Ballybunion (sometimes Ballybunnion) is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, 15 km (9.3 mi) from the town of Listowel. There are castle ruins near the town, although all that remains is a single wall, and two golf courses in the area including the famous Ballybunion Golf Club, a top class Links course founded in 1893 and host course to the Murphys Irish Open in 2000 and Palmer Cup in 2004.
There are two commonly used beaches in Ballybunion, accessed by large, very steep concrete pavements, and divided by the cliff atop which stands the ruined castle. The beach to the left of the castle (if looking toward the sea) is called the “Men’s Beach”, and the one to the right the “Ladies Beach”, given to the fact that men used to bathe on a separate beach from women and children. This practice has not been observed for decades. There is a small cafe, hot seaweed baths and ice cream shop on the women’s beach. The large cliffs to the right of the women’s beach have shallow caves. The sheer cliffs over the beach have a scenic walking path, featuring a blowhole, views of sea stacks and a multitude of wildlife. The path takes about 20 minutes to walk, and goes round to the “Nun’s Beach”, a beautiful beach with no access that is overlooked by an old convent.
Things To Do In Ballybunion
Official Links
Ballybunion News
Ballybunion Tourism
Ballybunion Tourist Information Office
Emergency Services
EMERGENCY 999/112
AMBULANCE 999/112
FIRE BRIGADE 999/112
SEA RESCUE 999/112 or (087) 902 7111
Guards (Police)
Local Station (068) 27104
Listowel (068) 50820
Medical Assistance/Pharmacy
Ballybunion District Community Responder
Hair Salons
Leanne’s Hair & Beauty Boutique
Martinas Hair Salon
Address: Main St.
Ballybunnion, Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
Phone: (068) 27130
Magic Scissors
East End Ballybunion
Phone: (068) 27568
Beauty Salons
Beauty By The Beach – Ballybunion
Clothes Shops
East 73rd (Facebook)
Located next to Supervalu
Supermarkets
Cahill’s SuperValu Ballybunion
Taxi Companies
Brosnans Taxi Service
Woodside, Listowel Road, Ballybunion
Tel.: +353 (0) 87 2577737
Email: billybrosnan@eircom.net
Flavin’s Coaches – (068) 57221
Mass Times
Weekend Mass Times
Sunday
9:30 AM
11:30 AM
12:30 PM July
Saturday
7:30 PM winter
Daily Mass Times
Monday to Friday
10:00 AM
St. John’s Church
Church Road, Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland
Tel: 068 27102
Babysitting Services
Ballybunion Cliff Walk takes approximately 1 hour and take in the north and south beaches at Ballybunion. Both beaches are perfect for walking, swimming and surfing. The walk features cliff paths and roadway and has stunning views over the sandy beaches.
Located on the complex of Ballybunion Golf Holiday Homes, Checker’s Café & Wine Bar this is a fun filled active suitable for all age groups. The 18 hole course is a miniature version of Ballybunion’s world famous old course complete with names and history at each hole. Well-known Ballybunion landmarks are strategically placed around the course.
Also available on-site We Can Cook Kid’s cookery camps Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 1pm.
The Ballybunion Golf Club in County Kerry, Ireland (founded in 1893) is considered one of the finest links courses in the world. Ballybunion actually houses not one but two courses: The Old Course and The Cashen Course. The Old Course has a length of 6,802 yards (6,220 m) (Blue Tees) and 6,350 yards (White Tees). Ladies Tees are 5,459 yards. Par: 71 Men / 74 Ladies. The Cashen Course has a length of 6,306 yards (5,766 m) yards (Blue Tees) and 5,997 (White Tees); Ladies Tees are 5,031 yards. Par: 72 Men & Ladies. The course designer was Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in 1984. The Old Course hosted the Irish Open on the European Tour in 2000, won by Patrik Sjöland.
“If sheer pleasure is the yardstick, then Ballybunion’s Old Course gets my vote as the No. 1 in the world.” — Peter Dobereiner, English golf writer
The Health & Leisure Centre was opened in 2007 and features a state-of-the-art gym, exercise rooms, a choice of three heated swimming pools for toddlers, children and adults, and a jacuzzi and sauna. Architecturally, the building is striking, and combines an innovative design with the finest materials and craftsmanship.
In 2012, the Centre received a Government grant to implement a new Combined Heat & Power Plant, along with new monitoring stations and electric pool cover. The direct savings from these technologies are estimated to be over €50,000 a year. The complex is open all year round for everyone, and offers yearly and part-time membership.
Facilities include patron’s car park, adult pool (20m X 10m), children’s pool, toddler’s pool, Jacuzzi, sauna/steam rooms, treatment rooms, air conditioned gymnasium, aerobics room, jogging track and coffee/juice bar.
Access for wheelchair users to all areas, including lift.
Collin’s is a famous bath house on The Ladies Strand. For almost 100 years the North Kerry community has been benefiting from our famous seaweed baths. Firstly, the natural goodness of bathing in salt water brings welcome relief to general muscular stiffness, tension, arthritic and rheumatic pain. The hot water stimulates the release of concentrated iodine from the seaweed. This acts as a natural antiseptic, whilst its oils moisturise your skin leaving a tingling freshness.The bath owners hand pick the seaweed daily from the “Blackrocks”. The water provided for your bath is sea water, pumped straight from the Atlantic Ocean each day. This is heated and ready for you at the turn of a tap.
Ballybunion Surf School is based on Ballybunion’s South beach (Men’s beach) – recognised as one of north kerry’s best surf spots for the last 20 years, its picturesque location and world class surf breaks insure your trip to Ballybunion will be one you will never forget! Surf lessons are run from our beach café where you can enjoy a hot drink and snack after your lesson and avail of our changing facilities.
Beauty By The Beach is your one stop for all your beauty and nail needs in the seaside location of Ballybunion village
Bromore Cliffs are, quite simply, spectacular. A walk through this area of scenic beauty is the perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon. The walk along the cliff top is safe, easy, well fenced and suitable for all ages (of course children must be supervised). The sheer 180-foot cliffs have been sculpted by nature over thousands of years.
The Cottage Studio Gallery was opened in 1988 by Marie Brennan. Marie is a native of Limerick living in her adopted home of Ballybunion with her husband Liam. Her love of art and teaching is evident throughout the studio.
Ecotrek Ballybunion was set up to cater for visitors from around the world. All tours are arranged so that the visitor gets the maximum time in the natural areas of Ballybunion to see the hidden parts of North Kerry while being told the stories, hearing the music and seeing the wildlife areas around Ballybunion within the planned tour of its eco system and heritage.
Ecotrek is not just any tour guided tour; the foundations of Ecotrek is its environmental statement to conserve the environment and with this research its hidden eco systems and heritage and bring it to a wider public with sustainable practices to safeguard the environment while taking tours of Ballybunion and surrounding areas.
Ecotrek Tours are designed with minimal impact on the environment so not to damage the natural habitat of birds and wildlife of the area, all visitors are asked to respect the Leave No Trace Policy which is in place by Ecotrek.
The fruits of the sea abound on Ballybunion’s coast, where one may enjoy shore fishing at its finest. Ballybunion holds its annual Angling Festival in March, and sea-fishing trips off the coast are organized on a regular basis. For the freshwater angler, salmon and trout-filled rivers and lakes abound.
Beach and surf fishing for bass and flounder is best on the south end of Ballybunion beach, towards the northern side of the Cashen Estuary. This area can be reached by driving south past Ballybunion Golf Club and on past the car park. Turn west on the beach and park beside the dunes. Surf fishing for Bass is good when conditions are suitable, particularly on the extreme mouth of the estuary. The best time to fish here is during a flooding tide, and using lugworm as bait. Just inside the estuary mouth and just below the car park, flounder fishing is also excellent on the flooding tide; use crab bait for best results.
Beale Point and Littor Strand are also excellent locations for the keen angler. Here, you can catch dogfish, flounder and dab. Bass can also be caught on occasion. Again, the best time to fish is during the flood tide, using lugworm and small white rag as bait. Ask locally for the times of tides.
Discover MOYA, a festival of Meditation, Ocean, Yoga and Art in breath-taking Ballybunion on the Wild Atlantic Way. Reconnect with your creativity and intuition through our workshops. Experience rejuvenation and healing with our experts.
Immerse yourself in MOYA.
A weekend of wellness-focused workshops & activities to incorporate:
- Classes (yoga, meditation, nutrition, tai chi, art therapy, & drumming)
- Workshops (angel EFT, sound workshop, chakra dance, herbalism, shamanism)
- One-to-one sessions (Thai massage, Hawaiian massage, acupuncture, reflexology)
- Open air classes (yoga, tai chi, painting, cooking demos)
- Targeted events for children of all ages (including art, children’s sports day on beach, yoga, mindfulness, healthy eating advice, reflexology, pony trekking, face painting)
- Guided walks along the Wild Atlantic Way
- Wellness Food & Craft Fair (exhibition of products & services for complete wellness)
- Beauty treatments & massage at local salons
- Fitness (water aerobics, hydro bikes, surf set)
- Local Events (dolphin watching, historical tours, sand art competition, wellness triathlon, Bonfire & African drumming)
- Nutrition (cooking demonstrations, nutritional advice, organic food & gardening)
- Seaweed baths & Surfing
- Wellness Menu available in local eateries
- Unwind & distress (music & events in local bars)
For further information & bookings contact (087)7837448 or email moya.ballybunion@gmail.com
Run Ballybunion is the home of the annual Ballybunion Half Marathon and 10K run which takes place once a year in this scenic setting.
The Tinteán Theatre Mission is to operate a purpose built performance venue with Live Performance and contemporary Irish dance as its core. The Tinteán Theatre also caters for conferences and arranges accommodation packages for delegates.
The Tinteán Theatre presents productions in all performance genres both from in-house and touring theatre companies. The theatre also has a cinema facility, art exhibition spaces, literary bookshop, bar and coffee dock. A stage school, art-house cinema club and themed week-ends feature at the venue.
The Women in Media 2018 conference will be held on the 20th – 22nd April 2018 following on from the success of previous Women in Media conferences featuring such inspirational Irish women including Miriam O’Callaghan, Mary Dundon, Joan Burton, Katherine Zappone, Frances Fitzgerald, Catherine Shanahan, Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Lorna Byrne and Olivia O’Leary.
Women in Media 2018 promises to further champion the positive affects that these pioneering Women have made throughout the Irish Media.
You can find them on Facebook here.
