THE 132-YEAR OLD Clontarf seawater baths in Dublin will open to the public next week following the granting of a full seven-day publican’s licence by Judge Doirbhile Flanagan in the Circuit Civil Court today.
Publican and hotelier David Cullen was in court to hear the finalisation of his 25-year-long dream to re-open the baths development, consisting of an open seawater swimming pool, bar and restaurants which will be managed by his son David.
Cullen, of Seafield Hotel, Ballymoney, Gorey, County 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 €2.4 million in a major redevelopment scheme.
He told his barrister Dorothy Collins that 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.
Collins, who appeared with Wallis Solicitors, Boatstrand, Co Waterford, said the company had recruited 33 employees who were currently undergoing on-site training in anticipation of next week’s opening.
The court had earlier been told that the company had completely reconstructed and refurbished the open-air seawater baths that had existed on the site since 1886 and which would use filtered water from Dublin Bay.
Swimming pool
Collins said the new development provided a fully modernised swimming pool for members of the public and would serve all of Dublin city and parts of Co Wicklow as the Dart operates very close to it.
She said the seawater baths are in a unique position within Dublin City Council’s linear park consisting of the grassy acres and walkways sited between the Clontarf-Howth Road and the Irish Sea.
The large swimming pool contains a sluice that will allow filtered and clean Irish Sea water to enter and pump it out again in a refreshment process every few weeks.
Part of today’s court application included the presentation of a food menu for the Baths’ two restaurants, it includes seaweed-seasoned cocktails and Dublin coddle pizzas. The main restaurant can provide seats for 160, with a further 90 seats available 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. Cullen, who owns the Seafield Hotel and Spa Resort in Co Wexford and the Turk’s Head in Dublin, bought out the licence formerly attached to Browns Bar on the Naas Road in Co Dublin for €60,000.
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