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Town in County Donegal, Ireland
Photo: Joli, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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.
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Small local history museum perched on top of Slevins Department Store.
Commemorating 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. He died aged 47 and is buried in Cork.
Clean friendly central place in an 18th-century building.
Welcoming B&B east edge of town.
Well-run camping and caravan site and activities centre on Lough Assaroe.
This hostel is for groups of up to 50, but may have availability for individual travellers.
Smart mid-range place in a modern building.
Clean friendly place, some facilities look tired.
By road 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.
Read in the guideYou need wheels. The Sligo - Donegal buses connect Bundoran and Ballyshannon, and the Dublin - Donegal buses connect Belleek to Ballyshannon, but they're too sparse for excursions.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Donegal · Regional · CFN
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