THE POPULAR NORTH Dublin seawater swimming pool, Clontarf Baths, has been substantially damaged as a result of last night’s flooding. 

A mix of easterly winds and high tides has resulted in the “whole place being destroyed”, the pool’s operator Bobby Nolan told The Journal. 

“We got absolutely bashed here… I’ve never seen anything like it yesterday, it was biblical,” Nolan said, explaining that he arrived this morning to a “trail of destruction”.

“We got a bit of weather like this in 2023, but never anything as sustained as this. This has been going on now all week, and we’re due another [high] tide now at three o’clock today,” Nolan said.

Given that more damage is expected later today, a clean-up operation at the site has not yet begun. 

Significant damage was done to the pool’s filtration system as well as the toilets, changing rooms, seating areas and granite fixtures surrounding the pool.

“The damage that’s been done internally, it’s absolutely destroyed… The whole place has just been turned upside down. It was like being put in a washing machine,” Nolan said.

He expects the cost of repairing the damage from the flooding to be considerable, and is hoping the government’s relief fund will cover it, given that flood insurance is not available in the area. 

Some of the damage from last night's weather. Independent TD Barry Heneghan Independent TD Barry Heneghan

Nolan is hoping to be able to reopen in time for a charity swim event on International Women’s Day on 8 March, an event that was due to be held last weekend on St Bridget’s Day but was postponed due to Storm Chandra. 

Clontarf Baths was reopened in 2019 after lying unused for more than 20 years, after numerous attempts to redevelop the property failed. 

“When we built the pool here, we future-proofed it, like we raised the wall for two metres to future-proof it for this kind of stuff. We raised the bottom of the pool by a metre,” Nolan said, adding that he is hopeful that this damage won’t be repeated. 

Furniture and other fixtures lying destroyed from last night's weather event. Independent TD Barry Heneghan Independent TD Barry Heneghan

In August 2023, Clontarf Baths suffered significant damage following Storm Betty. 

Before this, the pool was last badly damaged in 2020, also in August, when tonnes of seaweed went over the walls and into the baths.

Local TD Barry Heneghan told The Journal he has engaged with the Red Cross about the damage and is grateful for their response.

“It’s very important that, as a Government, we support local businesses that support the areas and that have been affected. I’m looking forward to meeting Minister [of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works] Boxer Moran in relation to the permanent flood defence or alternative interim measures for North Dublin,” the Independent TD said.