To the uninitiated, Ballybunion is a wonderful coastal village in County Kerry in Ireland that has been attracting visitors in droves over the years to its beaches and world class golf course.

A key factor in the village’s popularity is that it is one of the few towns in the area not to have been over-commercialized with coffee shops and trendy bars. Instead it has retained a small traditional Irish town feel to it that foreign and Irish visitors still wish to experience.

Many visitors arrive to seek out two main activities: enjoying the beaches in the area and golfing at Ballybunion Golf Club.

In summer, Ballybunion beach becomes the focal point for most visitors. Some come to relax on the beach, swim in the clean sea water or even join in with some of the surfing (the local surf school also rent out equipment).

The cliffs overlooking the beach offer good panoramic views of the sea and surrounding countryside and are well worth the walk. The ruins of Ballybunion Castle are situated on the cliff, but several sieges over the centuries have reduced the castle to being a shadow of what it must have once been. The scenic cliff walk winds its way to some of the other beaches in the area, notably, the ‘Nuns’ beach (named for its proximity to a local nunnery).

For holidaying golfers, a round or two at Ballybunion golf club should not be missed. The 2 courses are world famous with the Old Course regularly appearing in the top 50 lists of courses in the world. Certainly, it is in the top 3 of links style courses world-wide. The second ‘Cashen’ course is less famous, but equally enjoyable to play. The one big tip though is to book a tee-time well in advance.

Possibly the most famous visitor to Ballybunion has been former president, and golf enthusiast, Bill Clinton who played a round of golf here in 1998. The town was so proud of this fact that a statue now appears in the town main street of Mr. Clinton teeing off.

The town’s remote location does however result in a lack of Ballybunion hotels and guesthouse options. This has been touted as a principal reason why the Irish Open Golf Championship has not been played there. As a result, many visitors base themselves in hotels in the nearby towns around Kerry, Clare and the Dingle Peninsula.

Ballybunion town has a small tourist office on its main street providing details of local amenities, information and attractions, such as details of the local bus service to Listowel town. Note however that the tourist office is only open in the summer season.

Visit the Ballybunion Hotels HQ website for independent advice about hotels, amenities, day trips and Ballybunion Golf Club

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