Posts in the ‘Interesting’ Category

Derelict Swimming Baths at Sandymount - Miriam Delaney

Sandymount Strand is a large tidal beach to the south west of Dublin city centre. Land here has been subject to much mutation over the centuries. The present coast-line is at least a mile from where the medieval high tide mark stood, and much of what constitutes the present Sandymount village is built on reclaimed land. Sandymount, originally known as Irishtown, was one of the pleasure grounds of Georgian Dublin, and baths have existed in this area since medieval times. Sandymount Baths form part of a chain of bathing places along Dublin Bay.

Image Credit- ‘Martello’ magazine article ‘‘Bathing Houses of Dublin Bay’ Summer 1988

The baths at Sandymount were constructed as a replacement of the older ‘Cranfield’ baths (the site of which is now about half a mile inland- close to the ‘Our Lady, Star of the Sea’ Catholic Church ). The Cranfield baths were enormously popular as they contained both cold and hot water baths and had accommodation nearby for visitors. The ‘new’ baths at Sandymount (officially know as The Merrion Baths) were received with criticism form the outset. The traditional horse drawn bathing boxes on Sandymount strand were forcibly removed which caused local indignation.
‘The Pembroke Township Commissioners, ….resolved on the destruction of the private bathing boxes, and issued a decree for their removal. This very naturally created great indignation and remonstrance among the inhabitants’

Complaints were also made that the baths silted up frequently and the water became stagnant. The baths were unpopular with the expected visitor numbers never materializing.
‘the water within the basins becomes in a great measure stagnant and foul, and sediment which collects at the bottom can only be removed by artificial means and at considerable outlay. In other details, various defects both of plan and execution might be specified’

image credit: Private Archive; Brian Siggins

The baths were built of cast in situ concrete and originally were linked to the coast road by an iron and timber pier (approximately 75m long), which housed a bandstand and changing rooms. Photos of the baths and pier in operation are few, no references to the Sandymount Baths (or Merrion Baths) are to be found at the Architectural Archives and they feature in only one photo in the National Photographic Archive. The photos shown here come from the personal archive of local historian Brian Siggins.

image credit: Private Archive; Brian Siggins

The baths were constructed in 1883, and were split into male and female swimming areas. In total the baths measured 40m by 40m, and were fed with sea water via a pumping system which stretched out to the open sea, the bath water was emptied daily and refilled with fresh sea-water. The baths were closed in 1923 and the pier and all the timber structures demolished, all that remains now is the concrete sub- structure.

image credit: Private Archive; Brian Siggins

The fortunes of the Victorian baths (most constructed in the19th century) were linked to the rise of the railway. Baths such as those at Blackrock and Dun Laoghaire gained rapidly in popularity with the advent of the Kingstown railway line constructed in 1837, which allowed Dubliners easy access to clean water and fresh air. These suburban swimming baths remained in use much longer than those close to the city- the Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock baths were only closed in the 1980s.

Title ‘Blackrock Baths Circa 1900’ 

‘Blackrock Baths’ Image Credit- http://www.wikipedia .org 

 ‘Dun Laoighre Baths’

The baths closer the city centre, such as those at Sandymount and Clontarf suffered, firstly from the pollution caused by industry at the quays and secondly from frequent silting up. The Sandymount baths closed in 1923 (figures 3, 4 & 5 show the baths in operation). Remarkably little evidence- archival, physical or oral- remains of the baths. The concrete is currently in a poor state, the walls are badly eroded at and heavily graffitied. The perimeter walls are breached facing the sea. There have been a number of half- hearted campaigns to restore the baths or construct a new promenade or pier, at present Dublin City Council present no proposals for the future of the baths.

 ‘corroded concrete’ 

 ‘Swimming Bath walls breached’

 ‘view from inside the Baths ‘

Blog post by Miriam Delaney