SEAWATER BATHS IN SALTHILL

by Tom Kenny

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Salthill began to develop as a tourist destination. People found the salt air invigorating and the sea was a huge attraction, not just for swimming or paddling, but also for its curative powers. It was thought to have medicinal powers, and so local people began to take advantage of this wonderful asset beside them to possibly make some money.

Dr. Robert Rogers Gray opened his medicinal baths on Salthill Road at the junction with Grattan Road (where Grattan house was later) in 1831. Here, one went straight from a hot air bath to a cold shower bath to get the desired effect. “It is chiefly beneficial in removing Gout in all its forms –chronic rheumatism and rheumatic pains – and swelling of the joints – strengthening the tone of the stomach and thereby being a valuable remedy in Dyspepsia and all the train of nervous feelings consequent on indigestion. It is highly and deservedly recommended for removing the effects of mercury from the constitution and Scrufolous swellings. Ulcers and obstinate diseases of the skin in general yield to a properly medicated Vapour Bath. The plain Warm Baths and Shower Baths &c. will be given by experienced assistants and the medicated Baths under the immediate direction of a Medical gentleman.” With all those potential cures, it was hardly surprising that this technique and also seaweed baths became very popular at many seaside resorts around the country.

Andrew King took over the business in 1848 and ran it until it burned down in 1870.

Meanwhile, at Seapoint, George Fallon was the lessor of Seapoint House, Seapoint Terrace and the adjoining thatched building which housed sea baths. Seapoint House was described in 1849 as follows – “This desirable bathing residence is commodious and for the immediate reception of a respectable family. Also, Seapoint Terrace is fitted up in a very neat manner and is furnished, capable of accommodating a large family. Both lodges have coach houses and stabling attached.” Seapoint House is the two storey building in the centre of our photograph which dates from c.1865. The terrace ran down to the right towards the seashore, you can see the top of the terrace buildings over the thatched baths. The sign on the gable read “Hot Baths and Bathing, No Refunds”.

The building next door to Seapoint House on the left was known as Sunnyside Lodge. Beside that was Villa Marina, which had the sign ‘Michael Horan, Grocer’ over the door. Next to that was a house called Beachmount and the last building on the left was known as Prairie House. It was built by Colman O’Donohue and the architectural style of the façade, with the balcony, would suggest he had spent some time in America.

The first Ladies beach in Salthill was created just behind the baths but that Relief Construction was destroyed by a violent storm in 1869.

In 1894, Mrs. Frances Cremen and her two children, James and Mary, took over Seapoint House and the Fallon bathing business. Within four years, they had constructed new baths and bathing boxes as you can see from our second photograph taken c.1898.

Frances died in 1919 and her children took over the business. “They constitute an essential feature of holiday pleasures at Salthill and are patronised by practically every visitor who comes to our seaside resort for the summer. The premises have a freshness and a cleanliness about them that of itself is invigorating. The attendance is admirable and they are under the careful management of the courteous proprietor, Mr. J. Cremen”.

A book by Mrs. J.M. Callwell entitled “Old Irish Life”, recalled how the bathing system worked here in the nineteenth century. A certain old lady called Sibby used to preside, and a shower bath could be obtained in a shanty. “Only the initiated knew that the motive-power used to raise the water to overhead level was supplied by Sibby’s son, who mounted a ladder outside and emptied a pail of water down at the critical moment. Once indeed, a lady having pulled the string and waiting in vain for the expected douche, heard instead a deep voice overhead ‘A little more to the wesht, I’ll trouble ye, me lady’. She rushed fort, horrified and indignant to confront Sibby. ‘Ach whisht!’ said the latter in supreme concern, ‘it’s only me son Patsy, and who’d be minding him?’

In 1944, the complex was bought by Noel Finan. He closed down the baths in 1946 and cleared the site in order to build a ballroom.

Much of today’s information is taken from Paul McGinley’s excellent book “Salthill, a History, Part 1”.