BRAY
Bré, formerly Brí Chulainn, hill or rising ground
Bray, County Wexford

In medieval times, Bray was on the borders of the coastal district known as the Pale. It was governed directly by the English crown from Dublin Castle. Local chieftains, the O'Toole's and the O'Bryrne's, ruled the countryside around Bray until Oliver Cromwell's army stormed through Ireland.

Between the 17th and 18th centuries, Bray was a small fishing village. In 1834, the Dublin and Kingstown Railway was the first rail system brought into Ireland. By 1854, the line had been extended from Dublin City to Bray, bringing with it Dublin's middle class in the summer months. Bray soon grew into Ireland's largest seaside resort. World War II put the tourist industry on hold, but by the 1950s, tourists from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland returned to Bray in huge numbers.

The town's popularity declined in the 1960s when foreign travel became affordable for those with expendable incomes. As a result, the town fell into a derelict state. But in recent years, the town has made a concerted effort to clean itself up, and is now one of the top commuter towns for Dublin with the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) on their doorstep. And for weekenders, they can enjoy a stroll on the mile-long Victorian promenade, feed the swans at the harbor, climb to the top of Bray Head or enjoy the seafront amusements, ice cream and traditional chippers.

Don't miss a visit to the National Sealife Centre which is situated midway on the seafront. There's a restaurant on site, gift shop and aquarium.

Visitors can also enjoy a number of pubs, including the famous Porterhouse Pub, which has it's own brewhouse. Seating is available outside with views of the sea.

The main town of Bray is about a ten minute walk up the hill from the seafront. The main street today is

lined with trendy shops, cafes and restaurants, pubs, accommodations, and more.

Bray is a popular place for walkers, with the promenade being so accessible, and the path up Bray Head. It's a four mile trek along the Cliff Walk from Bray Head to Greystones, on the other side of Bray Head.

The Annual Bray Summerfest takes place over six weeks, between July and August. The event boasts more than 100 family friendly events, including carnival rides are set up in the park paralleling the promenade, live music on the weekends, sporting entertainment in the sports grounds, farmers markets, etc. Entertainment is free (cost for carnival rides). Popular entertainers have headlined here, including Mundy, The Undertones, The Hothouse Flowers and Mary Black. In mid-July in 2006, over 60,000 people attended the main festival weekend.

Bray also hosts the largest St. Patrick's Day Festival outside of Dublin. This is a five day festival with free live entertainment, parades and carnival fun.

The Annual International Jazz Festival is held on the May Bank Holiday weekend every year in Bray. There are similar jazz festivals around the county, but Bray's festival is the main event of the year.

Bray is also popular for golfers on the 18-hole course, tennis, lawn bowls, fishing, sailing and horse riding.

There are a number of notable people who come from Bray or currently live there, including popular comedian Darragh O'Briain (spelled correctly), singer Sinéad O'Connor, music writer and singer Phil Coulter, pop singer Shayne Ward and poet David Wheatley. The Martello Tower has had a number of famous residents, including Bono from U2. Martello Terrace, which gets its name from the tower across the road, has seen the likes of writer James Joyce; Labour Party deputy leader, Liz McManus; singer Mary Coughlan; film director and author Neil Jordan and his then partner Beverly D'Angelo.

~ Parking available
~ Accessible, except on the beach where there's limited access