Bundoran facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bundoran Bun Dobhráin
Town
Bundoran seafront
Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Fáilte, Sláinte, Beoite "welcome, health, lively"
Bundoran Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Donegal
Dáil Éireann	Sligo–Leitrim
EU Parliament	Midlands–North-West
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Total	2,599
Time zone	UTC±0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode routing key	F94
Telephone area code	+353(0)71
Irish Grid Reference	G8761

Bundoran (Irish: Bun Dobhráin) is a lively town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name in Irish, Bun Dobhráin, means "the foot of the little water." This town is located right by the N15 road, close to Ballyshannon. It's the most southerly town in Donegal.

Bundoran is famous as a fun seaside resort. Tourism has been a big part of its economy for hundreds of years, since the 1700s. It's also a top spot for surfing! In 2012, National Geographic magazine even called Bundoran one of the world's best 20 surf towns.

History

How Bundoran Started

Long ago, Bundoran was actually two separate villages. One was called Bundoran, located west of the bridge over the River Bradoge. This part is now known as the West End. About 2 kilometers away, east of the bridge, was another village called Single Street. Most local people lived in Single Street.

The area between these two villages was called Drumacrin, which is now the center of today's town. The two villages grew and joined together after the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway was finished in 1868. The railway built a station and called it "Bundoran," which helped the whole area become one town.

One of the first official mentions of Bundoran was in 1653. Later, in 1689, a small fight happened near Bundoran during a time of rebellion.

In 1777, a nobleman named William Cole, Viscount Enniskillen, built his summer house here. It was called Bundoran Lodge and is now known as Homefield House. Other wealthy people soon followed, visiting Bundoran to enjoy the seaside and its believed health benefits.

Keeping Paths Open to the Public

At one point, a local landlord tried to block people from reaching the seashore. But the local priest, Canon Kelaghan, fought for the community in court in 1870. He made sure that the paths and roads to the beach stayed open for everyone to use. Canon Kelaghan also helped build the current Catholic church in 1859.

The Railway's Big Impact

The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway (E&BR) opened in 1868. This connected Bundoran railway station to Ireland's growing railway system. It made it much easier for people from Belfast, Dublin, and other big cities to visit Bundoran.

Because of the railway, Bundoran quickly became one of Ireland's most popular seaside resorts. By the late 1800s, it was a top holiday spot in Ulster. Many hotels and guesthouses opened. The Great Northern Railway (GNR), which later took over the E&BR line, even built the famous Great Northern Hotel.

During World War II (called The Emergency in Ireland), the GNR ran a special train called the Bundoran Express. It linked Dublin and Bundoran. There were also direct trains between Bundoran and Belfast.

After 1922, when Ireland was divided, the border with County Fermanagh became an international boundary. This meant trains from Bundoran to the rest of Ireland had to go through Northern Ireland. This caused delays because of customs checks. In 1957, Northern Ireland closed many railway lines, including the one to Bundoran. This led to the closure of the railway line to Bundoran. Today, the closest train stations are in Sligo Town and Derry.

Central Hotel Fire

On August 8, 1980, a fire happened at The Central Hotel in the town center. Sadly, ten people, including five children, lost their lives. In 2008, a beautiful stained glass window by the famous artist Harry Clarke was put back in the local Catholic church. In 2010, a special stone bench was placed near the hotel to remember those who died.

Attractions

Bundoran Beach Fun

The natural swimming pool

Bundoran strand at dusk

A row of colorful B&Bs on the seafront

For nearly 200 years, people have loved visiting Bundoran beach on sunny days. In Victorian times, people used "bathing boxes." These were small changing rooms on wheels. You'd go inside, change into your swimming costume, and then step out into the sea. This allowed people to swim privately.

Later, in the early 1900s, stationary bathing boxes became popular. They were cheaper and easier to use. In the 1920s, you could even rent a swimming costume, cap, and towel for a small fee! In the 1950s and 60s, a special vehicle called "The Duck" would take tourists for rides on the bay.

Bundoran's Main Beach has won the Blue Flag award almost every year. This means it's a very clean and safe beach.

Amazing Coastal Walks

The Promenade to Tullan Strand offers wonderful walks with stunning views. You can see Bill Ireland's Stone, named after a rescued sailor, and The Peak, a famous surf spot. There's also Carraig na nÉan (the rock of the birds) and an old pump house built in 1861.

You'll find interesting spots like Poll Uain (Lambs' Hole) and the Thrupenny Pool, named after its old admission price. The main beach is Trá na Draina (the strand of the strong). The rocks at Rougey are over 300 million years old and have amazing fossils! At the end of Rougey is Aughrus, where warhorses used to graze. You can also find the 'Puffing Hole' and Tullan Strand, where early people found flint for tools.

Fairy Bridges & Wishing Chair

The Fairy Bridges and Wishing Chair are natural wonders on the Roguey Walk. These sea arches were one of Bundoran's first tourist attractions back in the late 1700s. They are so beautiful that they were even featured in a painting by artist Helen Allingham. In 2020, they won a special award from TripAdvisor, placing them among the top attractions worldwide!

Waterworld Fun

The Waterworld complex opened in 1991. It was built after a big storm damaged the seafront in 1988. This indoor water park has a cool wave pool, rapids, and exciting slides. More slides were added in 1994, and in 2013, a three-lane multi-slide and a toddler pool were added. It's a great place for families to have fun!

Adventure World

Near Waterworld, you'll find Adventure World. This park has fun rides like waltzing horses, water zorbing (rolling inside a giant ball on water), and water bumper cars. It's perfect for younger kids and families.

Amusement Arcades

Bundoran has several amusement arcades, like Macks amusements. They are filled with hundreds of gaming machines and other fun arcade games. At the entrance of Macks, there's a huge statue of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea.

Places to Stay

Bundoran has many places to stay, from large hotels like The Allingham Arms, The Great Northern, and The Holyrood, to smaller, charming hotels like Fitzgerald's. There are also many caravan sites, campsites, self-catering homes, and hostels. This means there's a place for every type of visitor!

Transport

Roads

In April 2006, a new bypass around Bundoran and Ballyshannon opened. This made it much easier and quicker to get to the town. Sligo is about 35 kilometers south of Bundoran, along the beautiful Atlantic coast. The Drowes River, which marks the start of the bypass, also separates County Leitrim from County Donegal.

Train Travel

Bundoran railway station opened in 1866 but closed in 1957. Today, the car park for the New Council Offices is where the old train station used to be.

The closest train station now is Sligo Mac Diarmada Station in Sligo Town. From there, you can catch trains to Dublin Connolly. Buses from Bundoran to Sligo stop right next to the Sligo train station.

Bus and Coach Services

Christ Church, Church of Ireland in Bundoran

Bus Éireann offers regular bus services connecting Bundoran to Sligo Mac Diarmada Station in Sligo Town. They also have a daily service from Derry to Galway, passing through Letterkenny and Bundoran.

Another company, Feda O'Donnell (Bus Feda), runs services from Crolly to Galway, connecting many towns in the west of Ireland, including Bundoran, Sligo, and Galway. During college terms, they even have a service to Limerick. There's also an Ulsterbus service from Bundoran to Enniskillen.

Additionally, there are two Local Link bus services: one from Ballyshannon to Sligo and another from Kinlough to Ballyshannon. Bundoran has several bus stops, including main stops on the East and West sides of town.

Developments

Bundoran has grown a lot because it's a popular seaside town. In the past, special tax breaks helped build many holiday homes here. Every June, thousands of music fans come to Bundoran for the Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival.

The Astoria Ballroom was built in 1953. It was a very popular place for dances and showbands to perform. Even famous singer Meat Loaf played there in 1990! Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in 2008. But good news! In 2024, plans were approved to build a funfair and waterpark on the old ballroom site.

In 2019, Bundoran was chosen as Fáilte Ireland's "Destination Town" for County Donegal. This means the town received €500,000 for improvements to make it even better for tourists.

Education

On Railway Road, you can still see part of the St Louis Convent School, which was built in 1892. It included a school and a home for the Sisters of St Louis.

In 1958, the Sisters of St Louis moved another school, St. Martha's, to Bundoran. It was located in a building known as The Sea View Hotel. This school closed in 1966.

The St Joseph's orphanages were built with money left by Miss Sarah Crudden. In 1957, St Joseph's also closed and its students moved to St Louis, under the name "St. Martha's." These buildings later became Ard Lughaidh Secondary School. Most of these buildings were taken down in 2006. Today, only an extension area remains, which is now part of the Donegal Adventure Centre.

Sport

Bundoran Golf Club

Tullan Strand

Surfing Capital

Bundoran is well-known as a fantastic place for surfing, often called the "Surf Capital of Ireland." Popular surfing spots include The Peak, Tullan Strand, and nearby Rossnowlagh beach. The town has hosted the European Surfing Championships twice, in 1985 and 2011. Red Bull has consistently named it the best beginner beach in Ireland. Bundoran has waves suitable for everyone, from beginners to advanced surfers.

Golfing Fun

Bundoran has a beautiful 18-hole golf course. The golf club started in 1894. The course is located on the historic site of the Great Northern Railway Company, with old railway sleepers around it. It offers amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. The course was designed by Harry Vardon, a famous golfer, who wanted it to be enjoyable for all players.

Gaelic Games

Bundoran's location on the railway line made its local grounds a great place for big GAA games in the 1920s. The local GAA club bought its grounds in 1938. The club was later reorganized and renamed Réalt na Mara, which means "The Star of the Sea." The football park has been improved many times over the years.

In 1963, Réalt na Mara joined with the Ballyshannon club Aodh Ruadh to form St Joseph's. This team included many players who also played for the Donegal county team, like Brian McEniff. In 1977, the clubs split again into separate teams for Bundoran and Ballyshannon.

In 1979, Bundoran won the Senior Championship in a very close game. Local hero Brian McEniff led the Donegal county team to win the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final against Dublin. Bundoran celebrated this huge victory for almost a month!

In 2015, Réalt Na Mara won the Donegal Intermediate Football Championship title.

Football History

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the rules for football (soccer), held a meeting at the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran in 1909.

Twin towns

Bundoran is part of the Douzelage, a special group of towns that are twinned with each other across the European Union and United Kingdom. This means Bundoran is twinned with:

Notable people

• Richie Fitzgerald, a famous surfer
• Liam MacDaid (born 1945), a former Roman Catholic prelate (a high-ranking church official)
• Sean McEniff (1936–2017), a businessman and politician
• Brian McEniff (born 1942), a former Gaelic football player and manager
• Screaming Orphans, a Celtic pop band

Images for kids

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  Rougey Cliff Walk

• Waterworld Bundoran.jpg

  Waterworld Bundoran

See also

In Spanish: Bundoran para niños