Ballyshannon

Ballyshannon is a market town in southern County Donegal, 22 km south of Donegal Town, and with a population of 2250 in 2022. It's by the estuary of the River Erne and in Irish it's Béal Átha Seanaidh, "the mouth of Seannach's ford". It's best known as the birthplace of the guitarist Rory Gallagher.

Bundoran is a beach resort 7 km west, population 1963. It's exposed to the Atlantic so it's good for surfing rather than bathing. The tourist information centre is in village centre, open M-F 11AM-3PM, Sa Su 12:30-5PM.

Belleek 8 km east is just over the border in County Fermanagh. With a population of 904 in 2011, it's famous for its pottery.

Everywhere in County Donegal is close to the UK border, but especially the pinchpoint of this southern corner. If you take Bus 30 from Ballyshannon to Belleek, it drops you on the main road just over the border; you walk back into the Republic and across the "Magherboy salient" for 200 m before entering Northern Ireland (and exiting the European Union) a second time; and then the same in reverse to go back. In 2021 there are no border checks, but it's your responsibility to ensure your personal and car documents are valid.

Get in

The falls were lost when the river was deepened

Bus Éireann X30 / 30 runs every couple of hours from Dublin Busáras, taking 3 hr 20 min via Dublin Airport, Virginia, Cavan Town and Enniskillen, and continuing from Ballyshannon to Donegal Town. From Cavan Bus 30 takes a slower route via Butlersbridge, Belturbet, Enniskillen and Belleek.

From Belfast travel via Enniskillen.

Expressway 64 runs every two hours from Derry via Letterkenny, Ballybofey and Donegal Town to Ballyshannon and Bundoran (2 hours) and continues to Sligo, Charlestown, Knock airport and village, Claremorris, Ballyhaunis, Tuam and Galway.

Bus Feda 964 shares this route, running 2-3 times a day from Crolly to Letterkenny, Donegal Town and Ballyshannon then onward to Knock, Tuam and Galway.

Local Link Bus 982 runs from Sligo (the nearest railway station), taking 80 min along the coast via Drumcliffe, Lissadell, Mullaghmore and Bundoran, with 5 M-Sa and 3 Sunday. In Ballyshannon it connects with Bus 292, which runs every two hours from Donegal Town via Laghy and Rossnowlagh.

1 Ballyshannon Bus Station is just north of the river bridge on Main St.

2 Bundoran main bus stop is outside the TIC, with others along Main St.

Ulsterbus 64 runs twice on Thursday between Enniskillen and Belleek. Other village services are just school buses.

3 Belleek bus stop for the Ulsterbus is by the Post Office, but Bus 30 from Dublin stops on A46 / N3 500 m south.

By car from either Dublin or Belfast follow signs to Enniskillen then A46 along the south bank of Lower Lough Erne. From Sligo follow N15 along the coast.

Get around

You need wheels. The Sligo - Donegal buses connect Bundoran and Ballyshannon, and the Dublin - Donegal buses connect Belleek to Ballyshannon, but they're sparse for excursions.

See

1908 railway poster of Ballyshannon

"The Giants Causeway is an object which is scarcely worthy of going so far to see . . . But the salmon-leap at Ballyshannon is a scene of such a singular nature, as is not to be found elsewhere, and is as peculiar to Ireland as the bullfights are to Spain . . . " - Travel guide of 1775

• Cathaleen's Falls and Assaroe Falls — so here they aren't, and free to not-see 24 hours. The River Erne descends 45 m from Belleek on the border. Cathaleen's Falls were 1 km east of town, while Assaroe Falls were mid-town near the estuary, with salmon hurling themselves upstream. They were Ballyshannon's top attraction. But in 1946 a hydroelectric scheme created Assaroe Lake and obliterated Cathaleen's Falls, while the lower river was canalised and deepened to maximise the drop for power generation, destroying Assaroe Falls.
• Rory Gallagher's statue is at the junction of Main St and Castle St.
• Ballyshannon & District Museum, Market Yard, Ballyshannon (next to bus station). M-Sa 10:00-17:30. Small local history museum perched on top of Slevins Department Store. Free. (updated Aug 2021)
• St Anne's Church (Church of Ireland) in Ballyshannon is prominent just west of Main St. It was built circa 1740 and re-built in 1840. It's believed to stand over a neolithic tomb, and the grave of a 4th- to 5th-century High King of Ireland, but there's no trace of those. The grave marked simply "Poet" holds the ashes of William Allingham (1824-1889). He was wont to write poems about faeries, but is best remembered for his descriptions of Carlyle, Tennyson and other contemporaries. The Pauper's Graveyard lies just south.
• St Patrick's is the Roman Catholic church on Chapel St, east off Market St.
• 1 Fairy Bridges are natural arches and blow holes on the coast by Bundoran Golf Course. Roughey Walk is a paved path and cyclepath north from here along Tullan Strand.
• 2 Four Masters Bridge is an attractive three-arch stone bridge built circa 1780 across River Clowes, the boundary with County Leitrim. The Four Masters were scholars who in 1632-36 compiled the "Annals" which are one of the main primary sources for early Irish history. The chief editor was a Franciscan friar from Donegal Abbey, which was blown to smithereens in 1601. Its friars found a temporary base somewhere near this bridge, so it's thought the Annals were compiled hereabouts.
• Lough Melvin is just south in County Leitrim, see Manorhamilton.
• 3 Kilbarron Castle was a 14th century tower house. The ruin is scrappy and you just come for the clifftop views.
• 4 Rossnowlagh Beach is 4 km long, exposed to the Atlantic and good for surfing, see Donegal Town.
• 5 Castle Caldwell is the bosky ruin of a castle of 1612 in forests by Lower Lough Erne. Its 19th-century owner spotted the potential of the local clay and set up Belleek Pottery. He did not discover any dungeons full of strange monsters, nor hire player-adventurers to rid the castle of them, you're confusing it with Castle Caldwell and Beyond the 1985 "Dungeons and Dragons" game.

Do

Belleek pottery factory

• Abbey Arts Centre on Tir Connell St stages drama and music, box office +353 71 985 1375. It hosts the All Ireland Confined Drama Finals 15-23 April 2022.
• Cinema: Eclipse Cinema is on Station Rd in Bundoran.
• Ballyshannon Leisure Centre is on the north river bank just downstream from the bridge. It has fitness classes and a pool, and is open M 1-9PM, Tu-F 8AM-8PM, Sa 10:30AM-5:30PM.
• Golf: the nearest course is Bundoran GC. Blue tees are 5729 m, par 70, visitor round €50.
• Bundoran Adventure Park is a funfair next to the golf course. It's open Jun-Sep: Sa Su 1-10PM, adult €20, child €15.
• Waterworld is next to the Adventure Park, but separately ticketed, and closed in 2021.
• Surf: Bundoran beach is exposed to the Atlantic, with a clutch of nearby surf shacks: Bundoran Surf Co, Surf World and TurfnSurf. The strip extends north to Tullan Strand. Look elsewhere for kiddy-bathing.
• Donegal Equestrian Centre is on Finner Rd, north edge of Bundoran. They have lessons and rides on the beaches.
• Wardtown Castle 3 km northwest of Ballyshannon is the shell of a great 18th century mansion which fell derelict in the 1920s. It's now home to Castle Adventure Farm, a children's petting farm.
• Belleek Marina gives access to Lower Lough Erne and the extensive Irish waterway network.
• The Wild Atlantic Way is a coastal itinerary from Inishowen Peninsula at the north tip of County Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, 2500 km in all. The section from Donegal Town through Ballyshannon to Sligo is self-evident.
• Rory Gallagher Festival. Early June. A 3-night festival that commemorates the work and legacy of Gallagher (1948-1995) the blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Ballyshannon, grew up in Cork, and launched an international musical career just in time to pay off the £100 cost of his Fender Stratocaster. He led the band Taste until 1970 then went solo; his venerable Stratocaster endured his rock-star lifestyle better than his liver, and he died aged 47 and is buried in Cork. One night £35, 3 nights £95. (updated Apr 2024)
• Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival is held over the August bank holiday weekend.
• Ballyshannon Agricultural Show is in mid-August.

Buy

Rory Gallagher: his Stratocaster outlived him

• Spar is the main store in Ballyshannon, north end of Market St and open daily 8AM-10PM.
• Belleek Pottery is still made in that village. The shop is open M-Sa 10AM-3PM and factory tours are available.
• Cross-border shopping hasn't been a feature here, but be aware that visiting Belleek means exiting the European Union. Price differentials on commodities like fuel may arise from time to time.

Eat

• Ballyshannon has Shannon's Corner, Golden Dragon, Top Pizza and Nirvana.
• Bundoran has a strip of cheap and cheerful places along Main St, such as Taj Mahal, Burro Burro, Blue Leaf, Mamma Rosa's, and Maddens Bridge.

Drink

• The Thatch Bar is the picture-perfect little pub at the junction of Main St and Bishop St in Ballyshannon. It's run by Dorrian's Imperial Hotel, but remains closed in Aug 2021.
• Ballyshannon also has Max Bar, Limit Bar, Owen Roes and The Bull Frog.
• Belleek has Black Cat Cove and The Fiddlestone.

Sleep

• Dorrian's Imperial Hotel, Main St, Ballyshannon F94 TKA4, ☏ +353 71 985 1147. Clean friendly central place with 47 bedrooms in an 18th-century building. B&B double €110. (updated Aug 2021)
• Assaroe Falls, The Mall, Ballyshannon F94 AXR9 (North riverbank), ☏ +353 71 982 2123. These self-catering apartments are available for short holiday lets. Assistance dogs only. (updated Aug 2021)
• 1 Assaroe House, 10 Assaroe View, Ballyshannon F94 KX53 (off College St, no access from N15), ☏ +353 87 681 8121. Welcoming B&B east edge of town. B&B double €100. (updated Aug 2021)
• 2 Lakeside Centre, Belleek Rd, Ballyshannon F94 T9RY (off N3), ☏ +353 71 985 2822. Well-run camping and caravan site and activities centre on Lough Assaroe. Tent €20, caravan €26. (updated Aug 2021)
• 3 Breesy Centre, Cashelard, Ballyshannon F94 VX76, ☏ +353 71 982 2125. This hostel is geared for groups of up to 50, but may have availability for individual travellers. (updated Aug 2021)
• Hostels in Bundoran include Roughey Lodge and Boathouse Lodge. Homefield Hostel has closed.
• Allingham Arms Hotel, West End, Bundoran F94 XNH0 (200 m west of TIC), ☏ +353 71 984 1075. Smart mid-range place in a modern building. B&B double €120. (updated Aug 2021)
• Fitzgerald's Hotel is next to Allingham Arms.
• 4 Great Northern Hotel, Sea Rd, Bundoran F94 YX30 (on Bundoran golf course), ☏ +353 71 984 1204. Clean friendly place, some facilities look tired. B&B double €100. (updated Aug 2021)

Connect

Ballyshannon has 5G from all Irish carriers, but as of Aug 2021 the coverage is much better in Bundoran.

Ballyshannon picks up a UK 4G signal from O2. Belleek also gets 4G from EE and Three, but no signal from Vodafone.

Go next

• Donegal Town is a friendly small place, a good centre for exploring the central county.
• Enniskillen is between the two Erne lakes, connected by navigable waterway to Dublin.
• Sligo has prehistoric sites and brooding limestone crags.