites in the townlands of Ballybunion and Doon West.[4]

Ballybunion Castle was built in the early 16th century, on the site of an earlier promontory fort, by the (Geraldine) Fitzmaurice family.[5] The castle was associated with the Bunyan family until the late 16th century, when William Óg Bunyan's lands were confiscated following the Desmond Rebellion.[3] The castle has been a protected national monument since the 1920s.[5]

A number of buildings within the town itself date to the 19th century, with the former Church of Ireland church (now a public library) and the Roman Catholic church dating to 1879 and 1897 respectively.[6][7]

Tourism

Ballybunion has two main beaches, divided by the Castle Green. The Ladies Beach is to the right and the Men's Beach to the left – names arising from the fact that both sexes previously swam on separate beaches.[8] Further to the left of the Men's Beach lies the Long Strand, a 3.2 km stretch of sand, overlooked by the sand dunes of Ballybunion Golf Club.

In the summer, Ballybunion attracts tourists, and the beaches near Ballybunion are a common surfing site, with a dedicated surf school on the Men's Beach. Other traditions include seaweed baths, featuring sea water with serrated wrack. The town itself has a number of restaurants, pubs and cafes, and schools. A statue in the town commemorates a golfing visit, in 1998, by then US President Bill Clinton.[9]

Sport

Ballybunion Golf Club

Golf

Ballybunion Golf Club was founded in 1893 and was previously ranked at number seven in Golf Digest's "100 Best Courses Outside the USA".[10] There are 2 courses, the Old Course and the Cashen Course, both situated beside the beach. The club hosted the Murphy's Irish Open in 2000 and the Palmer Cup in 2004.[11]

Gaelic football

The local Gaelic football team, Beale GAA club, is named for a small townland a couple of miles up the coast from Ballybunion. Founded in 1972, the club's colours are green and red.[12] It fields teams in competitions organised by the North Kerry Football Board.[13]

The club's grounds, at Stack Park, are situated off Sandhill Road.[14] This floodlight pitch provides training and matches for several divisions of players (incl under 8s, 10s, junior, and senior) as well as ladies football.[citation needed]

Health and leisure

Main street Ballybunion

Ballybunion Health & Leisure Centre opened in 2007 and is situated on Kit Ahern Road.[15]

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Ballybunion

See also

Further reading

  • Houlihan, Danny (2011). Ballybunion: An Illustrated History. History Press. ISBN 9781845889999.

References

  1. ^ a b "Census 2022 | Profile 1 - Population Distribution and Movement | F1015 - Population". Central Statistics Office Ireland. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Baile an Bhuinneánaigh / Ballybunnion". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Ballybunion Castle". ballybunion.ie. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  4. ^ Toal, Caroline, ed. (1995). North Kerry Archaeological Survey. Brandon. ISBN 0863221866.
  5. ^ a b "Ballybunion Castle". megalithicireland.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Ballybunnion Library, Sandhill Road, Ballybunnion, Ballybunnion, Kerry". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Saint John's Catholic Church, Church Road, Ballybunnion, Ballybunnion, Kerry". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Ballybunion Beaches". ballybunion.ie. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Clinton Ballybunion trip swung after €300m golf wager with Tánaiste Dick Spring". Irish Independent. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  10. ^ Brice, David (20 November 2009). "Ballybunion: A name that thrills every golf aficionado". Golf International Inc. PGA Tour. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  11. ^ "Milstones". ballybuniongolfclub.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Sports Clubs - Beale GAA Club". ballybunion.ie. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Club Notes - Beale". northkerryfootball.com. North Kerry Football Board. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Beale GAA Club". kerryppn.ie. Kerry Public Participation Network. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  15. ^ Health & Leisure Centre Archived 2008-08-19 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Bishop Patrick Joseph James Keane". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Under the moustache there's a winning smile". The Kerryman. Independent News & Media. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2023. Ballybunion native Richard Wall [..] 30-year-old actor
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