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The Ballybunion thread

snow scorpion

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:

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RiderOnTheStorm

Welcome Honimurphy! Hope you stay a while and see whats going on. There are often pics and bits of news. The weekly newsletter (thanks to Flash!) will be out tomorrow and I will put up a link.

Weather here is F A B !! Beach is full, and lots of life about town. Hope it lasts !!

honimurphy

Just checking in on this thread as i spent many happy Summers in Ballyb in my childhood. Great to see the fab pictures it still looks as beautiful. You did not appreciate it when you were younger ......

BPKS

Snow scorpion - its the name of individual houses. Here people tend to give names to their houses (seen as there wouldn't be a street number on the older streets) to distinguish their house on a particular street from another. Its handy when there could be a lot of Murphys living at East End for example.

snow scorpion

The Old Forge rings a very faint bell in the back of my head, but the rest of them...

What's the story with the names?

zdUL4Gu.jpg?1

RiderOnTheStorm

Japandamo wrote: »

... lifeguards.... Are you sure they wouldn't tell me not to - even in optimal conditions?

No guarantees buddy, but they are a good bunch of lads (not sure if there are any lasses this year), and its always better to be up front in these situations. Also, you will get up to the minute advice on conditions etc. You never know, if its a really quiet day, one of them might go with you (for a bit) !

Also, if you (or anyone reading this) see anyone that you think is in trouble, or just gone too long, please please please call 999 or 112. Its much better to get rescue folk to stand down if a situation turns out ok, than to call them when its too late.

Hope the weather improves for ya!

Japandamo

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

Hi Damo,

when the weather is good, sun shining, and water is clear, Ballybunion can be like the Med! Sure is tempting to go for a swim / kayak along the cliffs.

Just a few pointers :

Please please please dont do this alone. I wouldnt even swim in Nuns Beach bay alone, let alone go around the rocks / cliffs alone. Do find a buddy.

There are many many caves & holes along the cliffs, and its very easy to get pulled / pushed into one if there is a wave surge, and then very disorienting when you are inside. Be very careful.

No problem going for a swim along the cliffs .... as long as the weather is calm. A fine hot day is not same as calm / flat water. You dont want to be near the cliffs / rocks if the waves (even if they are gentle rolling ones) will rub you up against the cliff. Those flat calm days are rare.

You can get a very good explore / snorkel from the Nuns Beach (ie, dont go around the cliffs). You have Virgins Rock and the Stacks (all on same side of bay) and then on the mainland side, you have the side of the cliff and a couple of large caves.

If you really want to swim along the cliffs with a buddy, I would advise going in from the Ladies Beach side, and tell the lifeguards there where you are going, and make sure to say 'hello' when you come back so they know you are safe.

Not sure about how to find a buddy. Maybe the Surf School (on Gents Beach) or the swim club in leisure centre would have some ideas.

Be safe! Enjoy!!

Wow, very comprehensive, I really appreciate that. Exactly why I was looking for local knowledge, I don't think I'd have even considered the possibility of getting sucked into a cave. I'd also have been slow to let the lifeguards know what I was at (I've had them blowing their whistle at me a few too many times when I've gone out up to my shoulders), but I guess it does make sense to have that extra bit of security. Are you sure they wouldn't tell me not to - even in optimal conditions?

Completely hear you on the safety front, wouldn't go doing something like that on my own. Thought I had a buddy - actually two - sorted for this morning, but it didn't work out. I think we've probably missed the really calm weather now that the wind has picked up again. Hopefully another time, though.

Thanks so much again.

RiderOnTheStorm

snow scorpion wrote: »

New Ballybunion website is up and open for business:

http://www.ballybunion.ie/

Wow.... that looks good!

RiderOnTheStorm

Hi Damo,

when the weather is good, sun shining, and water is clear, Ballybunion can be like the Med! Sure is tempting to go for a swim / kayak along the cliffs.

Just a few pointers :

Please please please dont do this alone. I wouldnt even swim in Nuns Beach bay alone, let alone go around the rocks / cliffs alone. Do find a buddy.

There are many many caves & holes along the cliffs, and its very easy to get pulled / pushed into one if there is a wave surge, and then very disorienting when you are inside. Be very careful.

No problem going for a swim along the cliffs .... as long as the weather is calm. A fine hot day is not same as calm / flat water. You dont want to be near the cliffs / rocks if the waves (even if they are gentle rolling ones) will rub you up against the cliff. Those flat calm days are rare.

You can get a very good explore / snorkel from the Nuns Beach (ie, dont go around the cliffs). You have Virgins Rock and the Stacks (all on same side of bay) and then on the mainland side, you have the side of the cliff and a couple of large caves.

If you really want to swim along the cliffs with a buddy, I would advise going in from the Ladies Beach side, and tell the lifeguards there where you are going, and make sure to say 'hello' when you come back so they know you are safe.

Not sure about how to find a buddy. Maybe the Surf School (on Gents Beach) or the swim club in leisure centre would have some ideas.

Be safe! Enjoy!!

Japandamo

Hi guys,

I was out at the Nun's Beach the other evening - tide high, very calm and so clear. I was wondering if it is possible to snorkel along the cliffs when it's like that. It's something I'd love to do, but I don't want to worry people or to have the sea rescue to be called on me. Or to drown, obviously.

I'd be an experienced swimmer, and snorkeler, have fins and wetsuit etc. The only thing I don't have is a diving buddy, so if it is possible and there was someone else interested with a bit of water sense then it would be great to go out.

Thanks.

Damo.

snow scorpion

New Ballybunion website is up and open for business:

http://www.ballybunion.ie/

snow scorpion

Maybe Radio Kerry is employing people from the Stacks Mountains?

But BALL-YA - ON - VUIN-AWN-IGH?!?!

That's going to take some practice before it rolls smoothly off my tongue.

Thanks, BPKS, I'll get to work on it.

BPKS

snow scorpion wrote: »

It hasn't been christened yet, Rider. Next trip up it gets the weatherproofing. But the internet router can send a signal to it so we do get the wide world of interwebs out there.

I had Radio Kerry on the other day and heard someone giving the names of Kerry towns in Irish. Am I correct that "BAL-a-BOO-na" is how you say Baile an Bhuinneánaigh?

No that's how some guy from the stacks mountains who has rarely left the bog might say Ballybunion.

You can impress your Irish-loving American friends with this pronunciation:

BAILE - BALL-YA

AN - ON

BHUINNEANAIGH - VUIN-AWN-IGH

snow scorpion

It hasn't been christened yet, Rider. Next trip up it gets the weatherproofing. But the internet router can send a signal to it so we do get the wide world of interwebs out there.

I had Radio Kerry on the other day and heard someone giving the names of Kerry towns in Irish. Am I correct that "BAL-a-BOO-na" is how you say Baile an Bhuinneánaigh?

RiderOnTheStorm

Nice job Snow. Looks like a good deck, and in a great location too. Have ye had a few beers on it yet? Will it hold up to a bbq?

I see you use Imgur too! I went with this site too when ImageShack started charging. No complaints so far!

Not much news in Ballyb. Weather is hit & miss lately. Some lovely days, some showers, often at same time!
The leisure centre got a new coat of paint (seems like every 2nd building on main st got a coat of paint this year!)
There is a lovely new wall & railing (looks expensive) gone up on Sandhill road, on the site of the old Atlantic hotel / carpark. I heard there is plans to build a few houses in there, so the wall & gate could be the beginnings of a nice new estate.
St Johns church has had a massive make over (inside & out) over the last several months, and is now open for business again. I have not had a look inside yet, but I will this week and take a few photos too. I bet the residents around the old convent are glad mass is back on church road. cant have been much fun being blocked in every Sun!
The big topic here is the cancellation of the Garth Brooks (or Gareth Brooks, as he is known in kerry) concerts. Looks like millions will be effected .... according to estimates ;-). I hear he will release a new song to mark the occasion "I've got gigs in no places", and the GAA has been renamed as Garth Ain't Arriving!

.....and Brazil were beaten 7-1 .... I bet they did nazi that coming!

snow scorpion

As promised, three photos of the deck: http://imgur.com/ORFAjZq,qXURT7i,zYvOxEv

My brother said, "See what two weekends, about $1600, and two guys with a rough idea of what they're doing can accomplish?"

snow scorpion

Weather is fine here - temps in the high 20s and low 30s every day. Over here we have "the dog days of August." That's the heat that wears people down.

I'm headed back to the Catskills Thursday morning. We'll finish the deck over the weekend no doubt. I'll bring the camera and find some place to post the photos. (I think I still have a Flickr account.

)

I have to go Google Street View now to see exactly where the tourist centre is.
-> Ah! Now I see where it is!

RiderOnTheStorm

snow scorpion wrote: »

Where exactly is the new tourist office?

From photos it looks like it's across the street from Feale's so I'm guessing it's where the video store was. Or am I wrong?

ooohhh ...... so close ! Its between Kennellys the butchers and Ballerina Amusements (just a couple of doors from the old video shop!)

Still cracking weather here in Ballyb .... whats it like there? Are you finished the deck in the Catskills?

snow scorpion

Where exactly is the new tourist office?

From photos it looks like it's across the street from Feale's so I'm guessing it's where the video store was. Or am I wrong?

rob_j_l

amazing pics

RiderOnTheStorm

Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy ...... we love 'em all !!

snow scorpion

Wow! That was fast! By the time I got back to the Bronx, you had the photos up.

I forgot the buildings and towers were in the way when you look east.

I think I'm going back to the Catskills in a fortnight. I'll bring the camera with me and you'll have a few pics of the new deck.

Strippers in Ballybunion, huh? The times they are a-changing. When I first found out about internet radio I started listening to RTE and then I found out about Radio Kerry. So once I get Radio Sure set up I tune in to Radio Kerry and the first thing I heard was some reggae song. I thought to myself, "Kerry has its own radio station, and they play reggae. Ireland has changed since I was there last."

RiderOnTheStorm

snow scorpion wrote: »

... I've been up in the Catskill Mountains helping my brother build a deck on his house up here. The temperature was over 30 on Wednesday in NYC but things have gone back to normal since then. (August is more road-melting season.) I'm heading back down to the city as soon as I tidy up this place.

Ah, summer projects for family! I love them. Helping a guy out in the sun, having a bit of craic and a beer when the day is finished. Then come the autumn (fall?) you have a bbq in the Catskills and admire your work. Make sure to take a few photos Snow!

snow scorpion wrote: »

...What was the scandal the Ballybunion News was talking about in yesterday's edition?..

I guess it was the Leaving Cert event in the Golf Hotel. They had booked a 'celeb' from the UK, a lady that made her living stripping off and sharing instagram photos of herself. There is a trend here the last few years for clubs to have a 'meet & greet' with a celeb (usually an Oz soap-star) in order to get paying punters in the door. Well, a stripper for a leaving cert do was not looked kindly on by many. I for one, would not pay to see a stripper not strip! Anyway, the event was poorly attended.

RiderOnTheStorm

Well, this is a turn-up for the books .... an idea / request, a promise, and a quick delivery ..... I give you: sunrise over Ballybunion / Cnoc an Oir !! (thanks again to Jason / Ballybunion Prints Beach

snow scorpion

Nonsense, Rider! 5am is the finest time of the day! (At least that's what I'm told.

) I was thinking that the sunrise and sunset pics might look nice side-by-side if they were taken from the same spot on top of Knockanore. (Then again, they might look like crap, I'm no expert on photography.) I was thinking about taking the pics myself the next time I'm over there, but according to Radio Kerry you guys have been having a nice run of good weather these days so opportunity is knocking for the photos right now.

I haven't been in NYC for the last week. I've been up in the Catskill Mountains helping my brother build a deck on his house up here. The temperature was over 30 on Wednesday in NYC but things have gone back to normal since then. (August is more road-melting season.) I'm heading back down to the city as soon as I tidy up this place.

What was the scandal the Ballybunion News was talking about in yesterday's edition?

RiderOnTheStorm

Sunrise is about 5am here at the moment.... I would prefer to see it at a more reasonable time lol ..... I will have a word with Jason and see what he can do.

How goes things there? Is NYC baking in the summer heat? Roads melting? Everyone humming 'hot-town summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirt & gritty ...'

snow scorpion

I love the sunset pics, but ....

you knew there was a "but" coming. didn't ya?

Does anybody ever take a picture of the sunrise? If you get a clear morning, go up Knockanore and you might get a pretty good shot of the rising sun bouncing off the Feale.

RiderOnTheStorm

Some great pics of the sunset (and one of the moon) yesterday in Ballyb, by my good friend Jason (aka Ballybunion Prints Beach)

Power Gear

^^^^^^^^

Beautiful pic....must pay a visit soon.

reic

Gosh, I haven't been here in ages. Years even. This was taken last July while eating chips by the children's playground with bunches of teens sitting on the benches drinking cans. It was a beautiful sunset. Everyone just stopped and looked at it.

I'm going to Listowel the weekend after this for 2 days. Hope to pay a return visit to BB.

RiderOnTheStorm

This weeks newsletter ...
http://www.ballybunionnews.com/Issue%2015.pdf