Бундоран: Ирландский приморский курорт с историей

Seaside resort in County Donegal, Ireland

Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. The town is located near the N15 road near Ballyshannon, and is the most southerly town in Donegal. The town is a tourist seaside resort, and tourism has been at the heart of the local economy since the 18th century. Bundoran is a surfing destination and was listed by National Geographic magazine in 2012 as one of the world's top 20 surf towns.

Bundoran, or Bun Dobhráin in Irish (which means the foot of the little water) was, up until over a century ago, two separate villages. Bundoran was the village west of the bridge over the River Bradoge. This area is now called the West End. East of the bridge, about away, was the village of Single Street. In between these two separate communities was the townland of Drumacrin. The area of Drumacrin is now part of what is today's town centre. Single Street was where most of the local population lived. It was only after completion of the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway in 1868, which opened a terminus that it called Bundoran, that the two distinct communities developed and merged to what are today called Bundoran. The first official record of Bundoran is in a deposition by Hugh Gaskein on 16 May 1653. He was a witness to events during the 1641 Rebellion when he was an apprentice butcher in Sligo. In 1689 a skirmish was fought near Bundoran between a Jacobite force under Sir Connell Ferrall and the retreating Protestant garrison of Sligo. William Cole, Viscount Enniskillen, built Bundoran Lodge, his summer home, in 1777. This building still stands on Bayview Avenue and is now called Homefield House. The Viscount seems to have started a trend amongst his contemporaries as more of them discovered Bundoran and visited it to enjoy the seaside and what were believed to be its health benefits.

The rights of the people to have access to the seashore were blocked by a local landlord but the locals found a champion in the parish priest Canon Kelaghan who fought through the courts in 1870 to ensure that the pathways and roads to the beach remained open to the public. Canon Kelaghan also had the present Catholic church built in 1859.

On 8 August 1980, a fire broke out at The Central Hotel in the heart of the town. Ten people died as a result, including five children. In September 2008, the Church reinstalled a stained glass window made by the world renowned Harry Clarke (1889–1931), a window which for many years was lying hidden in the parish house of the local Catholic church. The council also erected a carved stone monument bench on Central Lane (beside The Central Hotel) in August 2010 as a mark of respect listing the names of the ten people who lost their lives.

For almost two centuries people have visited Bundoran beach on hot summer days. The tradition of bathing boxes began in Victorian times. They were primarily used by members of the gentry, who were reticent about undressing in public. The boxes were pushed, on wheels, to the water's edge and the customer entered the box through one door, put on their bathing costume and stepped out another door to enter the sea. The box remained there until the bather was finished, dried off and fully clothed again. The bathing box was brought back to its original position on the beach, ready for the next client. Stationary bathing boxes were introduced in the early 1900s. They proved more amenable and cheaper to the public. In the 1920s, Mrs Elizabeth Travers and her brother in law, Bilshie Travers hired the boxes from the local Council. For 3 old pennies a customer hired a bathing costume and for 6 old pennies, they could hire "the whole package" which consisted of a bathing cap, costume and towel. A familiar sight on the beach in the 1950s and 1960s was "The Duck". This was a former British Army amphibious craft that ferried tourists out onto the Bay. Despite being prone to breakdown, it was an attraction at the time. The Main Beach in Bundoran has been awarded a Blue Flag for each year of the existence of the competition, bar 2019.

The Promenade to Tullan Strand Starting at Bundoran Bridge and looking out towards the sea is Cladach Leathan (the broad beach) on which lies Bill Ireland's Stone, named after the rescue of a shipwrecked sailor. Beyond it is the surf break of The Peak. At the end of the Promenade is Carraig na nÉan (the rock of the birds). The pump house that overlooks the bay was built by local landlords the Hamiltons in 1861. Close by is Carraig a Choiscéim (the rock of the step). Next to it is Poll Uain (Lambs' Hole) which is also known as the Horse Pool. The Thrupenny Pool was named after the price of admission (3d. in pre decimal currency). The main beach is called Trá na Draina (the strand of the strong) where according to legend the giant Culina wrestled with his son, both unaware of each other's identity. The small stream that enters the sea on the beach is Sruthán na Cúil Fhinne (the rivulet of the fair girl). The coral and brachiopod fossils embedded in the rocks of Rougey are over 300 million years old. At the tip of Rougey is Aughrus (the peninsula of the steeds), where the warhorses of Conall Gulbán and the O‘Donnells grazed. Passing by the golf links is Pól Uaine and Pól Tóbí, both fishing spots. Next is the ‘Puffing Hole’. Below is Tullan Strand, where the first inhabitants of the area used flint from the rocks to make tools.

The Fairy Bridges and Wishing Chair are located on the Roguey Walk near Tullan Strand in the town. This natural sea arch bridge was said to be Bundoran's first tourism attraction when the town became popular in the late 1700s. It features in a painting by artist Helen Allingham and in 2020 won a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice award placing it in the top 10 attractions on the review site across the globe.

The Waterworld complex opened in 1991 with its development coming about as a result of major storm damage in 1988 along the seafront. The indoor water park includes a wave pool, rapids, slides that were added in 1994 with the addition of an external tower, and a three lane multi slide and toddler pool which were added in 2013 as a result of a multi million euro investment by its owners Donegal County Council.

Adventure World, near Waterworld, includes waltzing horses, water zorbing and water bumper cars, for younger families. A big wheel is used in Galway's Christmas market, where it is located outside the Great Southern Hotel.

Brennan's Criterion Bar opened in the area in 1900 and shut down in 2018.

The opening in April 2006 of the Bundoran/Ballyshannon bypass has made the resort more accessible. Sligo is south from Bundoran along the scenic Atlantic coast. The Drowes River, where the southern part of the bypass commences and which separates County Leitrim from County Donegal, is also the demarcation point between the provinces of Connacht to the south and Ulster to the north.

Bundoran Railway Station opened on 13 June 1866 but finally closed on 1 October 1957. The New Council Offices carpark is where the Bundoran Railway Station once stood. The nearest railway station is Sligo Mac Diarmada Station in Sligo Town, where trains run to Dublin Connolly and are operated by Iarnród Éireann. Buses from Bundoran to Sligo stop at Sligo bus station which is adjacent to Sligo Mac Diarmada Station.

Bus Éireann buses connect Bundoran to Sligo Mac Diarmada Station in Sligo Town. Bus Éireann also run a regular service, several times a day, from Derry to Galway, via Letterkenny and Bundoran. Feda O'Donnell (Bus Feda) runs from Crolly to Galway via Gweedore, Letterkenny, Donegal Town, Ballyshannon and Bundoran to the west of Ireland, including Sligo and Galway, with an additional service to Limerick during the college term. There is also an Ulsterbus service (194/195) from Bundoran to Enniskillen. There are two Local Link buses services: 982 Ballyshannon to Sligo and 983 Kinlough to Ballyshannon. There are a number of bus stops in the town, though the main ones are the East bus stop and West bus stop. Thousands of music fans attend the Bundoran Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival every June. The Astoria Ballroom was built in 1953 at a time when dances were a major social activity, and showbands would entertain large crowds at the venue. In 1990, Meatloaf also played at the ballroom. In November 2008, it was destroyed by fire. In 2024, conditional planning permission was given for construction of a funfair and waterpark on the former site of the ballroom. In 2019 the town was announced as Failte Ireland's Destination Town for county Donegal paving the way for investment of €500,000 from the tourism development authority to enhance the town.

On Railway Road stands the St Louis Convent School, which was built in 1892. The buildings included a School and residence for the Sisters of St Louis. One of the buildings still stands today. In 1958, the Sisters of St Louis moved their Monaghan school, St. Martha's Industrial School, to Bundoran on a site beside the Old Grand Central Cinema in the premises known as The Sea View Hotel. The school closed in 1966. After it's closure, St. Martha's was accused of child abuse and in June 2002 legal action was brought against it by numerous former pupils. One account in 1963 was where some girls had run away from the school and had their hair cropped when they returned. An investigation at the time resulted in two nuns being removed. The St Joseph's orphanages were erected from funds bequeathed by the late Miss Sarah Crudden, Newtownbutler. In August 1957, St Joseph's was closed and transferred to St Louis under the name "St. Martha's". These buildings later became known as Ard Lughaidh Secondary School, much of the building was stone and also had a large sports and theatre hall all of which in 2006 the VEC demolished them. All that is left on the lands is the extension area used till the 1980s by 'live in' students of the Ard Lughaidh. This is now under the Donegal Adventure Centre ownership. Due to the decreasing class sizes in Ard Lughaigh in the 1990s the school faced closure and some students moved to Ballyshannon. Some of the St. Louis nuns moved to the St. Louis building at Railway Road, however, a lot moved away.

Bundoran is noted as a surfing location and known as the Surf Capital of Ireland. Surfing locations include The Peak, Tullan Strand and nearby Rossnowlagh beach. The town hosted the European Surfing Championships in 1985 and again in 2011 and has been consistently named as the top beginner beach in Ireland by Red Bull Surf breaks in the town are suitable for beginners, intermediate and professionals.

There is an 18 hole golf course in Bundoran. The golf club was founded in 1894. The course is located on the historic Great Northern Railway Company site, the old railway sleepers encompass the Golf course which enjoys the most breathtaking and scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean. The course is a challenging experience despite its short length. Designed by Harry Vardon, the golf course is a testing 18 hole, Par 70. His design philosophy was “to give pleasure to golfers of all degrees”.

In the 1920s the location of Bundoran on the railway line made the Bundoran local ground a convenient venue for many big games. The GAA club grounds were purchased in 1938. The club was reorganised and renamed Réalt na Mara, meaning "The Star of the Sea". The football park has undergone many developments throughout the years. The ground was levelled in 1947 and enclosed in 1951. The club changing rooms were constructed in 1972.

A greyhound racing track was opened by the Bundoran Greyhound Racing Company Ltd in the town during October 1931. The construction cost was £800 in £1 shares and was set up by James Cassidy (cattle dealer) and John Conlan (merchant). The directors also included J. T. Flavin, D. Judge, P. Gorman and W. Hudson. On 21 December 1934 notice had been given that after three months the company would be dissolved but there is evidence that the track was still active or had re opened during 1948.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body that determines the Laws of the Game, met at the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran in 1909.

The song "Beautiful Bundoran" was written c. 1960 by Mai O'Higgins from Dungarvan, Waterford with the melody written by Bertie Flynn. It is believed that Mai had never actually been to Bundoran and had written the song from a brochure of Donegal. It has been covered by several artists most notably Kathleen Fitzgerald and the Fitzgerald Ceili Band, Jim Finnegan and Sinéad O'Connor for the film The Butcher Boy.