← Older revision
Revision as of 12:32, 13 October 2013
Line 2:
Line 2:
{{otheruses}}
{{otheruses}}
[[Image:Esplanade, Bray Co. Wicklow.JPG|thumb|350px|Esplanade, Bray, with views of Bray Head]]
[[Image:Esplanade, Bray Co. Wicklow.JPG|thumb|350px|Esplanade, Bray, with views of Bray Head]]
−
'''Bray''' is a historic seaside town, and satellite town of [[Dublin]] on the East Coast of [[Ireland]], located in Co. Wicklow. Bray has been a place of importance since the twelfth century, and there were two castles there in mediaeval times, one of which still survives at Oldcourt. It was, at one time, a very fashionable resort for the wealthier of the Dublin citizens and of the gentry from a large part of Ireland. The town underwent rapid expansion in 1854 when William Dargan extended the railway to Bray. There are few surviving buildings from the period prior to 1850. It has begun, over the past 50 years, to rapidly expand as a commuter town.
+
'''Bray''' is a historic seaside town, and satellite town of [[Dublin]] on the East Coast of [[Ireland]], located in Co. Wicklow. Bray has been a place of importance since the twelfth century, and there were two castles there in mediaeval times, one of which still survives at Oldcourt. It was, at one time, a very fashionable resort for the wealthier of the Dublin citizens and of the gentry from a large part of Ireland. The town underwent rapid expansion in 1854 when William Dargan extended the railway to Bray. There are few surviving buildings from the period prior to 1850. It has begun, over the past 50 years, to rapidly expand as a commuter town.
==Get in==
==Get in==
Line 25:
Line 25:
You should visit Bray Head.
You should visit Bray Head.
−
*Ardmore Studios, the National Film Studios of Ireland are also based in Bray. Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan and My Left Foot were filmed there. Latest productions include the BBC dramatisation of The Tudors. [http://www.wicklowfilmcommission.com/filmhistory.htm]
+
*Ardmore Studios, the National Film Studios of Ireland are also based in Bray. Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan and My Left Foot were filmed there. Latest productions include the BBC dramatisation of The Tudors. [http://www.wicklowfilmcommission.com/filmhistory.htm]
−
*The mile long (2 km) esplanade, begun in 1881, has a quiet Victorian charm, despite the amusement arcades. Singer Sinead O'Connor owns one of the Victorian houses on the seafront.
+
*The mile long (2 km) esplanade, begun in 1881, has a quiet Victorian charm, despite the amusement arcades. Singer Sinead O'Connor owns one of the Victorian houses on the seafront.
−
*The town hall, located at the south end of Bray's main street, is an exceedingly picturesque building. It was built in the quaint olde English style to celebrate the town's prosperity in the nineteenth century. The wyvern in front of the building is the crest of the Brabazon family. The building is now unfortunately occupied by a branch of the McDonald's fast food chain.
+
*The town hall, located at the south end of Bray's main street, is an exceedingly picturesque building. It was built in the quaint olde English style to celebrate the town's prosperity in the nineteenth century. The wyvern in front of the building is the crest of the Brabazon family. The building is now unfortunately occupied by a branch of the McDonald's fast food chain.
−
*The James Joyce house, home of the author as a child, from 1887-1891, is located at 1 Martello Terrace. This house is overlooked by a Martello Tower, owned for a time by Bono (lead singer with Irish rock group U2) during the 1980s. Open: Thurday & Saturday from May - December. Tel 01 286-0568
+
* {{see
+
| name=James Joyce house | alt= | url= | email=
+
| address=1 Martello Terrace | lat= | long= | directions=
+
| phone=+353 1 286-0568 | tollfree= | fax=
+
| hours=Thurday & Saturday from May - December | price=
+
| content=Home of the author as a child, from 1887-1891. This house is overlooked by a Martello Tower, owned for a time by Bono (lead singer with Irish rock group U2) during the 1980s.
+
}}
[[Image:Kilruddery.JPG|thumb|250px|Kilruddery House, Bray]]
[[Image:Kilruddery.JPG|thumb|250px|Kilruddery House, Bray]]
Line 39:
Line 39:
==Do==
==Do==
−
*Walk the Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones which takes around 1.30 hours and is a beautiful walk with wonderful views and wildlife, you may be lucky enough to see the feral goats. The cliff walk follows the route of the railway line, which was a remarkable feat of Victorian engineering. The tunnels run under Bray Head and were necessary because the Earl of Meath would not allow the railway to run through his lands at Kilruddery. The tunnels were designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the original brick ventilation shafts are still visible along the route of the cliff walk.
+
*Walk the Cliff Walk from Bray to Greystones which takes around 1 and a half hours and is a beautiful walk with wonderful views and wildlife, you may be lucky enough to see the feral goats. The cliff walk follows the route of the railway line, which was a remarkable feat of Victorian engineering. The tunnels run under Bray Head and were necessary because the Earl of Meath would not allow the railway to run through his lands at Kilruddery. The tunnels were designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the original brick ventilation shafts are still visible along the route of the cliff walk.
*Go quad biking, clay pigeon shooting or paintballing; there are lots of activity specialists located in the surrounding Wicklow mountains.
*Go quad biking, clay pigeon shooting or paintballing; there are lots of activity specialists located in the surrounding Wicklow mountains.
Line 50:
Line 50:
}}
}}
−
*Festina Lente garden. This is a two acre restored Victorian walled garden on Old Connaught Avenue. Wonderful double herbaceous borders and vegetable garden.
+
*Festina Lente garden. This is a two acre restored Victorian walled garden on Old Connaught Avenue. Wonderful double herbaceous borders and vegetable garden.
==Buy==
==Buy==
−
*'''Avoca Handweavers''' shop is expensive and located south of Bray, on the N11 at Kilmacanogue. They have a stylish range of homeware and accessories and a good garden shop. They also have quirky children's clothes and toys and an excellent food hall. The cafe is very popular at week-ends, plan to arrive before 12.30pm to avoid the queues.
+
*'''Avoca Handweavers''' shop is expensive and located south of Bray, on the N11 at Kilmacanogue. They have a stylish range of homeware and accessories and a good garden shop. They also have quirky children's clothes and toys and an excellent food hall. The cafe is very popular at week-ends, plan to arrive before 12.30pm to avoid the queues.
−
*'''Geoffrey Healy Pottery''', Rocky Valley, Kilmacanogue. Limited edition and one-off hand thrown ceramic pieces.
+
*'''Geoffrey Healy Pottery''', Rocky Valley, Kilmacanogue. Limited edition and one-off hand thrown ceramic pieces.
−
*A small '''Farmer's Market''' is held every Saturday outside Mermaid Centre on the Main Street, at the Town Hall end, from 10.30am approx. to 4.00pm. Excellent locally produced organic vegetables are available.
+
*A small '''Farmer's Market''' is held every Saturday outside Mermaid Centre on the Main Street, at the Town Hall end, from 10:30 approx. to 16:00. Excellent locally produced organic vegetables are available.
==Eat==
==Eat==
Line 63:
Line 63:
| name=Campo de Fiori | url= | email=
| name=Campo de Fiori | url= | email=
| address=1 Albert Ave | lat= | long= | directions=behind the DART Station
| address=1 Albert Ave | lat= | long= | directions=behind the DART Station
−
| phone=01 2764257 | tollfree= | fax=
+
| phone=+353 1 276-4257 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours= | price=
−
| content=Authentic Italian Restaurant. Booking is essential, even mid-week. The best Spaghetti Cozze e Vongole, this side of Naples.
+
| content=Authentic Italian Restaurant. Booking is essential, even mid-week. The best Spaghetti Cozze e Vongole, this side of Naples.
}}
}}
Line 102:
Line 102:
* {{eat
* {{eat
| name=The Bistro | url= | email=
| name=The Bistro | url= | email=
−
| address=in the Heather House Hotel | lat= | long= | directions=
+
| address=In the Heather House Hotel | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours= | price=
Line 112:
Line 112:
| name=The Harbour Bar | url= | email=
| name=The Harbour Bar | url= | email=
| address=Strand Road | lat= | long= | directions=opposite Bray harbour
| address=Strand Road | lat= | long= | directions=opposite Bray harbour
−
| phone=01 2862274 | tollfree= | fax=
+
| phone=+353 1 286-2274 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours= | price=
−
| content=One of the oldest, most well known and storied bars in Ireland. The bar is ranked as the "Best Bar in the World" by the Lonely Planet Guide. This bar has an amazingly diverse crowd and a unique look, the bar is littered with original antiques and interesting bric-à-brac, accumulated over 80 years, by three generations of the O'Toole family. The bar itself dates back to the mid 1800s. It offers a truly authentic Irish pub experience. The bar apparently served as the original model for all the worldwide "Irish" superpubs. Over the last century, the bar has been home to a who's who of both an international and national assortment of writers, film makers, actors and musicians. The stuffed moose head in the lounge was a gift from actor Peter O'Toole, when he was filming in Ardmore Studios, (then known as Silverpines) in the 1980s.
+
| content=One of the oldest, most well known and storied bars in Ireland. The bar is ranked as the "Best Bar in the World" by the Lonely Planet Guide. This bar has an amazingly diverse crowd and a unique look, the bar is littered with original antiques and interesting bric-à-brac, accumulated over 80 years, by three generations of the O'Toole family. The bar itself dates back to the mid 1800s. It offers a truly authentic Irish pub experience. The bar apparently served as the original model for all the worldwide "Irish" superpubs. Over the last century, the bar has been home to a who's who of both an international and national assortment of writers, film makers, actors and musicians. The stuffed moose head in the lounge was a gift from actor Peter O'Toole, when he was filming in Ardmore Studios, (then known as Silverpines) in the 1980s.
}}
}}
−
*{{drink
*{{drink
| name=Duff's | url= | email=
| name=Duff's | url= | email=
Line 123:
Line 122:
| hours=from 6pm | price=
| hours=from 6pm | price=
| content=No televisions and great pint.
| content=No televisions and great pint.
−
−
}}
}}
*{{drink
*{{drink
| name=The Porterhouse Bray | url=http://www.porterhousebrewco.com/bars-bray-bray.php | email=
| name=The Porterhouse Bray | url=http://www.porterhousebrewco.com/bars-bray-bray.php | email=
| address=Strand Rd | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=Strand Rd | lat= | long= | directions=
−
| phone=01 286 0668 | tollfree= | fax=
+
| phone=+353 1 286-0668 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours= | price=
| content=A brewpub with several craft beers.
| content=A brewpub with several craft beers.
Line 138:
Line 135:
==Go next==
==Go next==
−
Powerscourt is one of Ireland's most famous houses and gardens, and is located south of Bray in the landlord village of Enniskerry. The house was designed by Richard Castle in 1741, for Viscount Powerscourt, in the style of an imposing Palazzo. The landscaping was remodelled a century later in the fashionable Italian manner. The design is believed to be based on Villa Butera in Sicily. The Japanese garden is an Edwardian addition; look out also for the pet cemetery. The waterfall in the Powerscourt estate is the highest in Ireland at 121 m and there are lots of woodland walks.
+
Powerscourt is one of Ireland's most famous houses and gardens, and is located south of Bray in the landlord village of Enniskerry. The house was designed by Richard Castle in 1741, for Viscount Powerscourt, in the style of an imposing Palazzo. The landscaping was remodelled a century later in the fashionable Italian manner. The design is believed to be based on Villa Butera in Sicily. The Japanese garden is an Edwardian addition; look out also for the pet cemetery. The waterfall in the Powerscourt estate is the highest in Ireland at 121 m and there are lots of woodland walks.
−
Glendalough is located within Wicklow Mountains National Park. There are a number of early Christian monastic buildings, including several churches and a round tower. The area around the twin lakes is of outstanding natural beauty.
+
Glendalough is located within Wicklow Mountains National Park. There are a number of early Christian monastic buildings, including several churches and a round tower. The area around the twin lakes is of outstanding natural beauty.
−
Glencree German war cemetery: approximately 10 km from Enniskerry village, not easy to get to by public transport. There are 134 graves, mostly air force and navy personnel from World War II, very moving and a beautiful setting. Dr Hermann Görtz, a German spy, is also buried there. The single free-standing stone cross in the rear right hand corner of the cemetery was carved by him during his internment. Glencree Reconciliation Centre is across the road.
+
Glencree German war cemetery: approximately 10 km from Enniskerry village, not easy to get to by public transport. There are 134 graves, mostly air force and navy personnel from World War II, very moving and a beautiful setting. Dr Hermann Görtz, a German spy, is also buried there. The single free-standing stone cross in the rear right hand corner of the cemetery was carved by him during his internment. Glencree Reconciliation Centre is across the road.
−
The Wicklow Way: explore all or part of Ireland's longest self-guided walking trail, at 127 km long. Expect the complete route to take 5–6 days. The Wicklow Way combines easy accessibility with a wide variety of scenic experiences, some of them in truly remote upland areas. [http://www.wicklowway.com/]
+
The Wicklow Way: explore all or part of Ireland's longest self-guided walking trail, at 127 km long. Expect the complete route to take 5–6 days. The Wicklow Way combines easy accessibility with a wide variety of scenic experiences, some of them in truly remote upland areas. [http://www.wicklowway.com/]
{{outlinecity}}
{{outlinecity}}