Signs discouraging people from swimming off Doolin Pier should be taken down and the entire area designated for swimming, a local councillor has said. 

For generations, people in the West Clare town have spent summer days swimming by a local pier.

In recent years, commercial activity in the area has increased - with large numbers of tourists keen to take a day trip from the town to the Aran Islands - and a report concluded it was no longer safe for swimmers.

“Unfortunately, there’s signs up now saying it’s not a designated bathing area, discouraging people from swimming there,” Cllr Liam Grant told The Pat Kenny Show.

“I think that’s a real shame and it gives people a lot of happiness and joy.

“There’s a massive swimming club there - there’s Doolin swimmers who are there every day.

“A lot of Mammies who are very happy to get in [and have] a cold water dip.”

Doolin Ferry from the Aran Islands.

The town has two piers and and Cllr Grant feels the area around the old pier should be designated exclusively as an area for recreation.

The newer pier could continue to be used for ferries and other commercial activities.

“Mixing boats and people is never really a great idea, to be honest,” he said.

“But there used to be swimming and boats when there was just one pier.

“Now, I think we’re able to separate them enough; those piers are about 100 metres apart from each other.

“If we try and divide it and have designated spaces, I think there’s actually enough spaces for the two and that’s what I’d like to see.”

Safety

Back in the day, the town usually had a lifeguard on duty as well, keeping a watchful eye on swimmers.

It is another tradition Cllr Grant thinks should be revived.

“That’s what the campaign is for, to bring back the lifeguards, bring back the swimming area and I think it’d be very safe to do that,” he said.

Doolin is situated on the Wild Atlantic Way and is a popular place for tourists to visit.

In 2019, the town was awarded Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Award for Excellence in Customer Service.

You can listen back here:

Main image: Children in the sea. Picture by: Alamy.com