by Malahide Historical Society

On the corner of Bath Avenue, immediately beyond the Grand Hotel towards Portmarnock, where a tall apartment block is now located, stood the popular Malahide Baths. Lord Talbot built the baths at his own expense, apparently for letting, shortly before 1863. They were leased to a Mrs. Gamble. She retired or died in 1864 and her household goods were auctioned off, including “a barometer, an eight-day clock, two fowling pieces, a first rate four-oared boat and two smaller boats”. The baths were then, apparently, taken over by the adjoining hotel.The hotel featured its hot sea and freshwater baths from time to time in advertisements.The baths consisted of a long low building with a number of bathing rooms at one end, a boilerhouse and tall chimney in the middle and living accommodation at the other end. There were two open-air plunge pools to the rear. There were bathing boxes on the shore in front of the baths building for use by modest Victorians who wished to bathe in the estuary seawater.The seawater baths were exceedingly popular in the 19th century and in the latter half of that era tourists flocked to Malahide to avail of the baths’ renowned health-giving properties. The bath water was changed at high-tide. Patrons had a choice of heated indoor baths and or a plunge in an outdoor cold pool. Sadly, the buildings were demolished in 1984 and the rubble used to fill the pools