The Ballybunion thread

RiderOnTheStorm

Thats a good start to the year, Snow!

here is last weeks newsletter (sorry for delay) .... It has a good roundup of 2012 .......
http://www.ballybunionnews.com/Issue%2043%20January%204th.pdf

If todays newsletter is out before I log off, I will post link to that too .......

RiderOnTheStorm

....and this weeks newsletter ..... thx to Flash / Ger as always

http://www.ballybunionnews.com/Issue%2044%20January%2011th.pdf

snow scorpion

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

Thats a good start to the year, Snow!

Yeah, it's pretty good. But with 87 people a day showing up here, I wish a few of them would do more than just stick their head in the door. Sign up and come in and say, "hello".

juneg

Hello!
Looking forward to Bally B in the Summer time, sun sand and surf.
And of course barbeques and great walks.:D

snow scorpion

^Ah! That's a little more like it!

RiderOnTheStorm

juneg wrote: »

.......... and great walks.:D

for those that may not know, there is a lovely new cliff walk opened last year. Its Bromore Cliffs, just drive out of Ballyb on the Beal road (about a mile or two) and there is a farm yard on the left, and a car park & sign immediatly after it for 'Bromore Cliffs' . You can see the Devils Castle from this walk.

BPKS

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

for those that may not know, there is a lovely new cliff walk opened last year. Its Bromore Cliffs, just drive out of Ballyb on the Beal road (about a mile or two) and there is a farm yard on the left, and a car park & sign immediatly after it for 'Bromore Cliffs' . You can see the Devils Castle from this walk.

The Devils Castle

Would that be Leck Castle - lived in Ballyb all my life and never heard of the Devils Castle. Long gone are the days when we used to walk from the Nuns Strand along the cliffs to Leck Castle - avoiding the bulls in the fields and a few farmers!

And just to let people know that while its a really nice walk, you are asked to pay a small fee for parking, but its well worth it. Nice place to bring the family - as long as its not too windy.

RiderOnTheStorm

BPKS wrote: »

The Devils Castle

Would that be Leck Castle - lived in Ballyb all my life and never heard of the Devils Castle.

Leck Castle (somtimes called Lick Castle) and Devils Castle are different. There is a rock formation on the cliff called the Devils Steps and a rock stack in the sea opposite it called the Devils Castle. Live and learn eh?

link to Bromore Facebook page, with pic of the Devils Castle ...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=439536979402597&set=pb.439529729403322.-2207520000.1358429620&type=3&theater

On the subject of Leck castle, there has been some (natural) damage to the remaining walls, and the famaliar 'crossbar' at the top has fallen and the wall now consists of just 2 uprights. Weather takes its toll on everything!

BPKS

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

Leck Castle (somtimes called Lick Castle) and Devils Castle are different. There is a rock formation on the cliff called the Devils Steps and a rock stack in the sea opposite it called the Devils Castle. Live and learn eh?

link to Bromore Facebook page, with pic of the Devils Castle ...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=439536979402597&set=pb.439529729403322.-2207520000.1358429620&type=3&theater

On the subject of Leck castle, there has been some (natural) damage to the remaining walls, and the famaliar 'crossbar' at the top has fallen and the wall now consists of just 2 uprights. Weather takes its toll on everything!

Oh right - so its a rock formation as opposed to an actual castle (please dont tell me that Leck Castle is only a rock formation!!!!!) . Never took any notice of it on my trips to Leck Castle. Now can you throw any light on the Daniels Rock vs Daniels Island debate - was very controvsial when we were kids:D

Cheers - as you say you learn something new everyday.

RiderOnTheStorm

BPKS wrote: »

Oh right - so its a rock formation as opposed to an actual castle (please dont tell me that Leck Castle is only a rock formation!

you are right, Devils castle is just a natural rock formation (looks like a tower or spike). And Leck is a genuine castle ....

I have only heard it called Daniels Rock ..... but I am only a blow in ;-)
Anyone want to chip in on Daniels Rock / Island?

RiderOnTheStorm

Link to last weeks newsletter

http://www.ballybunionnews.com/Issue%2046%20January%2025th.pdf

....and a pic of the current state of Lick / Leck Castle

snow scorpion

This thread's been as quiet as a (no, can't say that - this is a family website) .... as quiet as a (no, that one is dirty, too) ..... :rolleyes: as quiet as a simile lately.

Does anyone know what the point of these weird little videos the County Council is putting up on YouTube lately?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-mONs7X0QY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_YTpnha4hc

And I can't find anyplace at kerrycoco.ie to find out about the "high quality version." These high quality versions are going to be free?

amadain

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerrycountycouncil/videos?view=0&flow=grid

juneg

I knew I should have tied the bikini that day

snow scorpion

Last post was on 22 March?!?! :eek:

Well, let's see if we can't change that!

I found my way to this information by following the Dow Jones website.

Our Top 10 Places to Live Internationally

10. Ecuador, especially Cuenca.
9. Mexico
8. Panama
7. New Zealand
6. Croatia
5. Costa Rica
4. Italy (Lucca or the Abbuzzo region)
3. Coast of Spain
2. France
And the #1 Place to Live Internationally:
1. Ireland

And, by any chance, do they mention any specific towns or villages (that we all know and love) in Ireland?

Killarney on the Ring of Kerry is a small city with many amenities including restaurants, a very walkable downtown, and some world class golf courses. It would make for a great place to retire where there would be plenty to do.

There are countless small villages both on the coast and in the countryside that would also make great places to retire. Towns in the west like Lahinch, Doolin, Waterville, Tralee, Dingle, and Ballybunion are charming with many pubs and restaurants, small shops, and quiet neighborhoods.

Here's how I found my way to this information:

Market Watch's 10 best retirement locations led me to...

The complete list with all the details.

And, at long last, The Ballybunion Thread makes its return to boldface type in the Kerry forum. :cool:

Yakult

saw this on bookface, might head back if the weather is good

sidious-sam

Hi guys
I stumbled across this thread and hoping you can answer a quick question for me.

I'll be passing through in about 9 or 10 days or so and wondering if there is still a campsite in the area ... I seem to recall there being one about 20 years ago or so. Just somewhere to pitch a tent would be nice

If there are none in around could you advise as to where the nearest one might be? I realise I could use the might google to find out, but experience has told me that more often than you'd think, the results you get are not accurate (in relation to sites) as many have closed down but neglect to remove their online presence.

hoping you can help

Sam

RiderOnTheStorm

Hi Sam,

not good news, I am afraid. There are several mobile home parks in Ballyb, but no tent camp grounds. Some of the mobile home parks may allow you to pitch your tent (they all have green areas) but there wont be facilities in all (some do have public toilets, but these are in the minority).

I will pm you the phone number of one of the mobile parks that might be suitable, just in case you dont find something more suitable.

PS I do hope you enjoy your stay in Ballyb, and hope the weather is good to you!

sidious-sam

Hope you got my PM. My plans have changed in the meantime and so no longer looking to stay in Ballyb. Much thanks for the response though, very much appreciated. I will be passing through though in the next week so I'm still hoping for good weather!

boomkatalog

Any late bars this weekend?

RiderOnTheStorm

sidious-sam wrote: »

Hope you got my PM. My plans have changed in the meantime and so no longer looking to stay in Ballyb. Much thanks for the response though, very much appreciated. I will be passing through though in the next week so I'm still hoping for good weather!

yup.

Hope the weather is good for you (and me!)

snow scorpion

Are you kidding me?!?

It's nicer there than it is here!

RiderOnTheStorm

yup ..... its been a week of sunshine! We havnt had that in a few years!!

Weather today is hot .... 21 deg C. Everyone is in shorts & T's .... even seen a few convertables with the tops down!

Beach was busy, not quite full, but fuller than its been in a long time. With such good weather today, we are expecting a very busy weekend!

Town is looking nice (everywhere always looks good in strong sunshine!), and the local Fleadh Committee have put flags & bunting up over the streets . There is a music festival / fleadh on here in a couple of weeks. There have been some new flower beds too. I will try and get a few photos ....

codie

Brought the kids to Ballybunion Sat evening for a couple of hours. I have to say I was totally disgusted with the Ladys beach.The amount of broken glass and empty cider can/bottles was unbelievable and a few characters that had obviously consumed just a little too much.(using foul language) .Put me off going there again no matter what the weather.Saw couple of tourists walking the beach that weren't too impressed either.It didn't do this beautiful beach any justice at all.There is no way you would see anything like this in the Canaries.

BPKS

codie wrote: »

Brought the kids to Ballybunion Sat evening for a couple of hours. I have to say I was totally disgusted with the Ladys beach.The amount of broken glass and empty cider can/bottles was unbelievable and a few characters that had obviously consumed just a little too much.(using foul language) .Put me off going there again no matter what the weather.Saw couple of tourists walking the beach that weren't too impressed either.It didn't do this beautiful beach any justice at all.There is no way you would see anything like this in the Canaries.

Having spent all week on the beach - and really enjoyed it - I'm afraid the weekend brought an element a what you can only call scum. Scores of youngsters with boxes of drink encamped at various parts of the beach. It seems to be a new trend now whereby underage drinkers are publicly drinking away with no fear of being seen by anybody. God be with the days you'd be afraid of your parents or the Gardai catching you drinking a can of beer when you were 16. Its not just in Ballybunion where this problem was during the good weather - from various accounts it happened all over the country.

I left the beach late on Saturday evening when most had gone home and the place was left in a terrible state - empty bottles, cans, disposable bbq's. I went for a run early Sunday morning and the council (and local Tidy Towns) had the place in great nick again. But leaving the beach yesterday evening again there were lots of bottles and cans scattered around the place. I just cant understand the mentality of people who leave rubbish behind them on the beach - not to mention the people who break bottles in the sand where kids are going to be playing.

There must have been 4 or 5 thousand people on the beaches over the weekend - the Gardai eventually decided to pay a visit late on Sunday. Too late I'm afraid - there should have been 2 Gardai on constant patrol on the beaches such was the crowd (and such was the element of ahem "tourists" from 50 miles up the road). The litter warden should also have been deployed to the beach for the day.

Ballybunion is a fantastic place to be on a fine day. You wont find a nicer beach in the Canaries or anywhere else for that matter. But if the authorities dont get a handle on all the youths drinking on the beach, it'll turn off the families who are the bread and butter of the tourist industry in the town.

PS - I want to re-iterate the job that the volunteers of the Tidy Towns did over the last week. The place would have been a like a rubbish tip without them.

codie

BPKS wrote: »

Having spent all week on the beach - and really enjoyed it - I'm afraid the weekend brought an element a what you can only call scum. Scores of youngsters with boxes of drink encamped at various parts of the beach. It seems to be a new trend now whereby underage drinkers are publicly drinking away with no fear of being seen by anybody. God be with the days you'd be afraid of your parents or the Gardai catching you drinking a can of beer when you were 16. Its not just in Ballybunion where this problem was during the good weather - from various accounts it happened all over the country.

I left the beach late on Saturday evening when most had gone home and the place was left in a terrible state - empty bottles, cans, disposable bbq's. I went for a run early Sunday morning and the council (and local Tidy Towns) had the place in great nick again. But leaving the beach yesterday evening again there were lots of bottles and cans scattered around the place. I just cant understand the mentality of people who leave rubbish behind them on the beach - not to mention the people who break bottles in the sand where kids are going to be playing.

There must have been 4 or 5 thousand people on the beaches over the weekend - the Gardai eventually decided to pay a visit late on Sunday. Too late I'm afraid - there should have been 2 Gardai on constant patrol on the beaches such was the crowd (and such was the element of ahem "tourists" from 50 miles up the road). The litter warden should also have been deployed to the beach for the day.

Ballybunion is a fantastic place to be on a fine day. You wont find a nicer beach in the Canaries or anywhere else for that matter. But if the authorities dont get a handle on all the youths drinking on the beach, it'll turn off the families who are the bread and butter of the tourist industry in the town.

PS - I want to re-iterate the job that the volunteers of the Tidy Towns did over the last week. The place would have been a like a rubbish tip without them.

Saturday evening the armed patrol unit of the Garda drove around the beach in their 4x4 ,there was also undercover Garda around as well.I agree with you when you say it will turn families away.As out foreign they charge people to use the beach.I would nearly prefer to pay a fee enjoy my time in the beach and have a memorable few hours with the family than what I saw Sat evening.

maryk123

Have to agree with the above posters - for the amount of people there for such a nice weekend there should have been more bag changes on the beach the bins were over flowing - youngsters leaving hot barbecues and just walking away. It was disgusting. I have to say one thing abut Ballybunion in all the years I am going there they seem to put nothing back into it. Take take take and nothing goes back in. Same with the playground no supervision and lots of travellers hogging swings etc and no one is going to approach them.

Another big beef of mine are the women's toilets on the beach. How much would it cost to retile it and to pay someone during summer months to regularly maintain the bathroom. Again the state of it over the weekend was unbelievable. I am going to take a picture the next time and post here because people would not believe it.

However, on a positive note big praise must go to the tidy town. I was walking early on both mornings and there they were cleaning and sweeping. Excellent job I hope they keep u the good work.

It is such a pity as its a lovely place however, the police need to keep a hold of the scum or it will be ruined.

reic

Maybe I was "lucky". I was on Ballybunion beach at about 1pm on the Sunday of the June weekend. It was raining and misty, lol. But cleared up later. I didn't see the scum or litter. Good to see the streets full of people.

CrazyChick18

Hi everyone heading to ballybunion this Sunday coming anyone know if there's any entertainment on in the pubs? Thanks

boomkatalog

CrazyChick18 wrote: »

Hi everyone heading to ballybunion this Sunday coming anyone know if there's any entertainment on in the pubs? Thanks

Your best is The Exchange, usually have live bands at the weekend.