Butlins

Dun laoire

What ever happened to it?? I have some great memories of that place as a kid. The excitment the night before was like the feeling i'd get on christmas eve:D Anybody go there as a kid?

Huggles

Dun laoire wrote:

What ever happened to it?? I have some great memories of that place as a kid. The excitment the night before was like the feeling i'd get on christmas eve:D Anybody go there as a kid?

What happened? i cant be 100% sure but i think they have refugees living in it now.

I have fond memories as a kid too, remember being well impressed seeing people swimming pass the window when you where sitting in the restaurant!

Remember the little pedalos on the lake and the little train

BRING BACK BUTLINS!!!

Dudess

Went to Pontins in England - similar to Butlins - in 86 and 87. Twas the biz! And yes, would be awake all night with excitement. My parents kept it a secret from me until about two or three days before - to spare them from being driven demented by "how many days to holidays"-type questions.

Huggles

Taken from Unison.ie

THE Government has taken over the former Butlins holiday camp at Mosney to house refugees at a cost of almost £15m to the taxpayer.

In a five-year deal, 500 asylum seekers are to be housed in the chalets which were holiday homes for thousands.

The Department of Justice was offered the 300-acre camp by its owner, Drogheda businessman Phelim McCloskey. It will become the biggest single refugee accommodation centre in the country and is expected to receive its first families within weeks.

Currently there are 3,000 asylum seekers at 57 locations but with the volume of refugees on the increase, extra space was urgently needed to cope with the influx.

According to the latest departmental figures, more than 10,000 refugees have entered the country so far this year. This compares with 3,883 in 1997, 4,626 in 1998 and 7,724 last year.

And it emerged last night that Ireland is now the second highest recipient of asylum seekers per head of population in the EU.

In another development yesterday the organisers of the National Community Games finals which have been held at the Co Meath camp for more than 25 years were expressing fears for their future at the venue next year.

However, as part of the takeover deal, provision has been made for the camp to be used for specific events such as the Games, subject to agreement between the owners and the department's directorate for asylum seekers support services.

Games spokeswoman Martina Mulhall expressed "deep concern" last night following the latest development, calling on the Government to "allow us back".

Almost 500,000 children take part annually in the Games with a total of 7,500 attending the Mosney finals every August and September.

Mr McCloskey, who bought the camp 20 years ago from the legendary Billy Butlin, was not contactable last night. However, it is understood he has been approached in recent months by a number of private developers who saw the sprawling seaside site as an area of huge potential.

One Co Meath auctioneer estimated that the land, with planning permission for houses, would be worth between £30m and £40m. But a source close to Mr McCloskey told the Irish Independent yesterday that he had opted for the deal with the Government in loyalty to the 170 staff who worked at the camp.

He was reputed to have said he could have got "bingo numbers" for the site but was thinking of the families whose livelihoods depended on it continuing to operate in some way.

Mosney operated for 12 weeks each summer but will now be in use year round catering for the refugees in family units.

It was also learned last night that while the chalets will be the sleeping quarters, the holiday facilities such as the swimming pool, the pub and the amusement arcade will be taken out of commission.

Reacting to the move yesterday, local councillor Tom Kelly said: "I think this is a contribution to people in need of peace." In its heyday, Mosney attracted 8,000-10,000 people a week including day trippers.

I knew it!!

Dun laoire

Do you remember the dragon slide in the swimming pool? You ended up in the dragons lair and it was really dark with ropes all over the place and you had to find your way back up. I loved the lake cause when we arrived it was always really early and nothing was open so to the lake it was. Getting off the train and the smell of the pony sh1t:D the massive queues waiting to get in and of course we were all prone to the odd mooner through the window to the restraunt. I could go on and on about butlins. It was the next best thing to Christmas for me as a kid.

super_furry

Dudess wrote:

Went to Pontins in England - similar to Butlins - in 86 and 87. Twas the biz! And yes, would be awake all night with excitement. My parents kept it a secret from me until about two or three days before - to spare them from being driven demented by "how many days to holidays"-type questions.

"Crocodiles, crocodiles, we're marching in single file......."

branners69

I was in Pontins (Blackpool) last year. Went over with most of my family so there was 17 of us including loads of kids!! Was brilliant craic, we plan on going over ever year..

Am missing the trip this year:( cos the missus is preggers but around 20 of the family are heading over!!

There was more to do when I a kid but they still have the crazy gold and the table tennis tables!!

They dont do the lovely legs or glamorous granny competitions anymore cos they aint PC anymore!!

super_furry

Please tell me they still have the Crocodile Club.

Dun laoire

I was in pontins too. They had two pools and in one of them it had a crocodile:) and i remember being able to hire a four wheeler car thingy that you peddle. There was always the argument who drives:D

branners69

super_furry wrote:

Please tell me they still have the Crocodile Club.

They still have the crocodile club alright but they have 5 or 6 extra characters, the only one I remember was Chuckles the monkey from last year cos he kept flashin his arse:eek: In a child friendly manner of course!!

The "four wheeler car thingy that you peddle" are still there too!! And they still have my beloved arcade which I was last in when I was 17!! I was there last year 13 years on!!

Archeron

Anybody remember Larry Litter? He used to walk around wiht rubbish glued to his hat and clothes and told all the kiddies that he was watching, and if they dropped litter, it would be glued to you for the rest of the day.

I actually remember sitting in a crowd of kiddies (i think I must have been about 6) and everyone was looking at good ould Larry terrified at the thought of explaining to your mum and dad why you had an ice cream stick stuck to your face!!

Also, remember the big wheel thing that spun round then went on its side? I went on that 8 times in a row once and then threw up pure blood into a bin. That really impressed my mates, but in hindsight, it probably meant you;re not meant to go on it 8 times in a row. Oh well.

getitonup

im really missing the place now too
was just thinking of it there

does anyone have any pics of the place the way it looks now?

i imagine it would be real errie feel walking down that road were all the pubs and pool are

BRING BACK BUTLINS
BRING BACK BUTLINS
BRING BACK BUTLINS!!!!!

chopperbyrne

Went a few times when it was called Mosney.

It's now the New Republic of Mosnia!

Ah well, memories

_blank_

getitonup wrote: »

i imagine it would be real errie feel walking down that road were all the pubs and pool are

Ever read Stephen King's The Stand, it always makes me think of a deserted Mosney for some reason.

chopperbyrne wrote: »

It's now the New Republic of Mosnia!

I came in here to post that.

Mosnia.

Only the Irish sense of humour could come up with that tbh.

humberklog

I saw JAWS in the cinema there. It must of been the 1st or 2nd night of the holiday as it set the theme for the rest of the week. What a theme!! The Boating Pond became a mini- amity.
Getting down in 1st semi-grown up(16year olds look HUGE to a 12y.o)disco. Gary Newman cars being the song of the week.
Having 1st sexual experience with loose,dodgy northerners and girls from Bray.
Great holidays but got a bit NornIron top heavy by occassions. They'd thrash Dan Lowries and piss in the boating lake.

larko

My memories:
1. Junior Lovelys competition. What a fix..... I didn't win and I'm not bothered..... much.... (suppressing inner rage):mad:
2. Pulling mooners in the pool to the people sitting in the bar. Many of which were probably paedos
3. My friend's grandads false teeth being pushed down his throat as we spun around the Space Round Up.
4. My nanny getting t-shirts of our names printed on it. Only to put the a totally different name on mine. Spent entire week being called Alice and trying to tell everyone it wasn't my name.... That evil woman....

Good night children

admiralofthefleet

i remember getting pissed in dan lowreys when i was about 14 or 15. fun times

Ryaller

larko wrote: »

2. Pulling mooners in the pool to the people sitting in the bar. Many of which were probably paedos

I saw a kid taking a sh1t against the glass there once. Put me right off my sausage and chips.

humberklog wrote: »

I saw JAWS in the cinema there

I think I saw Empire Strikes Back there for the first time. I remember getting one of those poster-magazines with Yoda on the back after. Deadly.

humberklog

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

i remember getting pissed in dan lowreys when i was about 14 or 15. fun times

Our house was stocked every year with glasses from Dan Lowry. They were the big heavy 'windowed' glasses with handles.

MW

I remember so much from Mosney!!

The mushroom thingys in the pool that you stood under!!

The Coca-Cola slide!!

That other slide that you went underground on was deadly, the ground was all soft and spongy like you were really in a swamp!!

The roller skating rink!!

I got key-board lessons!!

Went on nature walks and learned stuff!!

Went on that yellow spinning thing and threw up (it was my first g-force experience ooh er missus!!)

And most important of all, I met the man, the myth, the legend...Aonghus McNally!!! I still have a signed photo of him at home...cringe!!

Good times!!

Hellrazer

humberklog wrote: »

I saw JAWS in the cinema there. It must of been the 1st or 2nd night of the holiday as it set the theme for the rest of the week. What a theme!! The Boating Pond became a mini- amity.
Getting down in 1st semi-grown up(16year olds look HUGE to a 12y.o)disco. Gary Newman cars being the song of the week.
Having 1st sexual experience with loose,dodgy northerners and girls from Bray.
Great holidays but got a bit NornIron top heavy by occassions. They'd thrash Dan Lowries and piss in the boating lake.

Mosney/Butlins was our yearly holiday from as young as I can remember till I was 16/17.
Great memories of the place as a child but Id imagine a week there now would kill you.
The Northeners didnt give **** what they were doing--Last time I was there I ended up drinking with about 20 of them who brought trays of beer into Lowries and were drinking it openly at the tables--thats going back 18 years or so.

Whats was the name of the 70s styled nightclub?
Shakers or something like that I think it was called--always empty cept for the alcos who didnt want to listen to Aongus/watch glamorous granny/bonny baby etc in Dan lowries.
Then there was the Atari computer rooms or something like that all with 800xl`s.You got an hour I think per person and sure the games used to take 20 minutes or longer to load-playing boulderdash all day was great when it was empty though.

chuci

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Went a few times when it was called Mosney.

It's now the New Republic of Mosnia!

ha ha brilliant..

went there once think it was called mosney then though. had an apartment right where the train passed every day at 5.30 am a train would past and blast its horn ffs. rem my mam trying to grill sausages failing miserably. on the bumper boats mine didnt work and my dad ploughed into me knocked me off the boat into filthy water he thought it was hilarious i did not. went on that circular thing i ended up sitting on the outside so every time it turned right (quite often) id be crushed against the door hinge had a bruise for a month. other than that yay!