Clontarf Baths

Rectangular-plan pool having chamfered south corners, built 1881, having single-storey structures to north shore. Concrete retaining walls to seafront and metal railings and gates enclose north boundary. Situated on seafront promenade to east of bandstand.

Clontarf's popularity as a suburban coastal resort was cemented by the late nineteenth century when the Clontarf Baths and Assembly Rooms were established in 1881, backed by J.E.V. Vernon and Lord Ardilaun. Architects John S. Sloane and Frederick Morley had an input to their design. There were separate baths for male and female bathers and a bridge gave access from the seafront. A boiler and pump were operated by a steam engine. The baths were popular with day-trippers from the city and enjoyed the patronage of many local landlords. The nearby bandstand to the west was built as an entertainment facility for bathers. Construction of Clontarf promenade began in the 1930s and when complete provided direct access to the baths from the seafront. The wall separating male and female swimming pools was removed in 1944. The baths have been disused since 1996, but historic fabric remains. The overall form of the pool remains evident with the outer wall largely intact. Single-storey structures stand on the north shore.