Burren Mount Hotel, Salthill

TheCosmicFrog

Devane wrote: »

This evening I have been scanning some old family photos. I stumbled upon this one and recognised the name. Judging by the people the people in the photo that I cut out it'll be from the mid to late 60's.


So it looked normal at one stage. The front bit was an extension.

OP here. Thanks for sharing that photo. It's fascinating. Would love to see more photos of Salthill in that era.

FlashD

^^^^Anyone know what that contraption is the foreground of the photo?

Das Kitty

FlashD wrote: »

^^^^Anyone know what that contraption is the foreground of the photo?

Looks like a steam engine.

cytop

Looks like a steam engine.

Close, it's a traction engine. Stream powered and would have been used to pull trailors. But they were also used as a static power source for threshers, fairgrounds rides and things...

coleria

looks like the one that used to be parked outside the county council building on prospect hill

Sponge Bob

Nope. That one was a steam roller Belonged to the County Council. Photo.

http://www.mvc.ie/PDF_files/Mountbellewwalkhalf.pdf

xflyer

Ah often wondered about the Burrenmount. All is explained now. With Bailey beside it that place seems cursed somehow. What was the story with the Bailey anyhow. I heard there were planning issues but seriously the current situation is a disgrace.

Speaking of hotels time forgot, anyone on a visit to Bray in Wicklow can see another example. The Bray Head hotel. It's frequently used in films when they want something old and atmospheric. I was an extra there in four separate productions. It's looks dilapidated and run down. The rooms are damp and creepy and reminiscent of the hotel in movie 'The Shining'. Presumably why Neil Jordan used it for one of his movies!

But most amazing of all it's still in use as a hotel. There were actual guests eating breakfast one morning I was there! I think I would have to be very drunk to spend the night in one of those rooms!

TheCosmicFrog

xflyer wrote: »

Ah often wondered about the Burrenmount. All is explained now. With Bailey beside it that place seems cursed somehow. What was the story with the Bailey anyhow. I heard there were planning issues but seriously the current situation is a disgrace.

Speaking of hotels time forgot, anyone on a visit to Bray in Wicklow can see another example. The Bray Head hotel. It's frequently used in films when they want something old and atmospheric. I was an extra there in four separate productions. It's looks dilapidated and run down. The rooms are damp and creepy and reminiscent of the hotel in movie 'The Shining'. Presumably why Neil Jordan used it for one of his movies!

But most amazing of all it's still in use as a hotel. There were actual guests eating breakfast one morning I was there! I think I would have to be very drunk to spend the night in one of those rooms!

Just did some searching on the place there. Really creepy indeed! Those TripAdvisor reviews all seem very faked too...

RINO87

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1soanes/3639180217/in/photostream/

few pics of the bray head here. creepy indeed!!

TheCosmicFrog

I wonder how many still-open/recently-closed "creepy hotels" there are in Ireland? Anyone know of any others?

Rob A. Bank

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

OP here. Thanks for sharing that photo. It's fascinating. Would love to see more photos of Salthill in that era.

Here is one of Salthill Village from approx 1910... Lonergans bar and Killorans bar have not changed much ! And the building in the center of the photo was presumably what is the Burren Mont now.



Note the sea wall and the cottage on the other side of the road, where the carpark is now.

jimbobaloobob

until recently there was a big aerial photo of salthill in the bank of ireland salthill

it showed green fields all the way up to st. endas and areas along the prom didnt exist.

i think ive some old photos of salthill around the place must have a look.

But i wonder where the photo that was in the bank has gone, it would be good in a galway gallery or something

Rob A. Bank

Here is one from approx 1930 from almost the same spot.



The Burren Mont appears to have been a two storey house then and the concrete object on the right of the photo was a public toilet.

.

Rob A. Bank

A postcard of the same area from 1958...

myles10

very interesting read any pics of the old car there or interior pics of the hotel... im strangely fascinated
also speaking of run down old hotels has anyone visited the old hotel out beside the roundabout at gmit thats one place id love to explore!

howyanow

i think seapoint was airbrushed into the last pic.keep them coming tho,great to see.in relation to the burren mount,there was a bereavmnet in the family that own it recently,i think the person who passesd away had been living there so maybe things may change.

xflyer

There's an old aerial photo of Salthill, in of all places, the Coffee shop in Wellpark. Maybe in the fifties, shows how much has changed and what stayed the same.

TheCosmicFrog

myles10 wrote: »

also speaking of run down old hotels has anyone visited the old hotel out beside the roundabout at gmit thats one place id love to explore!

You mean the Corrib Great Southern? It's not that old to tell the truth. It shut down a few years ago but was still relatively modern. I had my First Holy Communion dinner there 12 years ago. Sigh... wish I made that much money these days :rolleyes:

Rob A. Bank

The birth of the Burren Mont !



C 1900... from L to R... The Eglington Hotel, Lonergans, Killorans and the gable end of the Grand Hotel.



1906... the Burren Mont has appeared !

:cool:

PS. The Salthill horse drawn tram terminus features in both photos.

FlashD

Rob A. Bank wrote: »

A postcard of the same area from 1958...

Did the shore used to come up to the back of the Seapoint building like shown here?

Rob A. Bank

FlashD wrote: »

Did the shore used to come up to the back of the Seapoint building like shown here?

It did indeed !

To quote Tom Kenny... a brilliant writer on all things about old Galway.

"Seapoint Ballroom was officially opened at 10pm on July 17 1949 by Joe Costelloe, Mayor of Galway. Noel Finan bought the site from Jim and Mary Cremin, who were brother and sister. They ran a famous seawater baths there, a kind of health spa of its day. At the time Salthill was a small village with a few hotels, B&Bs, and shops...

Noel Finan realised that young people coming to Salthill wanted something more than the salt air and to be clean. He sold the family pub (now Killoran’s) to raise funds, and borrowed heavily to build a first class ballroom and restaurant. The restaurant was 4,000 square feet and could seat 350 diners. The ballroom had a floor area of 5,200 square feet, and was laid with a specially sprung maple floor capable of accommodating more than 2,000 dancers. It also had a balcony from which patrons could spot talent.

Seapoint was built in 13 months by 30 men working for McNally’s. They had to be very careful to work with the tide, so they built a breakwater around the perimeter. The foundations were critical as the building was very high, one of the most imposing in the west. Young Salthill fellas probably drove the workmen mad as they paddled lumps of wood around inside the foundations when the tide was in."
http://galwayhistory.info/galway-buildings/thanks-for-the-memories.html



A photo of the area before Seapoint was built, showing Cremin's seawater baths and the buildings to its right that are now O'Learys Londis and the Holiday Hotel.

Rob A. Bank

Another photo from probably from the 1920's (judging by the Ford Model Ts in the picture) showing the Burren Mont again and a high tide.

.

RINO87

cycled out that way after work tonight for a look, whole ground floor was lit up!! I was gonna go over and peer in the curtains, but thought that if there was in fact someone living in there what the hell would they think of me looking in at them at 3.30am?!!









......that and the fact that i was bricking it a little.

Rob A. Bank

myles10 wrote: »

very interesting read any pics of the old car there or interior pics of the hotel... im strangely fascinated

The abandoned car at the side of the hotel is visible on the 'street view' in Google Earth.

Storm 10

Not sure if it was mentioned but the two houses on the right where the car park is today were washed away during hurricane Debbie as was the large house out from Grattan road, the road outside Killorans fell into the sea and if memory serves me a bus also, you can see the houses in the last picture posted. There was a lovely small harbour beside Seapoint where you could bring in small boats, wish it was there today. Memories :D

TheCosmicFrog

RINO87 wrote: »

cycled out that way after work tonight for a look, whole ground floor was lit up!! I was gonna go over and peer in the curtains, but thought that if there was in fact someone living in there what the hell would they think of me looking in at them at 3.30am?!!

......that and the fact that i was bricking it a little.

Ah man, I would have loved to have looked in...

Rob A. Bank

Slightly off topic... but one of the reasons people came to stay in the Burren Mont more than 60 years ago... the ancestor of the diving tower at Blackrock.

(I just love this vintage postcard)



:cool:

SeanPuddin

So anyone here have a contact for a tour? Knocked on the door this morning but no-one seems to be there. Dying to have a look inside!

TheCosmicFrog

SeanPuddin wrote: »

So anyone here have a contact for a tour? Knocked on the door this morning but no-one seems to be there. Dying to have a look inside!

Seriously? I would have been amazed if anyone answered alright...

What would you have said? :pac:

Gaffs89

The Hilltop wrote: »

"Francie's 21 Club" was the nightclub that ran in the Burren Mount in the 80's. Francie Donahue was the owner, now deceased, I believe. He reputedly shared a floor with his wife and mistress. It was actually a surprisingly fine establishment in its day. I recall attending an Arts Festival Club night there once. I was utterly shocked at the good quality of the interior. Gabby Joyce was Francie's sidekick (they ran a bookies at Ballybrit each year). He lived in the flat at the side and was the handyman, gaffer. Many might remember the bould Gabby as the bouncer at the Castle, then later the Warwick. It's not that long ago that the Burren Mount once boasted being the only fully ensuite hotel in Galway. A huge eyesore, but worth big money. Surprised the Corpo doesn't do something about it. I have a feeling that a local developer fely he just walk on them and they dug their heels in. History!

Ahh Francies 21 club,the 1st night club I ever got into, remember the curry? Over 30 years later and I still cant eat beef curry!There used to be a couple of army guys as bouncers, they would let you in as long as you said you were 21.Gabby used to be inside watching the barmaid. The less said about him the better ,don't want to get banned / barred. No that would be ironic!:D