Date announced for re-opening of swimming pool in Ballaghaderreen

Splash Swim Schools Ireland has announced that it has taken over the running of the swimming pool in Ballaghaderreen, with a planned re-opening on Monday, April 28th.

The revival of the facility at the former Abbeyfield Hotel site is being viewed as a major boost for the local community as residents look set to benefit from the introduction of a range of new services, including swim fit sessions, aqua aerobics, and infant, toddler, child and adult swimming lessons provided by Splash Swim School.

The swimming pool has been closed for more than two years. Splash Swim Schools officially took over the management of the facility in January. It is in the final stages of refurbishment works ahead a planned reopening on Monday, April 28th, under its new name, The Splash Pool Ballaghaderreen.

The offering of swimming lessons will take the number of Splash Swim School locations across the country to nine – in counties Sligo, Waterford, Limerick, Cork, Galway, and now Roscommon.

Splash Pool Ballaghaderreen and Splash Swim School CEO Bríd Graham says the move represents an important landmark in her business journey.

Bríd told the Roscommon Herald: “I’m delighted that Splash Swim Schools is leading the revival of the swimming pool at Ballaghaderreen, a vital amenity, which has been denied to the local community for too long. The takeover of the facility on a long-term lease is an important landmark for residents and, indeed, for me as an entrepreneur. All will benefit from the new offering of swim fit sessions, aqua aerobics, and infant, toddler and child swimming lessons provided by Splash Swim School.

“We look forward to welcoming people to the pool when it reopens in late-April and, through our expansion of classes and services over the coming months, contributing to the maintenance of the health and wellbeing of the local community and beyond.” 

Splash Swim School has been providing swimming classes to adults, infants, toddlers, and children since 2015. In that time, the firm has overseen the development of more than 6,000 swimmers, taking children as young as 12-weeks-old and providing them with a skill essential to life-long health and wellbeing.

The firm is marking its 10th anniversary in 2025 and recently began offering lessons at the Connemara Coast Hotel in Galway, its second Galway location after the Clayton Hotel in Galway city. The company’s Sligo locations include the Clayton Hotel in Sligo town, the Pier Head Hotel in Mullaghmore and Radisson Blu Hotel in Ballincar. Other locations include Clayton Hotels in Limerick city and Cork city, and the Crystalline Leisure Centre in Waterford city.

An Easter Camp, to facilitate the training of new swim teachers, will take place from Tuesday, April 22nd to Saturday April 29th and is also available for booking on the company website.

Welcoming the announcement Sinn Féin Deputy Claire Kerrane said that she was  "really proud to have delivered this facility back for the people of Ballaghaderreen and surrounding areas, but it would not have been possible without an operator stepping up to run it and in the last few months getting to know the new operator, I can say without doubt, we are going to have a fantastic facility here. There is so much to come in terms of activities and of course, the re-opening will also create jobs in Ballaghaderreen.

"I know that locals will show their appreciation and acknowledge the huge commitment, effort and time that the operator has put in here - 14, 15, 16 hour days to get us to this point, by supporting the pool and helping to make it a success," said Deputy Kerrane.