Pop-up pool coming to Cootehill
Cootehill will host a pop-up heated swimming pool in the town later this year.
The temporary pool was organised by Swim Ireland to encourage swimming in communities where access to a pool may otherwise be difficult.
‘Get Cavan Swimming’ Officer Jessica Eynaud hopes the swimming pool will be in operation in Cootehill by mid-September.
It will be located at Cootehill Industrial Estate on the Cavan Road, and remain in situ for six months before relocating.
Established one year ago, the pop-up pool is currently in Oldcastle from where it will be dismantled, drained and transported to Cavan.
There are just two such temporary pools for the whole of the Republic of Ireland.
Jessica says there has been a lot of excitement and engagement surrounding the pool’s relocation to Cootehill.
“What it’s really going to mean to people is access to swimming,” she said. “It’s going to be the difference between a child being able to do a swimming programme or maybe not.”
Already Jessica says they are fielding enquiries from people asking to book lessons.
The Cork native believes the pool “ticks all the boxes” for those who want to swim in a “smaller, safer and controlled environment”.
She described swimming as “a life lesson” which schools in the area will now be able to incorporate into their PE curriculum.
Heated to thirty degrees, the 12 by 3.4 metre pool is suitable for community groups, families, children, and adults of all ages for both lessons and public swims.
Head of Participation Manager for Swim Ireland, Ashley Hunter, outlined the transportation process of the swimming pool.
“The pool itself stays in one piece,” he said, explaining that a water tank is transported using a lorry and other components of the facility, including the marquee which surrounds it, and the interior facilities are broken down and transported to the next destination.
The movable pool takes around one week to dismantle, four days to rebuild and three days for the water temperature to reach the correct level.
“In about a week and a half, it’s in another location and is ready to go again,” he notes.
Ashley says the initiative has been “really really successful” in other communities too.
“People really like the smaller environment, they like the fact that there aren’t other people in the pool.”
He said those with autism specifically benefit from this aspect of the pool as there is less background noise.
“They would find it quite challenging to go to a leisure centre,” Ashley said.
He explained that Cootehill was identified as an area which does not have access to a pool, adding that it is “not the only target area in Cavan”.
He hopes the pool will be in more locations throughout the county in future.
If you’re interested in booking the pop-up pool contact Jessica on 083 0332113, or email jessicaeynaud@swimireland.ie
More information on the pool can be found at
swimireland.ie.