Forty foot at Sandycove, Dublin, Ireland.

©Damien Kelly/500px

Forty Foot Pool

County Dublin


The Forty Foot Pool is an open-air, seawater bathing pool that took its name from the army regiment, the Fortieth Foot, that was stationed at Sandycove's tower until the regiment was disbanded in 1904. At the close of the first chapter of Ulysses, Buck Mulligan heads off to the Forty Foot Pool for a morning swim. A morning wake-up here is still a local tradition, in summer and winter: the Christmas Day Dip is one of Dublin's most enduring traditions.

Pressure from female bathers eventually opened this public stretch of water – originally nudist and for men only – to both sexes, despite strong opposition from the 'forty foot gentlemen', who eventually agreed.

Transportation

  • train: Sandycove & Glasthule

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby County Dublin attractions

1. James Joyce Tower & Museum

0.08 MILES

This tower is where the action begins in Joyce's epic novel Ulysses. The museum was opened in 1962 by Sylvia Beach, the Paris-based publisher who first…

2. Bullock Castle

0.34 MILES

These are the ruins of a castle built by the monks of Dublin's St Mary's Abbey in around 1150.

3. Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre

0.74 MILES

Spread across Goat Castle and St Begnet’s Church, this heritage centre has models, displays and exhibitions on Dalkey's history. There's a Living History…

4. St Begnet's Holy Well

1.53 MILES

Dalkey Island, only a few hundred metres offshore, is home to St Begnet’s Holy Well, the most important of Dalkey’s so-called holy wells. This one is…

5. Dalkey Island

1.59 MILES

Dalkey Island's main sight is St Begnet's Holy Well, but it's also a popular spot for fishing, with shoals of pollock, mackerel and coalfish feeding in…

6. Poolbeg Lighthouse

4.08 MILES

The red, 20m-high Poolbeg Lighthouse is the most handsome and conspicuous landmark in Dublin Bay. It was rebuilt in 1820 to replace an original lighthouse…

7. Imaginosity

4.4 MILES

Dublin's only museum specifically aimed at toddlers and children, Imaginosity is a hands-on, interactive experience where kids can learn from and be…

8. Dollymount Strand

4.97 MILES

In the coastal suburb of Clontarf, follow the tang of sea air from the promenade across the wooden footbridge and continue down Bull Walk, enjoying an…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "ireland/sandycove/attractions/forty-foot-pool/a/poi-sig/1409294/1337375",
      "destination": "County-Dublin",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Ireland",
      "region": "County-Dublin",
      "position": "superzone"
    }