The Gateway to the Irish Loop

Tour boat capital of Newfoundland and Labrador

Welcome to the Town of Bay Bulls web site. We are very pleased to offer information about our historic Town. On behalf of the entire community of Bay Bulls it is a great honor for me to welcome you to this very special place. This is a friendly, lively town that has always epitomized provincial claim of being "Open for Business." Indeed this community has been open for business for almost 400 years making it one of the oldest communities of the new world.

Our community is unquestionably one of the oldest established settlements in Newfoundland, having been first utilized as a safe anchorage for French fisherman in the 16th century. Since the English appropriated the site around 1635, the area has been well known to mariners who ply the waters of the North Atlantic.

Today the community of some 1200 souls nestled in the quasi mountainous terrain of the Southern Shore still retains much of the flavor of its color-full heritage. The influence of the first predominately Irish and English settlers is still evident in the speech, mannerisms, and customs of the area.

Just minutes from the capital city of St. John's, the much prized harbour has been the site of numerous marine conflicts and pitched battles which can be attested to by the shipwrecks at the bottom of our bay and the cannons on our headlands. With the recent down turn in the traditional fishery the community is rapidly becoming a tourist Mecca for individuals wishing to experience unspoiled seascapes, marine history, and icebergs, seabirds and whales in season.

Since incorporation in 1986 the town maintained a stable population base while retaining much of its original character. The community boasts all the amenities of a modern town while keeping intact its traditional connections to the fishery and agriculture. Diversification into manufacturing, service industries and tourism, coupled with our safe harbours' proximity to transportation hubs, world markets and the offshore oil and gas fields have Bay Bulls well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities of the future.

Indeed this is a 'must see' place with much potential yet to be realized.