£462,000 swimming pool for Drogheda
June 1980
THE dream that began in the 1930’s became a reality on Sunday as Drogheda at last got its swimming pool, built by the Corporation at a cost of £462,000.
It opened at Rathmullen amid all the pomp and ceremony Drogheda could muster. With he strains of the town’s brass and reed band p’aying in the foreground, Mayor Peter Moore cut the tape and entered the pool premises folowed by a clutch of dignatories, including the Minister for Defence, Mr. Faulkner.
Describing it as an histoic day for Drogheda, Colr. Moore said: “After generations of trial and error and a lot of endeavour our swimming pool is finally opened.”
And in an eloquent appeal to the people of the town, especially the youth, to respect the pool and give the thumbs down to the vandals who caused so much damage a few months ago, he said: “This is your pool and will always be there unlike the members of the Corporation who could be gone at the next election.”
He made a strong plea to the business community and factory owners to come up with extra funds to help the Corporation pay for the pool, whose running costs will be in the region of £70,000 a year.
The pool was blessed by Fr. Peter Farrelly, CC, St. Mary’s, and the ceremonial first plunge taken by 68-year-old Ben Gibney, who easily swam the 25 metres length of the pool.
Mr. Gibney during his river and sea rescue days saved five people from drowning, three on the Boyne and two at Laytown, and on one occasion swam three miles out to sea to save a girl and swam the three miles back.
The cream of the Irish champion swimmers’ gave a display in the new pool, including two of the Irish Olympic team going to Moscow, Kevin Williamson and David Cummins, and another international favoured to go to Moscow, Chalkie White.
Drogheda Sub Aqua Club members also put on a diving exhibition.
The pool will cater for schools, dubs, factory groups as well as individuals and will open every day except Mondays and Tuesdays. It will be in fact officially open to the public from Wednesday of this week.
The main pool measures 25 x 9 metres and there is also a toddlers pool. The centre boasts the latest in facilities and these include hot showers, hair driers, accoustic ceiling public address system, spectator accomodation for 200 and an unique heat recovery system which recycles the heat from the pool and thus helps towards energy conservation.
It was a proud day for Corporatin officials and staff, the men behind the scenes and driving force behind the pool in recent years. Among those paid tribute to by the Mayor were Co. Manager Paddy Lavin, borough engineer John Gogarty, assistant borough engineer Tom Curran, town clerk Frank Kavanagh, and also Michael Cooney, Noel Hughes, Paddy McKeown and Paddy Shecrin.
It was an equally proud moment for the old Drogheda Swimming Pool Committee and their leading light Jack Williams, who by knocking on doors collected the princely sum of £22,000 towards the present pool.