Bunmahon (), also called Bonmahon, is a coastal village in
County Waterford,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, at the mouth of the
River Mahon. During the 19th century, when
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
mines operated in the area, Bonmahon was a mining village. As of the 21st century, the village and its beach lie on a tourist route.
History
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of
Ogham stone and
ringfort sites in the surrounding
townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...
s of Ballynagigla and Knockmahon.
Bonmahon was a mining village for much of the 19th century, and
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
and
lead
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
was mined here between 1827 and 1877. Much of the village was laid-out in this period, and the local
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...
church was built in the 1820s. A
temperance
Temperance may refer to:
Moderation
*Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed
*Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion
Culture
*Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...
hall was built in the village in 1842, and this was converted during the 1850s to become St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. The population of the village swelled to over 2,000 at that time. The village was home to a pawn shop, a creamery and a bacon factory, as well as 21 public houses.
The history and mining activity of this period is covered in ''The Making and Breaking of a Mining Community'', published in 2006. One of the mine workers was Thomas Wheatley, whose son
John Wheatley
John Wheatley (19 May 1869 – 12 May 1930) was a Scottish socialist politician. He was a prominent figure of the Red Clydeside era.
Early life and career
Wheatley was born to Thomas and Johanna Wheatley in Bonmahon, County Waterford, Ire ...
later went on to be Minister for Health for the first
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The Labour Party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In all gen ...
government in 1924.
Places of interest
Bunmahon lies within a
UNESCO Global Geopark
UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). The GGN is both a network of geoparks and the agency of the United Nati ...
. The
Copper Coast Geopark operates a visitor centre in the village's former
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...
church. The Copper Coast is home to several beaches and wildlife, including foxes, rabbits, and diverse bird species.
The local beach is used by surfers use all year round, and a surfing school runs in the summer months. The village's
Tidy Towns committee has created a boardwalk along the sand dunes, as well as working to improve access to the neighbouring cove of Tra na mBó. The beach and surrounding coast is covered by the Bonmahon Unit of the
Irish Coast Guard
The Irish Coast Guard (IRCG; ga, Garda Cósta na hÉireann ) is part of the Department of Transport of Ireland. The primary roles of the Coast Guard include maritime safety and search and rescue. The ''Irish Marine Search and Rescue Region'' ( ...
.
See also
*
List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
{{Authority control
Towns and villages in County Waterford
Beaches of County Waterford