From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Elected representatives and management at Galway City Council have been urged to don their togs and take a dip in the icy waters of Belmullet Tidal Pool in Mayo – for research purposes.

The fact-finding trip would give the local authority decision-makers an idea of the possibilities of sea pools, as plans progress to revive the two decommissioned tidal pools in Salthill, according to Councillor Niall Murphy.

The Green Party councillor, who swims competitively, was among a crowd of about 30 who attended a public consultation event in Galway Bay Hotel on Thursday last as part of the City Council’s feasibility study for the provision of tidal pools at the Prom.

Belmullet has a council-operated tidal pool, and Cllr Murphy said viewing it in person, and swimming in it, could help feed into the process to reopen Salthill sea baths.

The pools in Salthill have been unused for several decades since they were in-filled in the 1980s and rendered useless for swimming.

Located at Ladies Beach, they were popular in the 1950-70s. They were a key community focal point used daily by Galwegians to swim. The deeper tidal pool for adults was around 25-metres, slightly longer than Leisureland, and attached to a second shallow pool for children.

(Photo from Belmullet Tidal Pool Facebook page)
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the July 7 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.