Off the Beaten Track: Ballybunion Castle Ireland

courtesy  TripAdvisor

Ballybunion is situated eight miles west of Listowel and is one of the most popular seaside resorts on the west coast of Ireland. Ballybunion Castle was built on an elevated point above the cliffs which extend down in both directions from the castle overlooking White Strand shore. It has suffered many battles and bad weather so as the sea walls are now gone. The stronghold overlooks the mouth of the Shannon.

Ballybunion Castle was built by the Geraldines in the 14th Century. It stands on the Castle Green site of an old promontory coastal fort of the "Clann Conaire." In 1582 the castle had been acquired from the Geraldines by the Bonyon family. In 1583 William Og Bonyon lost the castle and lands due to his part in the Desmond Rebellion. In 1612 the castle and lands were granted to Thomas Fitzmaurice 16th Lord of Kerry and Lixnaw by the English King James 6th. By 1783 Richard Hare was in possession of the castle. From 1923 onwards the castle has gone under the care of the Office of Public Works. It was destroyed in the Desmond Wars. All that remains today is this East Wall.

It stands as a memorial to the Bonyons, a proud and powerful family from whom today's beautiful coastal town of Ballybunion takes its name. 

The waters and surrounding countryside of this picturesque area have won the European Blue Flag award. This award is an acknowledgment by the European union to regions that achieve a standard of water quality that is free of pollution. This award is subject to yearly renewal and therefore guarantees continued environmental quality in areas such as Ballybunion that achieve the standard of this award. This fact makes Ballybunion and the surrounding coastline ideal for the harvesting of sea vegetables such as dulse (dillisk/sea grass/Palmaria palmata) and Irish moss (carrageen moss/Chondrus crispus) providing a product of a quality and with a flavour which we are sure is unsurpassable.

The cliffs around Ballybunion are most notable for their rock formations, sea stacks, erosion, and many other geological features. The view of the strata from the Ladies Beach is excellent. There is sea stack called The Devils Castle, a blowhole called the Nine Daughters Hole, and an island / arch on the Nuns Beach called the Virgins Rock.

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

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