New €800,000 swimming pool in Offaly be installed in August

THE new, €800,000 Banagher outdoor pool will be installed in August, the Midland Tribune has learned.

Project manager Brendan O'Loughlin said it will be a floating pool, like the old one, but will be a significant improvement.
The current pool is very popular with people from Banagher and the surrounding counties. It's been in situ for 30 years.

Located in Shannon Bank Park, near Banagher bridge, the facility is located on the banks of the Shannon and its water is from the river itself. It's an unheated pool.

“There's a huge amount of good will locally towards this project,” commented Brendan. “There's an excellent fundraising committee in place who have come up with lots of great fundraising ideas. The generosity from people has been massive. There's been an auction, and a climb of Carrauntoohil. There's the Sponsor a Nameplate fundraiser. Schools and community organisations have been very supportive.”

The new pool is being constructed by a Banagher company, “Inland and Coastal Marina Systems”, on Church Street. Work is going well and they are confident they will be finished by August. Brendan said there will be about a ten day non-swimming period while the new facility is being installed.

The new pool will be bigger than the old one, with larger platforms. It will have a winch system into and out of the water for those with disabilities and a ramp going down into the water. There will be a canoe launch point at one side of the pool.

A majority of the €800,000 in funding comes from the EU Just Transition Fund (being administered by Fáilte Ireland).

€160,000 in match funding has to be found by the local community. They have raised €100,000 so far. The final major fundraising event for the outdoor pool upgrade will be held on Saturday June 28th at 2pm. It will be a 3.5km swim from Shannon Harbour to Banagher Pool. Starting from Shannon Harbour this significant challenge is open to all.

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The entry fee is €100 which will go towards the fundraising. The expected completion time is two hours or less and tow floats will be mandatory (for safety). Support boats will accompany the swimmers throughout. Training is being provided for the event. To register or for more information call Hazel at (087) 7439278 or Marie at (087) 9254988. Website: Banagher.ie/pool Donations: idonate.ie/cause/Banagherpool

Brendan also pointed out that the outdoor pool is part of the Shannon Bank Park which is owned by a Trust on behalf of the community of Banagher. “The Shannon Bank Trustees and I have been involved with the Park and its pool for thirty years,” he remarked. “During that time a one kilometre riverside walk has been created; there was a Pitch & Putt course but it closed during Covid and hasn't reopened. The Offaly Search and Recovery have their base in the Park.”

There isn't a lifeguard serving at the pool at present. “We are talking to Galway County Council and Offaly County Council,” continued the project manager, “and we are confident that there will be a lifeguard in place next year during the summer months of June, July and August. After the pool is installed we plan to further embellish the Park by upgrading the walkway, upgrading the changing rooms and the outdoor showers.” He added that the area is lit by public lighting for large parts of the day. “During the winter the lights come on at 6am and are switched off at 11pm.”

Brendan said there's been a noticeable uptick in the pool's popularity during recent years. “It's been proven that open water swimming, swimming in unheated environments such as outdoor pools, is good for your health, physical and mental. More and more people are realising this, which no doubt explains the outdoor pool's increased popularity. Quite a few people swim in it all year round, even going for early morning swims before work during the winter. There's a popular Christmas Day swim every year.”