Over the past 12 months thousands of people have rediscovered the joys of sea swimming, surfing and water sports around Ireland’s coast.
Fáilte Ireland have announced a €19 million project to install all weather changing facilities at more than 20 swimming locations across Ireland. The locations include coastal beaches, inland waterways and canals and are expected to be a huge boost for both locals and tourism.
Tourism Minister Catherine Martin said the new facilities will be a big boost to areas where water based activities are popular.
During COVID we’ve seen as significant upward growth in people enjoying these outdoor, water based activities. Supporting these activity tourism businesses and enhancing the tourism economy in rural communities right across the county is a key commitment in the Programme for Government.
Catherine Martin, Tourism Minister
The new facilities will include showers, toilets, secure lockers and storage so people can feel safe leaving their personal belongings on dry land while they’re out on the water.
The facilities are all-weather facilities so they are going to be unlike anything we currently have in Ireland and they will be a combination of what people may be used to seeing around the world. Basically, there will be an enclosed section to the building but it will be open on many sides.
Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland
Docklands Water Sports, North Wall Quay, Pontoons, Dublin 1
DLRCC Killiney Beach Facilities Project, Killiney Beach, Killiney, Co Dublin
Ballycuggeran Sports Activity Facility, Ogonnelloe, Killaloe, County Clare
Kilkee Waterworld Activity Facilities, Waterworld, East End, Kilkee, County Clare
Claycastle Sports Activity Facility, Claycastle, Youghal, County Cork
GarryLucas Beach, Ballinspittle, County Cork
Tullan Strand Centre for Water Sports Activities Bundoran, Drumacrin, Tullan, Strand, Bundoran, County Donegal
Downings Water Sports Activity Facility, Cnoc Na Muirleog, Na Muirleog, Na Dunaibh, County Donegal
Kilkenny Water Sports Hub, County Hall, John St, Kilkenny
Tramore Water-Sports Activity Facility Centre, Promenade, Tramore, County Waterford
Ardmore Water-Sports Activity Facility Centre, Public Car Park, Cois Tra, Ardmore, County Waterford
Curracloe Water Sports Activity Centre, Whitegap, Curracloe, County Wexford
Acres Lake Activity Facility, Acres Lake, Drumshambo, County Leitrim
Dromineer Sports Activity Facility, Dromineer, Nenagh, County Tipperary
Corrib Sports & Adventure, Dyke Road, Terryland, Galway
Ballybunion Beach Shared Facilities Centre, Men’s (South) Beach, Ballybunion, County Kerry
Fenit Beach Shared Facility Centre, Fenit Beach, Fenit, County Kerry
Magherabeg Shared Facilities Centre, Magherabeg Lower, Castlegregory, County Kerry
Keel Facility Centre for Water Sports Activities, Keel Sandybanks, Achill Island, County Mayo
Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh, County Mayo
Enniscrone Beach, Mackduff, Enniscrone , County Sligo
Rosses Point, County Sligo