Changes in Twin Towns.

Tom Donnavan

I see the AIB bank building is now for sale (owned by Joe Mc Memamin) is this going to be the end of another long established land mark in the towns like Paddy Murphys, Paul Mc Gowans, Duncans cafe, Dunnions cafe , 2 x Brady shops , Jean Parks Bookstall x 2, sweeneys bar, Peter Dohertys shop , Willie Bonners service station, Ivan? Kees Market yard, Magees/bonners Grocery shop and Harry Mc Nultys wholesalers to name but a few.

Alexanders, Mc connels butchers, Mc Nultys butchers and Raitts are near the only ones left, or did I leave out any?

muffler

I wasn't aware the AIB building was for sale but Im sure it will retain a commercial activity of some sort. Where will AIB relocate to?

I take your point about the number of closures of older businesses but you have to look at the outcome of same. Isn't the old market yard now fully redeveloped with a nice little nest of shops and services?

Murphys may have ceased trading but the building is there and most likely will be used again for some other type of business. Duncans cafe has been replaced by the credit union if memory serves me right and just above it is the Villa Rose hotel - both establishments provide a great facility to the town people and further afield not to mention the number of people that are employed there.

The new Butt Hall development is due for opening before Xmas AFAIK and again this will create more jobs and possibly AIB are relocating there. I understand Ulster bank are moving to it.

Further over you have Dunnions new building which will have a large supermarket with a few smaller units.

Bonners filling station in Stranorlar is also to be replaced with a larger building.

All in all I think you can pick the odd shop/business here and there and think that it should still be operational but we have to move with the times too.

deman

Tom Donnavan wrote: »

Alexanders, Mc connels butchers, Mc Nultys butchers and Raitts are near the only ones left, or did I leave out any?

McElhinneys?

smashey

deman wrote: »

McElhinneys?

Who?

muffler

2 things I forgot to respond to in the opening post.

Dunnions cafe was of course sold, demolished and there now stands a fine building with auctioneers on ground floor with solicitors above it.

Im not sure how you equate Paul McGowans place to a landmark :rolleyes:

Paddy20

Great thread Tom,:)


The Twin-Towns are undergoing major change's, that I believe is inevitable, or are we to be left behind as a backwater of Letterkenny.

People who are selling up to capitalise on long established business interest's can not be blamed for cashing in on their propertie's because of commercial demand.

Local landmarks are vanishing to such an extent that I no longer recognise my place of birth, which is sad.

I have one remaining concern, and that is 'Drumboe Avenue, the Council has seen fit to widen large parts of the avenue, which has never been a road, yet they seem determined to destroy the environmental tranquility of Drumboe Woods and it's environs, Other towns are being given grants for town-parks while Drumboe, a natural haven which has been used by generations for recreation is under threat , once again ? .

Where is the borderline between monetary greed and the common good and enjoyment of our current and future generations?.. to their natural rightful inheritance called Drumboe.:eek:

P. :cool:

shiibata

Paddy20 wrote: »

Where is the borderline between monetary greed and the common good and enjoyment of our current and future generations?.. to their natural rightful inheritance called Drumboe.:eek:

Ah yes, Drumboe woods, people have had a lot of enjoyment up there with future generations being the result sometimes:D

deman

smashey wrote: »

Who?

It's just on the left after you go over the bridge. Careful not to blink. It sells some clothes and a few other things, I think.

smashey

deman wrote: »

It's just on the left after you go over the bridge. Careful not to blink. It sells some clothes and a few other things, I think.

I thought that was the HSE.

Anyway, I think the new Butt Hall building will become a landmark in Ballybofey.

sesswhat

Tom Donnavan wrote: »

Alexanders, Mc connels butchers, Mc Nultys butchers and Raitts are near the only ones left, or did I leave out any?

Foys furniture and carpets
Hannigans
Heeneys Pub
Gallens Pub
McLaughlins Pub
Rosses Bar
Balor/Ritz
Dunnions garage
McKelveys
McMullen solicitors
Shesgreens/Pat Bonners
Barretts
Various Churches, two National Schools and The Tech

I'm sure I'd think of more if I had the time

tuppence

Can I ask something really daft. It may be a little off topic but in order to undestand the thread topic I need to understand what is (or are) the twin towns?
I suppose I could have googled it but there seemed to be something quite emotive about the topic when it comes up of the twin towns that I would nt been able to get by doing a search....

sesswhat

tuppence wrote: »

Can I ask something really daft. It may be a little off topic but in order to undestand the thread topic I need to understand what is (or are) the twin towns?
I suppose I could have googled it but there seemed to be something quite emotive about the topic when it comes up of the twin towns that I would nt been able to get by doing a search....

Stranorlar laughably tries to elevate itself to being a twin of Ballybofey, whereas it's more of a slimy afterbirth that has taken on some sort of life.

And no, nothing emotive about the topic.:)

muffler

sesswhat wrote: »

Stranorlar laughably tries to elevate itself to being a twin of Ballybofey, whereas it's more of a slimy afterbirth that has taken on some sort of life.

And no, nothing emotive about the topic.:)

Whenever I meet someone I know on the street who hails from another town I always stop and shake their hand and say "you are welcome to one of our 2 towns" - its unique I think in that no where else in Ireland has twin towns AFAIK.

Now sesswhat can you tell me where in Ballybofey you can find a church or where in Ballybofey will you find a primary school or secondary school. Do you have a fire station in Ballybofey? Where can you find a doctors surgery or health centre in Ballybofey?

Do you have a wooded walk area, sports centre, a hospital, a nursing home, a builders suppliers yard, a saw mill, a mart, a full childcare building, a mart, a plumbers yard, a bus station? In fact you have none of the above and better again you dont even have me there :rolleyes:

Stranorlar sure has a lot of premises, outlets, facilities etc that are not to be seen in Ballybofey.

Now as to why there are 2 towns instead of one - I haven't a clue.

smashey

muffler wrote: »

Now sesswhat can you tell me where in Ballybofey you can find a church or where in Ballybofey will you find a primary school

Sessiagh O'Neill ftw.

muffler

smashey wrote: »

Sessiagh O'Neill ftw.

hard luck try again - thats outside the town boundary

smashey

muffler wrote: »

hard luck try again - thats outside the town boundary

Not for much longer I'd imagine.

fullstop

sesswhat wrote: »

Foys furniture and carpets
Hannigans
Heeneys Pub
Gallens Pub
McLaughlins Pub
Rosses Bar
Balor/Ritz
Dunnions garage
McKelveys
McMullen solicitors
Shesgreens/Pat Bonners
Barretts
Various Churches, two National Schools and The Tech

I'm sure I'd think of more if I had the time

Both closing afaik

sesswhat

muffler wrote: »

Whenever I meet someone I know on the street who hails from another town I always stop and shake their hand and say "you are welcome to one of our 2 towns" - its unique I think in that no where else in Ireland has twin towns AFAIK.

Now sesswhat can you tell me where in Ballybofey you can find a church or where in Ballybofey will you find a primary school or secondary school. Do you have a fire station in Ballybofey? Where can you find a doctors surgery or health centre in Ballybofey?

Do you have a wooded walk area, sports centre, a hospital, a nursing home, a builders suppliers yard, a saw mill, a mart, a full childcare building, a mart, a plumbers yard, a bus station? In fact you have none of the above and better again you dont even have me there :rolleyes:

Stranorlar sure has a lot of premises, outlets, facilities etc that are not to be seen in Ballybofey.

Now as to why there are 2 towns instead of one - I haven't a clue.

That sums it up nicely. All the utilities and unpleasant bits that have to go somewhere were shoved over that side of the river out of sight.

You're scraping the bottom of the barrel when you have to mention a mart (twice):D

muffler

sesswhat wrote: »

That sums it up nicely. All the utilities and unpleasant bits that have to go somewhere were shoved over that side of the river out of sight.

Thats what they call jealousy my friend, jealously i say!

sesswhat wrote: »

You're scraping the bottom of the barrel when you have to mention a mart (twice):D

No, we do have 2 of them. One is on Railway Road and the farmers use it and the other is.................cant say cause I'll get banned

muffler

fullstop wrote: »

Both closing afaik

Gallens and the Rosses closing? Thats news to me.

I know Gallens is (or was) up for sale and the Rosses is currently leased but selling?

tuppence

lads, thanks for shedng some light on the topic, no really thank you. (*bangs head on wall*)
So its a type of conurbation or overflow, ie one "town" into the other? At risk of sounding very much like a blow in, would ye not just relaunch yourselves with an Irish name or something. (Obviously suitable name would capture the ahem essence of place and inhabitants.)

sesswhat

tuppence wrote: »

lads, thanks for shedng some light on the topic, no really thank you. (*bangs head on wall*)
So its a type of conurbation or overflow, ie one "town" into the other? At risk of sounding very much like a blow in, would ye not just relaunch yourselves with an Irish name or something. (Obviously suitable name would capture the ahem essence of place and inhabitants.)

See what you started:D

For most intents and purposes today it is one town, divided by a river.

Stranorlar would have been an important strategic and administrative centre in this part of Donegal for hundreds of years.

Ballybofey grew up as a market town over the last couple of hundred years and is more the commercial centre today.

The towns are probably best known for the aforementioned McElhinneys* shop, the Donegal County GAA ground and Finn Harps Football Club.

Sessiaghoneill (or Sessiagh O'Neill) has also been mentioned. This is a separate community on a hill overlooking all the above, outside the town boundary and not even in the same diocese. (Sessiaghoneill people are generally above all the Twin Towns rivalry but do just like to stir it up sometimes for amusement. My username might give you a clue as where I'm from.)

Bit more information on the Chamber of Commerce site if you are interested.

*I bought a pair of wellies in McElhinneys shop when it was in Sessiaghoneill;)

tuppence

sesswhat wrote: »

See what you started:For most intents and purposes today it is one town, divided by a river.

Stranorlar would have been an important strategic and administrative centre in this part of Donegal for hundreds of years.

Ballybofey grew up as a market town over the last couple of hundred years and is more the commercial centre today.

The towns are probably best known for the aforementioned McElhinneys* shop, the Donegal County GAA ground and Finn Harps Football Club.

Sessiaghoneill (or Sessiagh O'Neill) has also been mentioned. This is a separate community on a hill overlooking all the above, outside the town boundary and not even in the same diocese. (Sessiaghoneill people are generally above all the Twin Towns rivalry but do just like to stir it up sometimes for amusement. My username might give you a clue as where I'm from.)

Bit more information on the Chamber of Commerce site if you are interested.

*I bought a pair of wellies in McElhinneys shop when it was in Sessiaghoneill;)

Many thanks for that bit of context. Indeed I have heard of the particular shop. It does a great sale in wedding dresses as well I believe? I wait with eagar anticipation the opportunity to explore in greater detail the link you have provided...
But for the meantime as they say 'you are a gentle(wo)man and a scholar".*

* with wellies, and binoculars no doubt, on hill overlooking twin towns!