Cool Pool: Dip into the history and memories of Tullamore Outdoor Pool, Damien Byrne

In 1934, a bold idea emerged at a Tullamore Urban Council meeting to build a public swimming pool for the town. Four years later, Tullamore opened one of Ireland’s first municipal pools, a six-lane outdoor pool complete with diving boards and changing rooms.

For over six decades, the pool was alive with activity. Children learned to swim, teenagers attempted daring dives, and families and friends gathered on long summer days. The 1950s saw large galas, where national and Olympic swimming and diving champions drew hundreds of spectators. The swimming club organised weekly lessons and competitive club nights. Swimming galas and lifesaving weeks became a regular feature.

Over its lifetime, the pool, the local council, and the swimming club faced financial pressures, water quality issues, and lifeguard shortages. By the 1970s, the pool was competing with heated pools elsewhere, and there were demands for an indoor heated pool in the town. This developed into a long campaign and fundraising effort.

The outdoor pool closed in 2000, and this book dives into the full story and memories of the pool, its champions and challenges, and the countless moments of joy it gave the community for more than sixty years.

Published by Esker Press
Softcover
150 pages
210 x 265 mm
ISBN 9781909822504