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The Ballybunion thread

  • 11-05-2005 11:11pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭


    I was in Ballybunion 20 years ago and have happy memories of the village.

    I'd love to hear what it's like today and how much it has changed.

    The only recent picture I've seen on the world wide interweb is this:


«13456747

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Its gone all tacky and unpleasant. Attracts all the gougers from Limerick who would split your head open if you looked at them the wrong way.
    The locals are as strange and insular as they come - all in all a torrid little place. Not recommended :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    I'm sorry to hear that. :(

    Putting up that statue of Clinton was a bad omen. :D

    It was such a nice little place the last time I saw it:
    Deenihan's little shop at the East End
    The bumper cars in the two casinos
    The fish and chips van near the bus stop on Main Street
    Those great big turnovers (batch bread) from Beasley's bakery

    Is there really a caravan park at Ahafona now?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Yes I suppose it still ok for a family outing an a very nice day (once your car is parked in a secure area) - try it a 4pm on a November evening though and that Atlantic breeze would freeze you. Tumble weed blowing across the steet etc.
    Yes there is a caravan park there now too - perhaps my last post was slightly overly critical but I think it has lost it appeal as a tourist attraction due to foreign travel being so cheap now.
    I still think its quite a dangerous place for a night out during the summer - all to do with the Limerick connection mentioned above. :)

    See link about Limerick - take note of the bottom line. Actually Limerick is not a bad place at all - there are some bad people obviously but a lot of them (bad people) go to Ballybunion for their holiday's :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    But why, alfa?

    What's so interesting in Ballybunion that's attracting the bad element from Limerick?

    I liked the place so much because it was so different from NYC. It was peaceful and quiet to the point of being boring. And I've only been there in the summer.

    It's dangerous there at night now? :eek: Last time I was there I met a girl and we walked home to her place about two in the morning going along that road just to the left of the Listowel Road and the only thing to bother us was the occasional dog from the farms.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Its a traditional thing with Limerick people to come to Ballybunion for years. Not sure why exactly. The vast majority of whom are law abiding citizens but (I was a policeman there for a while) except for the odd few. We always had a crime spree in the Summer (all petty of course) car break ins etc. At night time after night clubs / bars closing etc we can get quite a few assaults (many involving knives).
    Of course the average tourist would never experience anything unusual as we would be obviously dealing with such matters.
    We also had to watch people's property on the beach carefully - many thefts from unattended bags etc when people left them to go swimming.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 283 ✭✭reic


    Ballybunion, I've been there a few times in the past year.

    191204_1.jpg

    191204_2.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    alfa, you were a policeman where? In Ballybunion? Or in Limerick?

    As far as the beach goes, I'm from the Bronx. I'd never leave my stuff alone on the sand while I went to the water. Around here, only crazy people - or dangerously naive people - do that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    reic,

    I see in your profile you're a photographer. Do you have any pictures of the village?

    Googling images of Ballybunion gets hundreds of pictures of the golf course, but almost nothing around the town.

    I found this. I think the shop in on the Church Road.

    http://img17.imagevenue.com/loc66/175_irish__on_church_road.jpg

    And I found this at Lisselton, but I don't know if that strecth of road is going towards or Listowel. :confused:

    th_e25_irish__lisselton__ballyb_side.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Here is a pic of Ballybunion Main St in the late 1950's

    ballybunion.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,423 ✭✭✭tinkerbell


    The only good thing about BallyB is the road out of it :p

    Hehe, just kidding! In the summer, it's really nice if it's a lovely day - i.e. back in 1995 when we had the heatwave, we used to go to the beach every day. But that's about the only thing to do in BallyB. If the day is crap, then the place just may as well not bother being on the map!

    As for the Limerick thing, yes there are certain nights in BallyB where you should be on your guard. Examples include the bachelor festival - usually attracts the top scum from Limerick, I dunno why they bother, but they do, BallyB just seems to draw them - and they would be the worst scum from Limerick now.

    And let's not forget when the traveller king of Munster died, and the travs battled it out on the beach one night, complete with knives n such, last man standing was crowned new king.

    INSANE!!!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Here is a pic of Ballybunion Main St in the late 1950's

    ballybunion.jpg

    Very cool, alfa. :D

    That big building on the right - the one with the Irish flag on top - is that building a casino/arcade with video games and bumper cars today?

    As I remember the village, the picture was taken across the street from the entrance to the Central Ballroom/Hotel. There's a little gift shop - Michael Beasley's? - on the photographer's left and a street that leads up to Doon Road.

    Am I remembering it right?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    tinkerbell wrote:
    The only good thing about BallyB is the road out of it :p

    Hehe, just kidding! In the summer, it's really nice if it's a lovely day - i.e. back in 1995 when we had the heatwave, we used to go to the beach every day. But that's about the only thing to do in BallyB. If the day is crap, then the place just may as well not bother being on the map!

    You're right, tinkerbell. It is a quiet place, but that's what I liked about it. According to the 2000 Census, my neighborhood is 1.2 square miles and the population is 77,000+ :eek: So BallyB, with it's population of 1500 or so is a refreshing change for me.

    tinkerbell wrote:
    And let's not forget when the traveller king of Munster died, and the travs battled it out on the beach one night, complete with knives n such, last man standing was crowned new king.

    INSANE!!!

    I'd like to hear more about this. I'm off now to google the "traveller king of Munster."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 283 ✭✭reic


    I'm afraid I've no pictures of the town. In fact, even though I've been there 6 or 7 times this year, I've never stopped in the town! Just headed straight for the beach.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    That big building on the right - the one with the Irish flag on top - is that building a casino/arcade with video games and bumper cars today?
    As I remember the village, the picture was taken across the street from the entrance to the Central Ballroom/Hotel. There's a little gift shop - Michael Beasley's? - on the photographer's left and a street that leads up to Doon Road.
    Am I remembering it right?

    Yes Mr Scorpion you have a very good memory - your picture was obviously taken from the opposite direction looking down towards the sea and the casino / bumper car is now on the left with the yellow doors (obviously the building has been rebuilt/modified over the years.
    You can see the old central hotel down the street on you left (the big beige building) Its now called the Golf hotel.
    Perhaps I will take a few snaps on one of my drives with my classics and post them here for you - God I am almost feeling a bit nostalgic myself now for the place - something I thought would never happen :D

    irish-MainStreetinBallybunion.jpg
    ballybunion.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    A typical moist summers evening in Ballybunion – taken this evening

    My old police station – with the statue of Bill Clinton playing golf.
    IMAG0048.jpg
    IMAG0049.jpg

    Standing in front of the Golf (Central) hotel looking up Doon Road
    IMAG0051.jpg

    Looking from the same place up Main St (ie away from the beach)
    IMAG0052.jpg

    The Railway bar with fast food outlet beside – this is almost opposite the Golf hotel
    IMAG0053.jpg

    Another view up Main St – this time standing at the end of Main st at junction with Sandhill Road. (notice the wood railings as in the late 1950’s photo
    IMAG0054.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22 Neesha


    Theres a pub also called JD's or is that still open? The town really died for a while but its starting to come alive again in recent years. I think there are plans for a big hotel there!?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Walking across the road another view up Main St
    IMAG0055.jpg

    This was an empty and unsurfaced car park when I was stationed here – now it has a large shopping centre.
    IMAG0057.jpg

    A view down Main St towards the sea – note the arcade with yellow doors on the left and the Golf hotel now painted red.
    IMAG0058.jpg

    Kilcooley’s bar – that’s opposite the Garda station you can see a bit of it on the right of pic.
    IMAG0060.jpg

    A view up Church St
    IMAG0061.jpg

    A view out the Listowel Road
    IMAG0063.jpg

    A view down Doon Road from the Cliff house hotel
    IMAG0065.jpg

    A view down the cliff – (opposite the Clif house hotel to the small road down to the beach – walk up that a few times and you would be fit.
    IMAG0067.jpg

    Sorry for the dark pics - it was only 4pm but was not the best day for taking photo's :o


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,834 ✭✭✭air


    Jds still operates as a bar with a night club next door.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Sorry for the dark pics - it was only 4pm but was not the best day for taking photo's

    "Sorry"?

    'SORRY"???

    It's Christmas in June for me!!

    alfa, how do I ever thank you?

    You are a man among men!

    No! NO!!

    You are a king among kings!

    Ballybunion! Right in front of me! *begins humming, "The Town I Loved So Well."*

    I'll be pouring over every detail of each picture for the rest of the night.

    And there will be questions coming for you, too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    The first picture - The Barrack


    The barrack is the same color as it was the last time I walked past it all those years ago.


    The radio tower is new to me. What broadcasts from there? I listen to Radio Kerry on the internet, but I know they're broadcasting from Tralee, Killarney, and someplace else.


    I knew about the statue of Clinton. (Wise choice of location: put him in front of the police station so the cops can keep an eye on him. I know he's well-liked over there, but over here we don't think of him as being in the same class as "Honest Abe" Lincoln.)


    God, it looks peacful and quiet.


    Is that a satellite dish on top of the barrack?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Yes - its been quite a while since I was there even though I only live in Tralee (25 miles away) but I was alarmed at the general deterioration of the condition of the Garda barracks. It was in excellent shape when I was stationed there in 1992 but you can even see in the close up pic of Clinton that the windows are rotting pretty badly.
    Its very hard to get proper maintenance for Garda buildings - budget cuts etc - but it really looks an eyesore now. :(
    That radio tower was there when I was there too (its for the police radios) located in the back yard of the station. I used to curse it in the summer as the birds liked to stand on it and crap down on my car. That antenna had to be extended as the Gardai (police) done a deal with a cell phone company so all their transmitters are also located on it.
    The right side of the barracks is a residential section - while the left side is the official portion - obviously the current resident like his satellite tv :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    You live in Tralee?! I assumed you lived closer to the village than that - Lisselton or Listowel, maybe. You mention "one of your drives." I hope you were headed to the Ballybunion anyway on one of your drives. I'd feel guilty if you drove 25 miles just to satisfy my feelings of nostalgia.


    I love those digital cameras, I can magnify the pics several times and see the details even better.


    ********


    2nd picture - Clinton's ... hmmm, how do I say it politely?


    Let's just call it "Clinton's approach" and the start of Main Street? (I always thought of Main Street as starting at Ahafona, but maybe that's just me.)


    I remember Mikey Joe's Bar on the south side of Main Street. The last time I saw it it had a grey front with a red door. Is one of those shops Mikey Joe's?


    And I remember a general store (or maybe a hardware store) of some kind right along there, too... Mossy something? ... Moss somebody? ... Lynch's, maybe? I don't know, the name is gone from me completely.


    Why is there a double-yellow line by the curb?


    *********


    3rd picture - Standing in front of the Golf hotel (I'm gonna have to get used to thinking Golf instead of Central.)


    I think I remember that intersection. The grey building on the right used to be painted yellow and was Michael Beasley's gift shop. Or maybe the gift shop was one block closer to the beach. :confused:


    ********


    4th picture - Outside the Golf looking down Main Street


    I really like this one. I'll be looking at this one long and often. Maybe make wallpaper for my desktop out of this one.


    That gap on the left (where the single headlight is on), is that where the bus stop is? Or is the bus stop still there at all?


    The Downtown Casino is new to me.


    *********


    5th picture - The Railway Bar


    A favorite of yours, Alfa? :cool:


    ********

    6th picture - Another view up Main St – this time standing at the end of Main st at junction with Sandhill Road. (notice the wood railings as in the late 1950’s photo)


    I see the Railway Bar and the fast food joint up the street in this picture.


    The parked car on the right has 'KY' in it's license plate, and it looks like the parked car on the left has 'KY' in its license plate, too. Does KY mean the car is registered in Kerry, or is it just a coincidence?


    The EU license plates are nice but the old Irish license plates will always have a place in my heart. (I remember the plates for cars registered in Kerry always had "-IN" in them: DIN 732, LIN 375, etc.)


    ********

    Let me stop here. I don't want to get on your nerves and I'll have more questions for you tomorrow. :D


    Are you still a policeman, alfa, and transferred away from Ballybunion? Or have you retired or moved on to another line of work?


    Did you 'walk a beat' as we say here? Or did you have a patrol car?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    you drove 25 miles just to satisfy my feelings of nostalgia.
    No problem – I am big into cars and will avail of any excuse to go for a drive somewhere. :)
    Let's just call it "Clinton's approach"
    I know what you mean – I was working there the night that was delivered (around 1998) I used to work there now and again during the summer. It was all covered in plastic with the golf club protruding at a 45 degree angle – it got a lot of laughs. :o
    Why is there a double-yellow line by the curb?
    Those are no parking lines – but there is a fairly easy going attitude to them – except during the busy summer season.
    4th picture - Outside the Golf looking down Main Street - That gap on the left (where the single headlight is on), is that where the bus stop is? Or is the bus stop still there at all?
    That’s the entrance to the new shopping centre / area – see picture no 8
    5th picture - The Railway Bar - A favorite of yours, Alfa?
    Well I don’t drink but I always liked this bar just to have some food or light refreshments. :cool:
    6th picture - The parked car on the right has 'KY' in it's license plate, and it looks like the parked car on the left has 'KY' in its license plate, too. Does KY mean the car is registered in Kerry, or is it just a coincidence?
    Yes that’s my car actually – my new Alfa Gt coupe – the KY stands for Kerry as in the way it was BIN etc did when you were there – first digits indicate the year of the car – then the county of registration and then the sequence number for that year.
    Its been quite a while since you have been here – those reg numbers are early to mid 60’s?
    Are you still a policeman, alfa, and transferred away from Ballybunion? Or have you retired or moved on to another line of work?
    No I am still plodding along – 22 years service now and a Sergeant :rolleyes:
    Did you 'walk a beat' as we say here? Or did you have a patrol car?
    Oh yeah – I remember walking the beat there – or should I say I remember that cool sea breeze – I used to be frozen even on summer nights. I used to have a patrol car as well some nights – if you can call a Toyota corolla a patrol car. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    No problem – I am big into cars and will avail of any excuse to go for a drive somewhere

    I'm glad to hear that. I feel a lot easier now knowing I'm not being a pest. :)

    Those are no parking lines – but there is a fairly easy going attitude to them – except during the busy summer season.

    Oh, Ok. I was thinking maybe you had to park the car on the yellow lines. If your car was not touching the lines you get a ticket. (Over here, you can't be more than 12 inches from the curb or you get a ticket.)

    Yeah, finding a parking space in Ballybunion is not very hard most of the time. (Although I remember going to 11:00 Mass Sunday mornings; we usually had to park on the church's front lawn.)

    When I was a kid, I always loved the way the cars were parked in Ireland: sometimes face-to-face, sometimes back-to-back. I'm glad to see you still do things that way.

    That’s the entrance to the new shopping centre / area – see picture no 8.

    I was looking at picture no. 8 before I went to bed last night and for the life of me I couldn't figure out where the centre might be. I don't remember a lot about the size of the bus stop. I do remember the chip van that was at the left side of the entrance. I used to get Denny's sausages there for 4p each.

    Well I don’t drink but I always liked this bar just to have some food or light refreshments.

    An Irishman who doesn't drink? Thank God I'm not the only one. :p

    Its been quite a while since you have been here – those reg numbers are early to mid 60’s?

    I checked my passport. I was last in Ballybunion in 1978.

    I am still plodding along – 22 years service now and a Sergeant
    Oh yeah – I remember walking the beat there – or should I say I remember that cool sea breeze – I used to be frozen even on summer nights. I used to have a patrol car as well some nights – if you can call a Toyota corolla a patrol car.

    :D Hey, watch it, Sarge! I drive a Corolla.


    I have to go run a few errands and then I have some more questions about the rest of the pictures.

    Talk to you soon, alfa.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Hey, alfa. I'm back. (That took a lot longer than I expected.)


    picture #7 - Walking across the road another view up Main St

    The radio tower makes it really easy to tell exactly where you are, doesn't it? Well, you know the place like the back of your hand, but without the tower I don't think I would know where I was in that pic.

    I don't remember that sidestreet on the left...

    Is that a post office on the right? It looks like the An Post logo above the red station wagon.


    *********

    picture #8 - This was an empty and unsurfaced car park when I was stationed here – now it has a large shopping centre.

    I was wondering where this was. That's the old bus stop? I didn't realize it was that big. It really goes back a good distance, doesn't it?

    OK, I have to ask about that chimp. It looks like he's on the back of a truck. What company is using a chimp to sell their product?

    And is that a supermarket in the back - the red and white sign? Is that the entrance under the clock tower?


    *********

    picture #9 - A view down Main St towards the sea – note the arcade with yellow doors on the left and the Golf hotel now painted red.

    Ah, that's an updated version of the picture that starts this thread. (I found that pic at some website about bicycling around Ireland. The bikers passed through Ballybunion in their travels.)

    Ooh, there's one of those now-infamous Limerick cars (undoubtedly owned by a trouble-making ne'er-do-well) across the street from the arcade.

    Isn't there - or wasn't there - some important building right beside the Golf Hotel? The bank, maybe. Or was it the post office?


    *******

    picture #10 - Kilcooley’s bar – that’s opposite the Garda station you can see a bit of it on the right of pic.

    That's the wildest pic, alfa . Last time I was there, I don't remember Kilcooley's being there at all. I remember a small open field with a cinder block wall facing the barrack with 4-5 horses for rent grazing in there.

    I don't remember that street on the left side of the picture. Where does it go?


    **********

    picture #11 - A view up Church St

    I really like this one.

    Two questions: What's the name of the market? It looks like Scanlon's Foodmarket. Is that where Beasley's used to be? Or is Beasley's a little east of that market? (Beasley's was a general store / small grocery store.)

    2nd question: all the way down church street, there's a yellow building. In picture 3, there's a yellow building in the background. Is that the same building in both pictures? As I remember leaving St. John's, you go north and then you turn left there's a very short block there.

    ************

    picture #12 - A view out the Listowel Road

    Of the fourteen pictures you took, alfa, this is my favorite of them all.

    You crossed the street after the Kilcooley picture to take this one, didn't you?

    That's the sidestreet that I don't remember.


    Quick story:

    A couple months ago I was at the website
    http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/inc/planner_places_redirect.jsp and just for fun I asked for the driving directions from Ballybunion to Listowel. A straight line, right?

    But the website said start at Ballybunion and drive 7/10ths of a mile to Ahafona. :confused:

    I showed that to my brother and that started a conversation between us: Is it really 7/10ths of a mile from the barrack to Ahafona? (I assume the barrack is where they measure the start of the town.) I didn't think so, but looking at your picture #12, (and I've been looking at this one A LOT,) now I guess it is that far.

    For the life of me, I can't remember that street on the right hand side of the
    picture. Where does that go?

    ***************

    Picture #13 - A view down Doon Road from the Cliff house hotel
    Picture #14 - A view down the cliff – (opposite the Clif house hotel)


    Doon Road has changed a lot since I last walked along it. I recognize nothing in those two pics, alfa. I have no clue where along Doon Road the Cliff House is. and a road to the beach?

    No matter how much I stare at #13 and #14, I come up completely blank.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    alfa,

    I was reading a thread at another website about Smart Cars. :eek:

    I thought my Corolla was small, but Smart Cars .... it looks like you don't have to park them, you just put them in your pocket and bring them with you.

    Are there any Smart Cars around Kerry? I didn't see any in your photos of Ballybunion.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    alfa,

    I was reading a thread at another website about Smart Cars. :eek:

    I thought my Corolla was small, but Smart Cars .... it looks like you don't have to park them, you just put them in your pocket and bring them with you.

    Are there any Smart Cars around Kerry? I didn't see any in your photos of Ballybunion.

    Nope not many around here - seen as too gimicky for Irish tastes and also very expensive here too.
    They are very popular on the european continent though - plenty of them in Spain.
    There was talk recently that Mercedes (who own Smart) was going to discontinue the brand as it is always in the red. Personally I think they are ugly.
    Ballybunion people have very conservative tastes in everything including cars - the Toyota Avensis or Opel Vectra would be the car of choice - but 4WD jeeps are now very popular vehicles with farmers :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    alfa,

    did you bet on McBride? :eek:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    alfa,

    did you bet on McBride? :eek:

    Generally don't bet - I assume its a horse? I haven't a clue about horse racing - so I would only be throwing my money away if I did :rolleyes:
    The stockmarket can be fun but I worry too much about it so I don't get involved in it too much :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Kevin McBride ...

    beat up Mike Tyson last Saturday ...


    That reminds me, I have to see if the replay is on TV sometime this week.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    YES!!
    Fight fans have the opportunity to witness perhaps the final chapter of boxing’s most fascinating character when SHOWTIME rebroadcasts the fight that took place at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

    :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Where is J.J. O'Carroll's?

    I remember hearing the name when I was a kid, but I don't remember where the shop is?

    th_ce9_jj_o_carrol.JPG


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,423 ✭✭✭tinkerbell


    If you're coming up from the men's beach, it's on the right side of the road. Opposite the chipper / park area. I think!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    tinkerbell wrote:
    If you're coming up from the men's beach, it's on the right side of the road. Opposite the chipper / park area. I think!

    It's been so long since I've been in Ballybunion that I don't know where you're talking about, tinkerbell.

    "Coming up from the men's beach" ... :confused: .... Which one is the men's beach? I remember hearing about "The Nun's Strand" when I was a kid - a little cove sealed off from the rest of the beach. You wouldn't want to be down there when the tide came in.

    Tinkerbell, alfa, air, et al, want to see a cool picture of Ballybunion?


    :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 chris2005


    Hello you all,

    I was very glad to see all the visual images of Ballybunion and to read the talk about it. I have not been there myself yet, though I plan to visit this place in November and stay there for a couple of months.

    I almost found no information on the internet about this town. what I´m really looking for is a city map of Ballybunion, or information for public transport (within Ballybunion, and from Ballybunion to cities around, eg Tralee).
    Is there anyone who can give me information about the town, the people, public transport, St. Joseph`s School, accomodations, a city map???

    I would be VERY GLAD to hear from you!!!

    Thanks in advance,
    Chris2005 (Germany)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Yes - typical Ballybunion - they can create the snazziest websites about all the hotels B&B's (private guest houses) and of course the Golf club - but forget to publish a simple map for people to get around - of course there is money to be had from tourists by making them buy them when they get there :mad:

    I will try to dig out a street map of Ballybunion and scan it on here :) give me a few days :rolleyes:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Where is J.J. O'Carroll's?

    I remember hearing the name when I was a kid, but I don't remember where the shop is?

    It is at the bottom of Main St near the beach - if you are walking from the beach up Main St it is to the right opposite that building with the wood railings in the pics. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    It is at the bottom of Main St near the beach - if you are walking from the beach up Main St it is to the right opposite that building with the wood railings in the pics. :)

    You parked your car in front of it when you took the pictures on May 31st?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    chris2005 wrote:
    Hello you all,

    I was very glad to see all the visual images of Ballybunion and to read the talk about it. I have not been there myself yet, though I plan to visit this place in November and stay there for a couple of months.

    I almost found no information on the internet about this town. what I´m really looking for is a city map of Ballybunion, or information for public transport (within Ballybunion, and from Ballybunion to cities around, eg Tralee).
    Is there anyone who can give me information about the town, the people, public transport, St. Joseph`s School, accomodations, a city map???

    I would be VERY GLAD to hear from you!!!

    Thanks in advance,
    Chris2005 (Germany)


    Chris,

    I'm sure alfa will have a better map than this one. This one does not have the Doon Road area just to the north or the area around Ahafona just to the east, but it it should satisfy some of your curiosity until alfa finds his map.



    th_b79_Ballybunion_for_chris_in_germany.jpg


    Chris, click on it to make it bigger. I don't know how to get the full size pics. into the thread. :o


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Arty


    Hi,

    Can someone help me with the name or telephone number of a couple of houses we used to stay in during July/Aug in the 70s. One is/was on Cliff Road (It think), two bungalows back to back one had a long front garden overlooking ladies strand. The other was one of a row of four houses, called Clarke's Lodge, on the road to the golf course, there were up high overlooking the mens strand. If someone could help me with contact numbers or any other information pleezzzz. I have great memories of BallyB & would love to have the chance again to stay in one of these houses if possible & soak up the memories.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Arty,

    This is the link for the Irish phone book:

    http://159.134.203.172/search.asp?source=Eircom

    But be warned, a lot of businesses don't seem to be listed. At least not many of the stores and shops I remember from Ballybunion are listed. :confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Arty


    Thanks for your reply Snow Scorpion but as I don't know the name of the business it doesn't throw up anything.

    Thanks anyway.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    The East End of Ballybunion has been photographed in hi-res by google.

    http://maps.google.com/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    alfa, is this the caravan park on the north side of Main Street or the one between the Listowel Road and the upper road?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Alfasudcrazy


    Hi Snow Scorpion - sorry for not getting back sooner been quite busy and still have no Map of Ballybunion :o but will soon :)

    That caravan park looks to me like the 'smallish' one just off the Sandhill Road called the Green Valley caravan park. Am not sure how long its there but was there in 1992 at least - and still is.
    Those cottages in the background are the ones just along Sandhill Road and the camera man has his back to the beach (cliff's really)

    I remember that because just where this pic was taken I was once after a guy who used to stalk the park at night peeking into the caravans - had all the women terrified. I sneaked up by the small cliff walkway so he never noticed me.
    But my own strict & self imposed uniform code was my undoing - he spotted the glint of my buttons in the steetlight and dashed off with me after him at full gallop. But my backup which should have been waiting at the main gate had shagged off :mad: so he was able to escape - but we knew who it was anyway. Still it did some good the stalking stopped after that :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    Hi, alfa. Good to know you're still around. Keeping the streets of Tralee safe for the law-abiding is certainly noble work. I can't really yank your chain about that, can I? :D

    Sandhill Road is the one section of the village I was rarely in.

    I've been amusing myself with Google Earth. ( http://earth.google.com/ ) The east end of Ballybunion has been photographed in hi-resolution. There's an area I would desperately love to see but look where the hi-res photos stop! ARRGGHH!!! :mad:

    I'll be checking in with Google every month or so until they photograph the junction or switch at the Francis Road.

    They haven't taken pictures yet of Tralee or Listowel either, but good things come to those who wait.

    Is the map your talking about different from the one I posted?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 283 ✭✭reic


    Well, I'm off to Listowel in the morning, for 2 nights and will probably take a walk on Ballybunion beach on Sunday. Saturday night I'm supposed to bring a gang of teenage girls to a disco in Ballybunion (i.e. drop them off and go away I've been told). Some place called Queue? Cube?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    reic wrote:
    Well, I'm off to Listowel in the morning, for 2 nights and will probably take a walk on Ballybunion beach on Sunday. Saturday night I'm supposed to bring a gang of teenage girls to a disco in Ballybunion (i.e. drop them off and go away I've been told). Some place called Queue? Cube?

    reic, I think it's called Queue 2. Radio Kerry runs some commercial advertising the place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 283 ✭✭reic


    Just back. Glorious day there this morning in Ballybunion. Indeed, it's called Q2 SS. Huge crowd there Saturday night. I was doing taxi for 4 girls, the bouncers let the 1st girl in and stopped the other 3 (all just under 18). The first girl had paid her E10 before she realised that the others were stopped. She went inside for 20 mins to see if there was anyone she knew and came out again. They all got into the Caisléan(?), older crowd but they had a great night. They rang me at 3am to go collect them. At least they were all still in one piece.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,179 ✭✭✭snow scorpion


    I've been amusing myself with Google Earth. ( http://earth.google.com/ ) The east end of Ballybunion has been photographed in hi-resolution. There's an area I would desperately love to see but look where the hi-res photos stop! ARRGGHH!!! :mad:

    I'll be checking in with Google every month or so until they photograph the junction or switch at the Francis Road.


    Maybe I won't have too long to wait:
    The California company has so far focused more on the US than other places, but mapping out Europe was a "very high priority", said John Hanke, general manager of Keyhole, whose company was acquired by Google and came up with the technology.

    One click and you're flying
    :D:D


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