Bunmahon Village also called Bonmahon, is a coastal village in County Waterford

County Waterford

*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

, at the mouth of the River Mahon

River Mahon

The River Mahon flows from the Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford, Ireland.Falling down the 80-metre Mahon Falls and proceeding past the "Fairy Bush", the river then passes through the village of Mahon Bridge and on past Flahavan's Mill and under the 8-arched rail bridge in Kilmacthomas...

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History

Bunmahon was a mining village. Copper was mined here between 1827 and 1877. The population of the village swelled to over 2000 at that time. A temperance hall was built (converted in 1842 to become St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church). The village was home to a pawn shop, a creamery and a bacon factory, as well as 21 public houses. A history of this period and the mining activity was published in 2006, entitled The Making and Breaking of a Mining Community by local historian Des Cowman. One of the mine workers was Thomas Wheatley, whose son John Wheatley

John Wheatley

John Wheatley was a Scottish socialist politician. He was a prominent figure of the Red Clydeside era.Wheatley was born in Bonmahon, County Waterford, Ireland, to Thomas and Johanna Wheatley. In 1876 the family moved to Braehead, Lanarkshire in Scotland...

 later went on to be Minister for Health for the first Labour Party (UK)

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 government in 1924.

Places of interest

Bunmahon lies at the heart of the Copper Coast European Geopark. This is one of the copper coast's unchanged areas as it has not been touched by developers and boasts numerous beaches and wildlife. The wildlife includes wild foxes, rabbits, and many different species of birds. The local beach is popular with holidaymakers and surfers use it all year round. The beach and surrounding coast is covered by the Bonmahon Unit of the Irish Coast Guard

Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transport. The Irish Search and Rescue Region, which includes most of the Republic of Ireland and parts of Northern Ireland is the area over which the coast guard has authority. This area is bounded by the UK Search and Rescue Region...

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See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland