Re-opening Corbally Baths?

geotrig

well all the people doing the thomond swim last week looked ok afterwards ...no extra limbs when they were getting out or anything !....if you ask me the water quality is probably better than the early 90's !! we used to swim in a load of different areas . "the point" being the dodgiest being so close to the dump :sick: alot of eels around there as well

panda100

irishproduce wrote: »

Would the water in any part of the Shannon not be toxic? Imagine getting a mouthful of it

I've been swimming in the city numerous times over the last few weeks and am as still standing :pac: I say I swallowed half the Shannon during the Thomond Swim on Saturday as well!

The water in The Shannon is generally very clean and clear. I would be a bit more hesitant about the safety of the water near corbally baths as it could be quite stagnant in parts. There are queries in to the council to verify the water safety there before swimming begins.

somespud

Below is a link to a fantastic short video made by a Pat Howard of the Thomond Swim.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oQyepOn5F8

Persiancowboy

I swam regularly in Corbally Baths as a youngster back in the early '70s. We also swam regularly in the Shannon Fields on the other side of Lanarone Bridge as well as at Plassey (up at the College).

I sometimes walk the river bank when I return to Limerick.....very sad to see the way these spots have deteriorated. I maybe wrong but I'm under impression that water quality all along that stretch of the Shannon is no longer fit for safe swimming (pretty sure there are signs to that effect along the way)?

Restoring the Baths would be a brilliant idea for the city....existing local swimming amenities are not exactly 10 a penny in the city.

John_Mc

irishproduce wrote: »

Would the water in any part of the Shannon not be toxic? Imagine getting a mouthful of it

The EPA is continually monitoring the river water quality. The WFD is a European scheme which is responsible for improving the quality of all water and it's the EPAs job to enforce it.

Checkout the GIS tool here: http://gis.epa.ie/Envision

You need to zoom into a smaller area before you're able to activate the River statuses (WFD). Around the Corbally area the water quality is identified as "Good"

panda100

John_Mc wrote: »

The EPA is continually monitoring the river water quality. The WFD is a European scheme which is responsible for improving the quality of all water and it's the EPAs job to enforce it.

Checkout the GIS tool here: http://gis.epa.ie/Envision

You need to zoom into a smaller area before you're able to activate the River statuses (WFD). Around the Corbally area the water quality is identified as "Good"

Wow that is an amazing tool. Very useful to know.

John_Mc

panda100 wrote: »

Wow that is an amazing tool. Very useful to know.

Yeah it is. I worked as a software developer for the EPA for a few years and they're really making the most from IT and making it accessible to the public. For example: https://www.beaches.ie/

naughtysmurf

Hopefully attached a few pics taken today, not 100% sure if doing it correctly, just to show the current condition, couple of kids & dogs swimming there this afternoon,

Mc Love

some of that looks like an overgrown pond!

somespud

The last time the Christmas Day Swim was held in the Baths.
https://youtu.be/XCwVbNRxFQA?list=PLEE30DA88605CA875

BobMc

Some history on the baths and some old pics of its original state that many may not have seen or remember

http://www.shannonrivercorbally.com/328891803

panda100

Those pictures are amazing and that video of the last Christmas Day swim is lovely. It's such a shame to see what was a great community focal point fall in to disrepair.

Does anyone have any memories or recollection of St Marys baths on King Island? They were upstream from King Johns Castle, just north of Thomond Bridge. I took a picture yesterday and the steps look like they are still intact. I wonder if there is plans to renovate the baths as part of the flood relief works?

OfTheMarsWongs

panda100 wrote: »

Those pictures are amazing and that video of the last Christmas Day swim is lovely. It's such a shame to see what was a great community focal point fall in to disrepair.

Does anyone have any memories or recollection of St Marys baths on King Island? They were upstream from King Johns Castle, just north of Thomond Bridge. I took a picture yesterday and the steps look like they are still intact. I wonder if there is plans to renovate the baths as part of the flood relief works?

The steps are intact. They raised the wall around afaik as part of the Verdant Place works. No word on whether they will be renovated as part of the overall bank works.

Kings Island Community centre have their annual community festival this Sunday. I believe the regatta is due to kick off at 4. They normally use the baths as the finish line. Loads of people sitting on/around the baths. Start line is Thomond Bridge.

panda100

OfTheMarsWongs wrote:

Kings Island Community centre have their annual community festival this Sunday. I believe the regatta is due to kick off at 4. They normally use the baths as the finish line. Loads of people sitting on/around the baths. Start line is Thomond Bridge.

Oh great will definitely head to that. Hopefully they will remove all the construction railing for the event.

OfTheMarsWongs

panda100 wrote: »

Oh great will definitely head to that. Hopefully they will remove all the construction railing for the event.

Here's the FB page for it:

https://www.facebook.com/St-Marys-Community-Festival-213394532006401/

panda100

August City Swims in The Shannon are being organised for anyone interested. First one on Saturday 12th August at 9.30am. Info here