Bundoran’s Big Week by the Beach officially launched.
Bundoran’s Big Week by the Beach has been officially launched. The event will take place from Wednesday 14th to Sunday 18th of August offering a wide variety of events, activities and live music across the 5 days with something for all the family.
The festival was the brainchild of Tourism Officer Shane Smyth who wanted to have an event that showcased all of the different activities and offerings that are available to visitors in Bundoran. He said ‘the idea stemmed from a very old brochure that was given to me detailing the Bundoran Gala Week in 1930 which had a similar idea of a week long series of events. With the help of venues, community groups and local businesses we’ve put together a programme that we hope will suit everyone. We have a golf event, surfing event, walking and brewery tours, exhibitions, movie screenings and of course lots of live music too including the one and only Daniel O’Donnell!’
One of the highlights of the weekend will be the return of the very popular Bundoran Bay Swim. Last run around 10 years ago, the event will happen on Saturday 17th of August at 4pm with swimmers going from Tullan Strand to the pier. For those opting not for such a big swim, there will also be the “perch challenge” which will see swimmers go from the pier to the marker at the entrance of the pier. Killian O’Kelly who is organising the event said ‘we are looking forward to resurrecting this great traditional event for Bundoran which we are organising as a fundraiser for Bundoran Community Centre. It will bring back many happy memories to people who used to complete the 2.4km swim and we hope to attract many newcomers to the event who want to try the challenge. People can enter via our website www.bundoranbayswim.com’
Bundoran RNLI along with local emergency services will hold an open day at the pier on Sunday where visitors can tour the lifeboat station as well as meet the crew and see the local emergency services vehicles and how they contribute to the community.
Other highlight events include:
Chasin Waves (Wed 8pm – Chasin Bull) – a screening of the surf movies “Waveriders” starring local surfer Richie Fitzgerald and “Made in Ireland” starring local surfer Conor Maguire.
Showband Exhibition (Daily 10am-5pm Bundoran Community Centre) – an exhibition of memorabilia and artefacts from the showband era courtesy of Derry-Strabane Council.
J Streicher Bundoran Open Surf Competition (Sat 8am – The Peak) – the cream of Irish surfers compete in the Bundoran Surf Open to prove themselves in Ireland’s #SurfCapital
Golf Scramble – Taking place on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th, this fun golf scramble across 9 holes is family oriented at Bundoran Golf Club.
Picnic at Hanging Rock – (Wednesday 3pm Campview Farm, Ballyshannon) Enjoy your own picnic overlooking the most northern Turlough in Europe and take a visit to the fairy forest.
Full details and downloadable programme of events are on the website www.discoverbundoran.com/bigweek
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