Dublin City Lido

“Today, the city itself needs to take the lead in the creation of community resources that can provide benefits beyond financial return... A lido or football facility with affordable entry promotes repeat custom and the creation and sustaining of community.”

Thank you Donal Fallon for articulating in the .ie so clearly why these conversations matter. The future of sites like George’s Dock should be shaped not only by commercial return, but by long-term public value - health, inclusion, accessibility and everyday civic life.

Creating infrastructure that genuinely serves local communities is an investment in the city itself.

Swimming is recognised as essential for health, active ageing and lifelong wellbeing.

But the reality on the ground tells a different story.

📊 Ireland has one public pool per 81,000 people
📉 Demand already exceeds supply
🏗️ A quarter of pools are now over 35 years old and nearing end of life

Across the country, closures and ageing facilities are already impacting access to swimming.

If we want to prioritise swimming, our public infrastructure needs to reflect that.

A publicly accessible lido in Dublin would be one step toward addressing this, creating space for health, community and everyday use in the heart of the city.

📢 George’s Dock: Consultation Results Update

The results of Dublin City Council’s public consultation on George’s Dock have now been shared with Councillors.

With over 2,000 people taking part, the findings show:
🏊‍♀️ 70% want the site used for recreation
💧 Of those, 90% support a public swimming pool or lido

These results demonstrate both strong public interest in the future of the site and clear support for a civic, water-based amenity. Respondents also consistently highlighted the importance of affordability, full accessibility, safety, year-round use, clear governance and long-term sustainability.

What happens next:
💬 Stakeholder workshops will begin shortly
🔧 Conservation works conclude in April, with water returning to the Dock
🎭 Temporary activations are planned to reanimate the space
🛠️ Longer-term planning and feasibility work is now under way

We welcome the conclusion of conservation works and short-term activity to bring life back to George’s Dock. At the same time, we urge that the long-term civic vision for the site remains a clear priority.

We continue to advocate for a publicly accessible lido, managed as a public amenity through a not-for-profit model that supports transparency, affordability, reinvestment in services and meaningful public access.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the consultation. We look forward to contributing constructively to the next phase of engagement.

💦 What if Dublin had a heated, year-round public pool right in the heart of the Docklands?

Our new article explores how a lido at George’s Dock could benefit health, community, inclusion and local culture — and why this moment is critical.

📖 Read the article (link in stories)

🕐 And don’t forget: less than one week left to support the idea through Dublin City Council’s public consultation.

Imagine a city-centre space where you can swim year-round - a civic amenity that brings together community, climate, and culture.

This article makes a powerful case for a heated, public outdoor pool at George’s Dock - and why it could transform how Dubliners connect with their city.

📖 Read it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/janedillongreenroom/p/a-heated-pool-in-dublins-docklands?r=4gli9&utm_medium=ios

⏳ Less than one week remains to take part in Dublin City Council’s consultation.
Let’s bring this vision to life.

A Heated Pool in Dublin’s Docklands Could Be the Most Radical Civic Investment of This Decade A lido might sound like leisure, but it’s really a public health, urban renewal, and social cohesion project in disguise.

🌊 Have your say: Help shape the future of George’s Dock! 🗳️

Dublin City Council is running a 4-week public consultation on how George’s Dock should be used - and it’s an opportunity to support the vision for a public, affordable, year-round outdoor pool right in the heart of the city. 💙

The Dublin City Lido campaign has been working hard to make this vision a reality - one that’s inclusive, community-led, and respectful of the site’s heritage, with space for swimmers, non-swimmers, and cultural activity.

To show your support, it only takes 2 minutes:
✅ In the survey:
Q2: Select Recreation
Q3: Then choose Swimming Pool

📝 Take the survey here:
🔗 https://engage.dublincity.ie/en-IE/projects/reimagining-george-s-dock-together

Every response matters, and the more voices behind this, the stronger the message to the Council. Please fill it in, share it, and help us make the case for a Lido that belongs to everyone in Dublin.💧

Project: Reimagining George’s Dock—together | Dublin City Council Dublin City Council is inviting feedback from all interested individuals and organisations on the future use of George’s Dock. This consultation is part of a wider effort to ensure that any redevelopment aligns with the city’s strategic priorities and reflects diverse perspectives. Whether you l...

🌊 Thank you to everyone who made Sunday’s Leinster Open Sea Swimming race at Seapoint such a success! 🌊

A brilliant day of community, competition and support for the Dublin City Lido campaign - with 187 swimmers diving in for the cause 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️

🥇 Ladies Race winner: Tara O’Sullivan Phoenix Masters Swim Club
🥇 Men’s Race winner: Shay Dillon Guinness Swimming Club
🏆 Ladies Team Prize: Dublin Swimming Club
🏆 Men’s Team Prize: Half Moon SWPC

💙 Huge thanks to our generous prize sponsors:

SwimKit Fad Saoil Saunas Pure Magic Watersports Lennox Street Grocer Shuppa Books Upstairs The Barrel Sauna

This is what a movement looks like. Onwards together.

Glenalbyn Swimming Club Templeogue Swim Pool SwimCamp - Open Water & Pool Swimming Lessons for Adults & Kids Swan Swimming Club St Vincents Waterpolo Club Eastern Bay Swim Team Sandycove Swimming and Waterpolo Club NAC Swim Club Clontarf Waterpolo Club

Thank you for the support 🙏

SEAPOINT - SUNDAY

This Sunday, 10th August, LOS are running a swim at SEAPOINT to support the Dublin City Lido campaign.

This is a not-for-profit, voluntary committee which is driving the campaign to have a Lido developed in the heart of Dublin City.

Please race to support this campaign for a 50m heated outdoor pool, open 365 days a year for the general public.

Branded DCL swimming hats for the first 150 swimmers to register on Sunday.

Fantastic prizes.
Goodies, sweets and treats - with amazing support from , , and

See you all there on Sunday! 🙏💕🙏💕

🌊 Just 3 days to go! 🌊

This Sunday 10 August, Seapoint hosts a special Leinster Open Sea Swimming race in support of the Dublin City Lido campaign.

If you’re taking part, there are some fantastic prizes up for grabs thanks to:

🏆 SwimKit
🏆 Lennox Street Grocer
🏆 Books Upstairs
🏆 get_shuppa
🏆 fadsaoilsaunas
🏆 thebarrelsauna

📏 Race distance: approx 1.6km
📝 Registration is online only: https://leinsteropensearesults.com/

📣 To participate in Sunday’s race, all swimmers must be registered to Leinster Open Sea CLG. This means swimmers are registered to either a swimming, lifesaving or triathlon CLUB.

Come swim, or simply show up to support. Let’s make the case for a public, inclusive lido in the heart of Dublin.