YouTuber Danny from the Honest Places channel visited Bundoran, County Donegal, and was left unimpressed with the popular Irish seaside resort
Danny and Stumpy visited Bundoran in Donegal(Image: Honest Places/Youtube)
A YouTuber who suffered an assault outside one of Glasgow’s “roughest pubs” earlier this year headed to a well-known Irish coastal resort hoping for a more enjoyable time – but ended up deflated and captured his feelings in just two words.
Danny, who runs the Honest Places channel, has garnered a loyal audience by documenting drinking escapades across the UK, Ireland and further afield.
His latest venture saw him link up with fellow YouTuber Stumpy, also recognised as The Northern Ireland Traveller.
The duo descended upon Bundoran in County Donegal, a compact yet picturesque seaside town situated on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Renowned as Ireland’s surfing capital, National Geographic previously ranked it among the world’s top 20 surf destinations. Bundoran also boasts natural splendour with its magnificent beaches, dramatic cliffs and breathtaking ocean panoramas.
Upon touchdown in the town, which is just 14 minutes away from the border, Danny likened it to the “Blackpool equivalent of Ireland” while observing a ferris wheel visible from his hotel window.
The two savoured a swift pint of Guinness before Danny took the plunge into the Atlantic ahead of their planned pub crawl.
Yet, while wandering the streets, they discovered numerous establishments had their doors closed.
Baffled, Danny remarked: “Is something happening today? Look at the weather. People should be making loads of money.”
He subsequently commented: “Jesus, we are getting desperate, it might be a sober night.”
The duo ultimately found themselves at The Railway Bar, which proved an instant success with the friends who commended the establishment, its team and the standard of Guinness on offer.
The landlady revealed that certain bars only operated during weekends before the visitors finished their beverages and explored some of the amusement arcades.
Subsequently, the pair remained puzzled by the shortage of operating pubs, with Danny stating: “Without the beach, and without the fairground rides, the place would literally be a ghost town of Ireland. It would be a ghost town. It’s done for. It’s a ghost town and it’s the end of May after a bank holiday and the kids are off.
“You expect it to be busier like families coming here but it is what it is.”
He went on to note that “at least Blackpool has open boozers” and expressed his frustration when establishments failed to keep their Google opening hours current.
Nevertheless, fortunes began to improve after locals pointed them towards The Celtic Marine Bar, which Danny described as aesthetically among his top pubs.
They also discovered a “little hidden gem” upon visiting The Birds Nest Bar.
Despite appreciating several of the venues that welcomed them, Danny concluded that he believed the town was “really struggling”.
Stumpy, typically recognised for his upbeat perspective, expressed his dismay: “I’m really disappointed in it. I was expecting a lot more because I know loads of people who travel from Belfast and they go to Bundoran all the time and honestly I don’t understand what they are coming here for. There are so many nicer places in Ireland.”
He continued: “Everyone we have met has been lovely, but like, what’s the big fascination with it?”
Nevertheless, while wandering towards the beach, Danny appreciated the remarkable scenery, ultimately concluding that Bundoran’s finest feature was its breathtaking sunset.
He remarked: “It’s majestic. It goes over the mountains of Donegal.”
Before concluding, he summarised his impressions of the town succinctly: “Rundown town. Neglected town.”
Following the video’s release, which can be viewed in its entirety here, a Bundoran resident commented: “Still nice in summer but the night life is done.”
Another observer noted: “Bit of a ghost town but what a sunset.”
In the town’s defence, one individual responded: “A ghost town outside of peak summer months but my brother and partner’s father owns a caravan either side of Bundoran and it is good craic in summer when all the northerners are up and the bars are busy.”
