Clontarf sea baths to open to the public next week, court told

The 132-year-old Clontarf Seawater Baths, Dublin, will open to the public next week following the granting of a full seven-day publican's licence on Wednesday at the Circuit Civil Court.

Publican and hotelier David Cullen was in court before Judge Doirbhile Flanagan to hear the finalisation of his 25-year-long dream to re-open the baths.

The development consists of an open seawater swimming pool, bar and restaurants which will be managed by Mr Cullen’s son David.

Mr Cullen, of Seafield Hotel, Ballymoney, Gorey, Co Wexford, owns the Clontarf Baths and Assembly Rooms company which has leased the baths complex from Dublin City Council at a rent of €25,000 a year and has spent €2.4million in a major re-development scheme.

He told his barrister Dorothy Collins he had obtained a declaratory order from the court last year guaranteeing him a seven-day licence on the basis the development was completed in accordance with planning permission which had been carried out to the satisfaction of the planning authorities, the fire department and the gardaí.

Ms Collins, who appeared with Wallis Solicitors, Boatstrand, Co Waterford, said the company had recruited 33 staff who were currently undergoing on-site training in anticipation of next week’s opening.

The court had earlier been told the company had completely reconstructed and refurbished open-air seawater baths that had existed on the site since 1886 and which would use filtered water from Dublin Bay.

Fully modernised

Ms Collins said the new development provided a fully modernised swimming pool for members of the public and would serve all of the city of Dublin and even parts of Co Wicklow, as the Dart ran very close to it.

She said the seawater baths was in a unique position within Dublin City Council’s linear park which consists of the grassy acres and walkways sited between the Clontarf-Howth Road and the Irish Sea.

The very large swimming pool contains a sluice that will allow filtered and clean Irish Sea water to enter and pumped out again in a refreshment process every few weeks.

Part of Wednesday’s court application included the presentation of a food menu for the Baths’ two restaurants and include seaweed-seasoned cocktails and Dublin coddle pizzas. The main restaurant can provide covers for 160 with a further 90 seats on a weather-proofed outside terrace, both with panoramic views of Dublin Bay.

In order for a new development to be granted a pub licence an existing one has to be extinguished and Mr Cullen, who owns the Seafield Hotel and Spa Resort in Co Wexford, and the Turk’s Head in Dublin, bought out the license formerly attaching to Brown’s Bar on the Naas Road, Co Dublin, for €60,000.