Bray, County Wicklow

Bray is a coastal town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located about 20 km (12 miles) south of Dublin city centre on the east coast, and some of its northern parts are in County Dublin. As of the 2022 census, Bray has a population of 33,512, making it the tenth largest urban area in Ireland.

The town is known for its history as a planned resort town that began in the 19th century. It became popular as a seaside resort thanks to the Dublin and Kingstown Railway, which reached Bray in 1854. However, in the late 20th century, its role as a resort lessened as people started traveling abroad for holidays.

Today, Bray still has some light industry and business areas, especially on its southern edge. It is also home to Ardmore Studios. The town is well connected to Dublin through rail, Dublin Bus, and the M11 and M50 motorways. Bray lies within a townland and civil parish that share its name.

Etymology

The name Bray comes from the Irish word Bré. Its exact meaning is not clear. Some think it might have been an old name for the River Dargle or one of its smaller rivers. Over time, different ideas about the name were suggested, but today we use Bré as the official Irish name for Bray.

History

During medieval times, Bray was near the edge of an area controlled by English rulers, called the Pale, and was managed from Dublin Castle. The land further inland was controlled by local Irish clans.

In 1834, the first railway in Ireland opened, and it later reached Bray in 1854. This helped the town grow into a seaside resort, with hotels and homes built near the beach. Though it had some fun activities like boat races and band shows, Bray never built big attractions like a concert hall or theatre. After World War II, it saw some visitors again, but as people began traveling abroad for holidays, Bray’s popularity as a resort slowly decreased. Today, it remains a favorite spot for people visiting from nearby Dublin.

Location

The town is on the east coast south of County Dublin. To the north is Shankill, also in County Dublin, and to the south is Greystones in County Wicklow. To the west is the village of Enniskerry at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. People enjoy activities like sailing, rowing, and swimming there. The beach and seafront promenade are popular with both locals and visitors.

The River Dargle flows into the sea at the north end of Bray. Bray Head is at the southern end of the Victorian Promenade, with paths leading to the top and along the sea cliffs. The rocks there are a mix of greywackes and quartzite, and there is a large cross at the highest point.

Bray has a temperate oceanic climate like most of Ireland, with mild temperatures and rain throughout the year. The Wicklow Mountains protect it from strong south-west winds, and it gets about 750 mm (30 in) of rain each year. May and June are usually the sunniest months, while October tends to be the wettest.

Access

Rail

Bray has good train services. Trains go north to Dublin and south to County Wicklow and County Wexford. Bray is on the Irish Rail and DART networks, reaching places like Malahide, Howth, and Greystones. It is also on the InterCity and Commuter lines, connecting to Dublin city centre, Drogheda, Dundalk, Arklow, Gorey, and Rosslare Europort. Bray Station is named after Edward Daly, a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, and opened on July 10, 1854. There were two old train lines to Dublin, but one closed in 1958. It might reopen as part of the Luas Green Line someday.

Road

Bray is along the M11 motorway, with an interchange connecting to the M50 Dublin bypass.

Several bus companies serve Bray, including Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Bus Éireann, Aircoach, and St. Kevin's Bus Service to Glendalough. Main bus routes include the E1 from Ballywaltrim to Northwood via UCD and Dublin city centre, plus many others like 45A/B, 84N, 131, and more. Wexford Bus goes to Kilmacanogue, and Bus Éireann has route 133 from the same stop.

Air

Dublin Airport is a drive away via the M50. Newcastle Aerodrome is the nearest private airfield, just south of Bray.

Demography

According to the 2022 census, the population of Bray was 153,988. Most people living there were born in Ireland and had Irish citizenship. There were also people from the United Kingdom, Poland, India, and other EU states.

Most people in Bray identified as White Irish. There were also smaller groups of White Irish Travellers, people from other white backgrounds, people of Asian or Asian Irish background, people of Black or Black Irish background, and people of other ethnicities. Some people did not state their ethnicity.

Local government

Bray is part of the Wicklow County Council and has two areas called local electoral areas. Bray East covers about two-thirds of the town and has 4 seats. Bray West covers the other third and includes the villages of Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue, also with 4 seats.

In 1866, special local leaders called Bray Town Commissioners were set up. Later, in 1899, they became an urban district council. Over time, the town’s area grew in 1952, 1958, and 1978. In 2002, the urban district council became a town council, but it was later dissolved in 2014. Now, the county council handles these duties.

Some northern parts of Bray fall under the local authority of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, in the area called Shankill–Killiney. The border between County Wicklow and County Dublin runs along Old Connaught Avenue and the Dublin Road.

Tourism

Bray has been a popular holiday spot since the early 1800s. It has many hotels, guesthouses, shops, and restaurants. The town also holds several festivals and events each year. Near Bray, you can find golf courses, a tennis club, fishing spots, a sailing club, and places to ride horses. The town has amusement arcades and the National Sealife Centre. Bray has a sandy beach that is over 1.6 km long, with a nice walkway beside it. At the end of the beach stands Bray Head, a hill that rises high above the coast, offering great views of the mountains and sea. On top of Bray Head is a concrete cross, put there in 1950 for a special holy year celebration.

Bray is a great place for walking. It has a promenade that stretches from the harbour, where you can see mute swans, to the base of Bray Head. There is also a longer walking path called the Cliff Walk that goes along Bray Head to the nearby town of Greystones.

Bray holds many fun events, such as the St. Patrick's Carnival and Parade to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Each year, it also hosts a silent film festival, a jazz festival, and a big summer event called Bray Summerfest with live music, markets, and sports. There is even an annual air show over the beach and a fun run along the coast.

Bray has many places to eat and drink, including the famous Porterhouse bar, which makes its own beers. The Harbour Bar was once named the best bar in the world by Lonely Planet. The town has many restaurants, cafes, and fast-food places, though it has fewer fast-food spots than other towns in Ireland.

Tourist sites

Tourist sites near Bray include Killruddery House, a beautiful old mansion open to visitors in summer, and the hill and headland of Bray Head, which has many walking paths. On the north face of Bray Head is Raheen-a-Cluig, a medieval church that is a protected national monument. Other interesting places include the Fassaroe Cross, a stone cross from the 1100s, the Holy Redeemer Church, Bray, and several other churches.

Festivals and events

Culture

Bray is a place with a rich culture and many fun things to see and do. It is home to Ireland's oldest film studios, Ardmore Studios, where famous movies like Excalibur, Braveheart, and Breakfast on Pluto were made. Other films such as Custer's Last Stand-up and Byzantium were also filmed in Bray.

The town has many theatre groups, such as the Bray Arts and Square One Theatre Group. Famous writers like James Joyce, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Neil Jordan have lived in Bray. There are libraries in the town, including a historic one on Eglinton Road from 1910.

Local media includes the Bray People newspaper and East Coast FM Radio Station. Musicians such as Mary Coughlan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Fionn Regan, and Hozier are from Bray.

Sports

Bray is home to the League of Ireland football club Bray Wanderers, who play at the Carlisle Grounds. The town also has schoolboy football clubs like Ardmore Rovers and Wolfe Tone F.C. Local Gaelic Athletic Association clubs include Fergal Og's and Bray Emmets. Bray Emmets, established in 1885, hosts the annual All-Ireland Kick Fada Championship.

The area has many golf clubs and pitch & putt courses, such as Bray Golf Club and Dun Laoghaire Golf Club. Bray Bowling Club trains in Fáilte Park, and there is 10-pin bowling at the Bray Bowling Alley. Fishing is popular in the River Dargle and along the coastline, with clubs like Bray Head Fishing Club and Dargle Anglers Club. Other clubs and facilities include Bray Wheelers Cycling Club, Brennanstown Riding School, Bray Sailing Club, Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club, Bray Hockey Club, and Wicklow County Cricket Club.

In August 2012, thousands of people lined the seafront to welcome home Olympic boxing champion Katie Taylor after her return from London.

Education

Bray has about 13 primary schools, including places like Saint Cronan's Boys' National School and Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh. There are also secondary schools such as Saint Brendan's College, Loreto Secondary School, St. Kilian's Community School, and Presentation College, Bray. Some schools also teach English to people who are learning it as a new language, and there is a place for further education called the Bray Institute of Further Education.

People

Bray has been home to many interesting people over the years. Some of them are writers, musicians, athletes, and leaders who have made their mark in different fields.

See also: Category:People from Bray, County Wicklow

Twin towns

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland

Bray has town twinning agreements with:

• Bègles, France
• Dublin, California, United States
• Würzburg, Germany