Mosney Holiday Centre – An Abandoned Holiday Camp In Ireland

The waltzers at the abandoned Mosney Holiday Camp

Mosney Holiday Centre was a holiday camp in Mosney, Ireland. It first opened in 1948 as a Butlin’s Holiday Centre, the first outside the UK, and operated as such until 1982 when the camp was sold. It took on the name Mosney from the 1983 season onwards after the townland in which it was situated.

Located north of Dublin in County Meath, Mosney was popular with Irish holiday makers. People from all over Ireland spent time there and it became a Summer institution for many. School trips to Mosney were popular, especially with schools in Dublin and surrounding counties of Meath and Louth. Families could rent chalets or camp within the grounds of the holiday centre. There was a ballroom where entertainers called Redcoats put on shows and competitions. There was an indoor water park called Funtropica with all manner of slides, a playground, video arcades, shops, Don Lowry’s bar and Shakers nightclub.

The Mosney logo after the change from Butlin's

The Mosney logo after the change from Butlin’s.

Mosney also spent a considerable amount of time as the venue of the Community Games in which children from all over Ireland competed in various events. The games remained at Mosney after it was closed as a holiday camp but in 2009, they moved to Athlone.

As the years went on and package holidays became more accessible, Mosney could no longer compete. In the mid-nineties, visitor numbers dropped and finding staff for the short 12 week season proved difficult. The decision was made to close in 2000. The Irish government leased Mosney to became an accommodation centre for asylum seekers and the well loved fairground was left abandoned as a result. Some of the other amenities were left in place for the residents of the new Mosney Accommodation Centre including the swimming pool and restaurant. The centre is now under the control of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.

When Billy Butlin decided to open a holiday camp in Ireland, the reaction was not as he would have hoped. Many feared that holiday camps were quite a British institution and it would have a negative effect on Catholic Ireland. Butlin’s camps had been massively popular in the UK since the end of World War II and so the thought of expansion appealed to Billy Butlin. Each of his camps had similar specifications which included a boating lake, chalets, dining hall, amusement arcade, theatre and swimming pool. Mosney was smaller than the UK sites with a capacity of 2,800 campers and 4,000 day visitors. The aim was to provide affordable holidays to ordinary working class people.

Funtropica water park in Mosney

This is the Funtropica water park in Mosney. Note the windows. On one side they looked out onto the street and on the other, to Don Lowry’s bar

The camp was opened in 1948 and while it proved popular among the population, the Catholic Church was staunchly against Butlin’s expanding into Ireland. While many went against the church’s requests to stay clear of the holiday camp, Billy Butlin felt a compromise could be reached and had a Catholic Church constructed at the camp. This seemed to pacify the hierarchy and the camp’s popularity increased.

Butlin’s sold Mosney in 1983 and it became known as Mosney Holiday Centre. Little changed from its time as Butlin’s although it did develop a slightly more Irish feel. It remained popular through the late eighties and early nineties however Ireland’s economic growth boomed during the Celtic Tiger years and with holidays to places like Spain and Portugal now a lot easier to come by, the popularity of Mosney waned. In December 2000, the owner signed a five year, £15 million deal, allowing the Irish government to use the former holiday camp as a detention centre and it has operated as such ever since. The fairground which stood on site was never reopened and although some rides were moved, a lot remained standing and exposed to the elements. The remaining attractions in the abandoned fairground were eventually removed in 2014.

There have been many rumours that the holiday centre will reopen however this has not been confirmed. UK operators such as Merlin Entertainments and Haven have been linked to the site, as well as a possible return of the Butlin’s brand, however none have proved to be true just yet.

Location: Mosney, Ireland 🇮🇪
Abandoned: 2000

Ride from the amusement park at Mosney now abandoned

This is the remaining part of the satellite ride. You can see the cars in have been removed. There’s a picture of them in the Instagram post above.

The former amusement park now sits empty

These sheds housed some of the smaller rides including the waltzers. Given the Irish weather, they were often welcomed to get away from rain showers!

The site of The Space Round Up at Mosney

As you can from the picture above, remains of out buildings which were not used even when the fairground was operational remain standing around the site.

Abandoned building at Mosney Holiday Camp

A view looking back towards the sheds. The big red slide and Tempest would have been on the right and Space Round Up on the left.

An abandoned bench at Mosney Holiday Camp

One of the benches in the fairground where parents could rest as their children enjoyed the rides.

The Space Round Up is missing its yellow disk

The Space Round Up centrifuge ride was hugely popular. The big yellow wheel has been removed from the base of the ride.

 

 

39 thoughts on “Mosney Holiday Centre – An Abandoned Holiday Camp In Ireland”

  1. hi every one i remember mosney well as i worked there in 1982 the year they closed as i was working on the fun fair

    tim

  2. I used to know phillip power while work on security in the970s would love to get in touch again from Imelda Dunne now Williams

  3. Marie flanagan spence

    Great memories of working in the cosy kitchen summer of 78 lots of offaly people worked there marie flanagan spence anyone out there who remembers me?

  4. Great video but at the same time leaves me a bit sad to see how dead looking it is now. Went there as a kid in late 60’s early 70’s, the place was magic. As a teenager I worked there summer 78 and 79. Dan Lowery’s… great times 🙂

  5. Elizabeth Stephenson

    I was 4 years old when I was taken to Butlin’s in Mosney in 1953.-been to Butlin’s in Pwllheli in Wales with my children-They loved it. They were able to run free-go to different clubs-they still talk about Butlins. Hope Mosney opens soon. I believe they have great weekend deals for older people. Think it would be great!Elizabeth

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  8. Would be interested to see if this is still running as an asylum centre. Heard recently Haven were planning a holiday camp in Ireland for 2019, this would have been a good place to start for them but haven’t heard where. Was at the camp back in early 80’s and had a great time

  9. I use to live in Donaghadee and my older sister and I went to Butlins Holiday Camp in August 1963 for a week, before I joined the British Air Force in September 1963. It was sad to see the pictures that someone had attached, such happy memories. I’m almost 73 and my older sister died a couple of years ago so never got to bring back memories with her. We had a wonderful time. Thanks to all who have previously written on here – so sad it can’t be opened again.

  10. Watched the videos with great interest. So sad. I went to Butlins back in the early 1960s! It was the hugely exciting highlight of the year. What simple lives we lived then.
    Don’t understand where the asylum seekers live however cause all the chalets are completely derelict. The only beautiful aspect now is Mother Nature gradually taking over.

    1. They live in the ones on the left of the main gate and some of the newish ones on the right. Think they were doing some more up to increase capacity

  11. many many happy memories 80s 90s our children had the same great times what we would give to see paddy cole young hoppers , or my fav group in whole wide world dermuid oleary and the bards. if anyone knows if they still do gigs please let us know. think we should start petition to get it opened again with all the trouble in the world, mosney was the safest place we ever went to. 2000 people in dan lowrys never seen the slightest bit of trouble . big thankyou co meath for making our life so much better

  12. Drove out there today. Still housing asylum seekers. Was denied access to take photos unfortunately. Loved the place. Community games continued until 2009 and it houses a car show each summer

  13. Passed by it yesterday before I saw the photos attached I shuddered the thought of what it looked likes now (torn beaten and broke��) Its a huge shame its gone it was the best place in the world when we where kids in the 80's and 90's. I wish someone could see its potential refurb and revamp the place and open it back up. Me and the hubby were reminiscing last night and I'd love to have taken our kids to.

  14. As a youngester my folks would take us there for the week over the 12th of July as we were from the north it kept us away from all the troubles that use to go on and to make it even better all my aunties and uncles book in with there kids. I have so many great memories of this place. Loved it so much running around all day with family and what ever friends u got to met down there. Such a waist would have loved to have took my own kids

  15. I went to Butlins for years as a child and brought my two sons when they were young for the day, but drove down yesterday so see what it was like brought back a lot of really lovely memories but couldn't gain access to the site itself, world love to see it reopen.

  16. I was a redcoat there in the mid 90's and made about 15 pounds a day which was usually spent before I ever got it,ahh good times

  17. if they did reopen it would boost the tourism market dedo we would Get visitors witch would mean people spending Money in ireland só ireland be making money for a change

  18. I've also heard similar rumblings. Apparantly the government no longer need it as an asylum centre and the lease will not be renewed. I heard interest from the Birds who run Funderland about being involved

  19. Great read. It's an awful shame that it ever closed down. There's been passing rumours that it could reopen – but let's not hold our breath.

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