Bray, County Wicklow
![]() | This article possibly contains original research. (August 2016) |
Bray
Bré | |
---|---|
Town | |
The town as seen from Bray Head | |
Motto(s): Féile agus Fáilte (Irish) "Hospitality and Welcome" | |
Coordinates: 53°12′04″N 6°06′41″W / 53.20102°N 6.11136°W | |
Country | Ireland |
Province | Leinster |
County | County Wicklow |
Dáil Éireann | Wicklow |
EU Parliament | South |
Area | |
• Total | 7.55 km2 (2.92 sq mi) |
Elevation | 18 m (59 ft) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 32,600[1] |
• Rank | 9th |
• Density | 4,317/km2 (11,180/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
Eircode (Routing Key) | A98 |
Area code | 01 (+3531) |
Irish Grid Reference | O264185 |
Website | www |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Map_of_Bray.png/220px-Map_of_Bray.png)
Bray (Irish: Bré, formerly Brí Chualann)[2] is a coastal town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated about 20 km (12 mi) south of Dublin city centre on the east coast. It has a population of 32,600 making it the fourteenth largest urban area in all of Ireland and the ninth largest urban area within the Republic of Ireland (at the 2016 census).[1]
Bray was a resort town, and its proximity to Dublin make it a destination for tourists and day-trippers from the capital.[citation needed] Bray is home to Ardmore Studios, and some light industry is located in the town, with some business and retail parks on its southern periphery. Commuter links between Bray and Dublin are provided by rail, Dublin Bus and the M11 and M50 motorways.
Etymology
The name of the town in Irish, "Bré", is sometimes translated as hill or rising ground,[2] possibly referring to the gradual incline of the town from the Dargle Bridge to Vevay Hill and/or Bray Head.[original research?]
History
In medieval times, Bray was on the southern border of the Pale, and the coastal district was governed directly by the English crown from Dublin Castle. Inland, the countryside was largely under the control of Gaelic Chieftains, such as the O'Toole and O'Byrne clans. Bray features on the 1598 map "A Modern Depiction of Ireland, One of the British Isles"[3] by Abraham Ortelius as "Brey". The Earl of Meath purchased the Kilruddery estate in Bray in 1627 with the establishment of the Earl title. In August or September 1649 Oliver Cromwell is believed to have stayed in Bray on his way to Wexford from Dublin.[citation needed] During the 17th and 18th centuries, Bray was a small manorial village, but during the latter part of the 18th century, the Dublin middle-classes began to move to Bray.[citation needed]
The Dublin and Kingstown Railway, the first in Ireland, opened in 1834 and was extended as far as Bray in 1854. With the coming of the railway, the town grew to become a seaside resort. Hotels and residential terraces were built in the vicinity of the seafront. Railway entrepreneur William Dargan developed the Turkish baths, designed in a Moorish style at a cost of £10,000; these were demolished in 1980.[4] The town continued to thrive following Independence,[citation needed] but the outbreak of the Second World War put economic development 'on hold' for its duration. During the 1950s, tourists from the United Kingdom returned to Bray in some numbers to escape the austerity of Britain's post-war rationing.[citation needed] The town's use as a resort declined from the 1960s onwards when foreign travel became an option for holiday-makers.[citation needed] However, day-trippers continued to come to Bray during the summer months.
Thousands of people turned out on the seafront to see Olympic boxing champion Katie Taylor, return home from London in August 2012.[5]
Location
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Braybeach.jpg/220px-Braybeach.jpg)
The town is situated on the east coast to the south of County Dublin. Shankill, County Dublin lies to the north, and Greystones, County Wicklow to the south. The village of Enniskerry lies to the west of the town, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. People participate in such sports as sailing, rowing, swimming. The beach and seafront promenade are used by residents and visitors. While Bray's promenade and south beach is to a Blue Flag standard,[6] the north beach has been impacted by erosion and leaching pollution since the closure and sale of a municipal landfill in the late 20th century.[7][8][9]
The River Dargle which enters the sea at the north end of Bray rises from a source near Djouce, in the Wicklow Mountains. Bray Head is situated at the southern end of the Victorian Promenade with paths leading to the summit and along the sea cliffs. The rocks of Bray Head are a mixture of greywackes and quartzite. There is a large cross at the summit.[10]
Climate
Bray has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), similar to most other towns in Ireland, with few extremes of temperature and ample precipitation all year round and an annual average rainfall of 800 millimetres (31 in). Weather in Bray is very similar to that of nearby Dublin. The average annual temperature is 9.9 °C (49.8 °F).[11]
Climate data for Bray, County Wicklow | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 15 (59) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
28 (82) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
25 (77) |
20 (68) |
18 (64) |
15 (59) |
31 (88) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8 (46) |
9 (48) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
15 (59) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
10 (50) |
8 (46) |
13.4 (56.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3 (37) |
2 (36) |
3 (37) |
4 (39) |
7 (45) |
9 (48) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
9 (48) |
7 (45) |
4 (39) |
3 (37) |
6.1 (43.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | −7 (19) |
−8 (18) |
−8 (18) |
−6 (21) |
−2 (28) |
0 (32) |
3 (37) |
4 (39) |
0 (32) |
−4 (25) |
−10 (14) |
−10 (14) |
−10 (14) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 70 (2.8) |
59 (2.3) |
55 (2.2) |
56 (2.2) |
58 (2.3) |
64 (2.5) |
57 (2.2) |
77 (3.0) |
60 (2.4) |
89 (3.5) |
75 (3.0) |
80 (3.1) |
800 (31.5) |
Average rainy days | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 267 |
Average snowy days | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
Average relative humidity (%) (daily average) | 85 | 84 | 82 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 87 | 87 | 82 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 93 | 113 | 186 | 210 | 248 | 240 | 186 | 186 | 180 | 155 | 90 | 124 | 2,011 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5.5 |
Source: Weather2 Climate History for Bray[12] |
Access
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/IMG_BrayDalyStation5405.jpg/220px-IMG_BrayDalyStation5405.jpg)
Rail
A public transport network, both north into Dublin and south into County Wicklow and County Wexford, serves the town. Bray is on the DART Rail Network which stretches north to Malahide and Howth and south to Greystones. The town is also on the mainline Iarnród Éireann rail network which connects north to Connolly Station in Dublin city centre and further to Drogheda and Dundalk. To the south, the rail line goes through Arklow and Gorey before reaching Rosslare Europort. Bray's railway station is named after Edward Daly, an executed leader of the 1916 Easter Rising. Bray Station was opened on 10 July 1854.[13]
Road
Bray lies along the M11 motorway corridor; an interchange at its northern side links with the M50 Dublin bypass.
Five bus companies pass through Bray: Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Finnegan's Bray, Aircoach, St. Kevin's Bus Service to Glendalough. Dublin Bus is the biggest operator with services to and from Dublin city centre and services within the North Wicklow and South Dublin area. Dublin Bus also provides services to Dún Laoghaire, Enniskerry, Greystones, Kilmacanogue, Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy. Finnegan's Bray also offer a nightlink service from Dublin.[14] Aircoach operates a service to and from Dublin Airport.
Air
Dublin Airport is reachable via the M50 which passes to the west of Dublin City. The AirCoach has two stops in Bray to and from Dublin Airport.[15] Newcastle Aerodrome is the closest private airfield a short distance south of Bray.[16]
Demography
Bray has a growing population of permanent residents. It increases in the warmer seasons with tourists from Dublin and other countries.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1991 | 26,953 | — |
1996 | 27,923 | +3.6% |
2002 | 30,951 | +10.8% |
2006 | 31,901 | +3.1% |
2011 | 31,872 | −0.1% |
2016 | 32,600 | +2.3% |
Local government
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Bray_Town_Hall.jpg/220px-Bray_Town_Hall.jpg)
Bray was governed by a town council until 2014.[citation needed] Part of the northern Bray area lies within the local authority area of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. The border between County Wicklow and County Dublin lies along Old Conna/Corke Abbey,[citation needed] making all areas north of that point Bray, County Dublin. The town itself is part of the Bray Local electoral area for elections to Wicklow County Council which elects eight councillors which also sit on the Bray Municipal Council. These eight councillors are:[17]
- Brendan Thornhill (Ind; Cathaoirleach of the Bray Municipal District)[17]
- Steven Matthews (GP; Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Bray Municipal District)[17]
- Joe Behan (Ind)[17]
- Michael O'Connor (SF)[17]
- Christopher Fox (Ind)[17]
- Oliver O'Brien (SF)[17]
- John Ryan (FG)[17]
- Pat Vance (FF)[17]
Tourism
Bray is a long-established holiday resort with hotels and guesthouses, shops, restaurants and evening entertainment. The town also hosts a number of festival events.
In the town's vicinity are two 18-hole golf courses, one tennis club, fishing, a sailing club and horse riding. Other features of Bray are the amusement arcades and the National Sealife Centre. It has a beach of sand and shingle which is over 1.6 km (0.99 mi) long, fronted by an esplanade. Bray Head, which rises 241 m (791 ft) from the coast, has views of mountains and sea. The concrete cross at the top of the head was erected in 1950 for the holy year.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Killruddery_House%2C_Co.Wicklow.jpg/220px-Killruddery_House%2C_Co.Wicklow.jpg)
Bray is used as a base for walkers, and has a mile-long promenade which stretches from the harbour, with its colony of mute swans, to the base of Bray Head at the southern end. A track leads to the summit. Also used by walkers is the 7 km (4.3 mi) Cliff Walk along Bray Head out to Greystones.
In January 2010, Bray was named the "cleanest town in Ireland" in the 2009 Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey of 60 towns and cities.[18]
Festivals and events
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Bray_Air_Show_2016.jpg/220px-Bray_Air_Show_2016.jpg)
The Bray St. Patrick's Carnival and Parade is presented by Bray & District Chamber to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, and is a five-day festival of carnival events, parades and live entertainment.[citation needed]
Bray also hosts a yearly silent film festival, the Killruddery Film Festival in Killruddery Gardens.[19] Bray Jazz Festival takes place annually on the May bank holiday weekend, and includes performances by jazz and world music artists.
The annual Bray Summerfest takes place over six weeks in July and August, and includes free entertainment, live music, markets, sporting events, and carnivals. Performers who have headlined include Mundy, Brian Kennedy, the Undertones, the Hothouse Flowers and Mary Black. In 2006, over 60,000 visitors attended the festival weekend in mid-July.[citation needed]
Hell & Back is an adventure race that takes place in Kilruddery Estates.[20] The 10 km Cliff Run from Bray to Greystones is an annual run on the coast around Bray Head Mountain.[21]
Pubs and restaurants
Bray's pubs and restaurants include the first Porterhouse bar, who brew their own ales, stouts and beers.[22] In 2010, the Lonely Planet Guide ranked the Harbour Bar in Bray the Best Bar in the World and the Best off the Beaten Track Bar in the world.[23] The O'Toole family owned the bar for three generations, but it was bought by the Duggan family in 2013.[24] The Duggans also operate two seafront premises, Katie Gallagher's and the Martello, both include restaurants on site.
There are twelve fully licensed restaurants, several unlicensed restaurants and cafes, and fast food outlets in Bray. In 2015, The Irish Times published a study which analysed the presence of fast food outlets in Ireland. Bray was found to have the lowest per capita concentration of the ten towns and cities included, with just 0.09 stores per 1,000 people.[25]
Culture
Art
There is a designated arts centre, several galleries, venues hosting live music and performance and a variety of arts groups operating in the community. The Mermaid Arts Centre opened in 2002 at the St. Cronan's Civic Offices Development off Main Street. The Centre has a two hundred and fifty seat auditorium hosting live music, theatre, performance and arthouse cinema. There is a gallery on the upper floor featuring contemporary visual art and a studio area. There is also a cafe on the ground floor.[26]
The Signal Arts Centre was founded in 1990 providing gallery and studio space for local artists. It operates under a voluntary directorate and hosts a calendar of exhibitions by groups and individuals. It is situated on Albert Avenue near the Seafront.[27]
The Bray Arts Group was founded in 1996 to press for an Arts Centre and to showcase local talent across the arts spectrum. Its monthly event at the Martello Hotel on Strand Road presents music, literature, dance and visual arts. The group publishes a monthly journal which is available online.
Film
Bray is home to Ireland's oldest film studios, Ardmore Studios, established in 1958, where films such as Excalibur, Braveheart and Breakfast on Pluto have been shot. Custer's Last Stand-up was filmed in Bray[28] and the town was also used to film Neil Jordan's 2012 film Byzantium, part of which was shot in the Bray Head Inn.[29] Neil Jordan's 1991 film The Miracle is set in Bray.[30]
The Mermaid Arts Centre is the only venue for cinema in Bray. The mainstream cinema on the Quinsborough Road closed down on 28 June 2007.[31][failed verification]
Theatre and literature
Bray hosts a number of theatre groups including the Square One Theatre Group[32] and Bray Arts. The principal venue is the Mermaid Arts Centre, together with some smaller halls.[citation needed]
Authors who have lived in Bray have included James Joyce, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Molly Keane and Neil Jordan. Situated on Eglinton Road is a Carnegie Library dating from 1910.[33]
Music
Music sessions are held in pubs like the Hibernian, the Harbour Bar and the Martello. Music education forms is available through the School of Music[34] supported by the Everest Center.[35] There are a number of choirs in Bray including, the Bray Community Choir, the Bray Choral Society, Bray Gospel Choir and the Bray Youth Choir. There is also a Bray School of Dance.[36]
Media
The Bray People newspaper is focused on the news in the local areas and neighbourhoods.[37] East Coast FM Radio Station also operates locally.[38]
Sports
Bray is home to League of Ireland football club Bray Wanderers who play at the Carlisle Grounds. It also hosts schoolboy football club Saint Joseph's Boys A.F.C., Ardmore Rovers and Wolf Tone F.C. The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is Bray Emmets.[39] Established in 1885, the club hosts the annual All-Ireland Kick Fada Championship.[40]
There are a number of golf clubs and pitch & putt courses in the area, including Bray Golf Club and Old Conna Golf Club.[41][42] Bray is also host to Bray Bowling Club, which trains in Fáilte Park,[43] and there is 10 Pin Bowling at the Bray Bowling Alley.[44]
There is fishing in both the River Dargle and on the sea coastline, and a number of clubs locally, including Bray Head Fishing Club and Dargle Anglers Club.[45] Other clubs and facilities in the area include Bray Wheelers Cycling Club,[46] Brennanstown Riding School,[47] Bray Sailing Club,[48]and Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club - the latter founded in 1894 and located on Vevay Road.[49]
Education
There are approximately 13 primary schools in the Bray area, including national schools (like Saint Cronan's Boys' National School),[50] gaelscoileanna, a co-educational day school (St. Gerard's School),[51] and schools for special needs. Secondary schools in the area include Saint Brendan's College, St. Kilian's Community School and Presentation College, Bray. A number of "English as a foreign language" and third-level schools also operate locally, including Bray Institute of Further Education.[52]
Industry
Bray has a number of commercial and industrial parks, including Bray Industrial Estate, Killarney Road Industrial Estate, Solus Tower Industrial Estate, and Southern Cross Business Park.[citation needed]
People
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2017) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/IMGDargleSwans_3476.jpg/220px-IMGDargleSwans_3476.jpg)
Former or current residents of the town have included:
- Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, fifth President of Ireland
- Dara Ó Briain, comedian and UK television host
- Denzil Lacey, former RTÉ 2fm and current Spin South West presenter
- Eddie Jordan, former racing driver and Jordan Grand Prix founder
- Seamus Costello, founding member of the Irish National Liberation Army.
- Ed Joyce, professional cricketer
- Fergal Devitt, professional wrestler in WWE, who wrestles under the name Finn Bálor
- Fionn Regan, musician
- Hozier, singer/songwriter
- James Joyce, writer
- Jordan Devlin, professional wrestler in WWE
- Katie Taylor, world, European, and Olympic boxing gold medalist
- Laura Whitmore, former MTV television presenter
- Lennox Robinson, dramatist and poet
- Maria Doyle Kennedy, singer and actress who resided in the town as a child.[53]
- Mary Coughlan, singer who currently resides in the town
- Sinead O'Connor, singer who currently resides in the town
- Sheridan Le Fanu, writer of gothic horror and mystery novels
- Sir William Wilde and Lady Jane Wilde, the parents of Oscar Wilde, built properties on Esplanade Terrace in 1863, one of which is now the Strand Hotel.
- Thomas Langlois Lefroy, politician and judge, who lived in his family estate in Newcourt
- Darren Randolph, goalkeeper for Middlesbrough F.C.
- David Wheatley, poet from Bray==September 2024==
- Gary O'Toole, former Irish Olympic swimmer from Bray
- Eamon de Buitlear, writer, filmmaker and traditional Irish musician
- Keith Nolan, Professional Golfer, former GB & Ireland Walker Cup player, and PGA Tour player
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Bray_from_Bray_Head.jpg/220px-Bray_from_Bray_Head.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Bray_Harbour%2C_Co_Wicklow%2C_October_12_2014.jpg/170px-Bray_Harbour%2C_Co_Wicklow%2C_October_12_2014.jpg)
Twin towns
Bray has town twinning agreements with:[54][55]
- Bègles, France
- Dublin, California
- Würzburg, Germany
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- History of rail transport in Ireland
- Christ Church, Bray
- Bray Jazz Festival
References
- ^ a b "Settlement Bray". Central Statistics Office. 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Bré / Bray". logainm.ie. Irish Placenames Commission. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
'
- ^ "A Modern Depiction of Ireland, One of the British Isles". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ^ "Bray's Turkish Baths". History Ireland. 15 (6). 16 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011.
- ^ "Triumphant Bray homecoming for Olympic hero Katie Taylor". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ http://www.bray.ie/brays-south-promenade-regained-blue-flag-2018/
- ^ http://wicklownews.net/2018/03/progress-being-made-to-stop-coastal-erosion-at-bray-north-beach/
- ^ http://coastmonkey.ie/erosion-uncovers-toxic-waste-bray-beach/
- ^ https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/cost-to-clean-up-former-dump-at-bray-could-be-12m-1.3014984
- ^ http://www.bray.ie/bray-head-walk/
- ^ "Bray climate: Average Temperatures, weather by month, Bray weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ "Climate History for Bray, Ireland".
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "Bray station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
- ^ "Night bus to Bray/ Greystones/Kilcoole". Archived from the original on 19 January 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "AirCoach".
- ^ "Newcastle Aerodrome".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Bray Council Members".
- ^ "Bray named as cleanest town". Irish Times. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
- ^ "Killruddery Film Festival".
- ^ "Hell & Back".
- ^ "Bray Cliff Run".
- ^ "The Porterhouse Brewery". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Greatest little pub in the world". Irish Independent. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "Harbour Bar".
- ^ "Swords named as fast food capital of Ireland".
- ^ "Mermaid Arts Theatre".
- ^ "Signal Arts Center".
- ^ Brendan, Grehan (6 December 2001). "Bray-based TV series wins top BAFTA award". braypeople.ie. Bray People. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ^ "Neil Jordan film will stop traffic". Bray People.
- ^ "The Miracle: Neil Jordan". Irish Film Institute. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Major Bray shopping and cinema complex to go ahead". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Square One Theatre Group".
- ^ "Bray Library Services".
- ^ "Bray Music Center".
- ^ "Everest Center".
- ^ "Bray School of Dance".
- ^ "Bray People Newspaper".
- ^ "East Coast FM Radio Station".
- ^ "Bray Emmets GAA Club". Retrieved 7 April 2017.
- ^ http://www.bray.ie/pec-events/ireland-kick-fada/
- ^ "Bray Golf Club".
- ^ "Old Conna Golf Club".
- ^ "Bray Bowling Club".
- ^ "Bray Bowling Alley".
- ^ "Dargle Anglers Club".
- ^ "Bray Wheelers Cycling Club".
- ^ "Brennanstown Riding School".
- ^ "Bray Sailing Club".
- ^ "County Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club".
- ^ "St Cronan's Boys' National School".
- ^ "Saint Gerard's School Bray". stgerards.ie.
- ^ "Bray Institute of Further Education - Welcome to BIFE Campus".
- ^ "Maria Doyle Kennedy Biography". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ "Twinned with Dublin". bray.ie. 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ "Town Twinning". Wicklow County Council. 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg/40px-Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg.png)
- Bray on-line
- Bray Town Council (Wayback Machine archive)
- Bray on Wicklow Tourism
- Bray in Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837