Community open day to be hosted at Banagher Outdoor Pool
The Banagher Shannon Bank Park committee have announced a community open day at the new Banagher Outdoor Pool.
Taking place on Saturday, August 1, from 10am to 4pm, the event will mark a community celebration of the pool, which was officially opened by Minister for Tourism, Peter Burke, in April of this year.
The day will include wellness classes, a 3km run, water sports, kayaking, Shannon Poc Fada, a community picnic in the park, a 3.5km swim arriving from Shannon Harbour, and rounding off with the nameplate unveiling and ribbon cutting at 4pm.
The organisers thanked Banagher Tidy Towns, Supervalu Banagher, West Offaly Training, and The Martello Coffee Dock for making the celebration possible.
The redeveloped Banagher Open Water Pool and a floating jetty at Shannonbridge Marina, were delivered through Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, which is co funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU through the EU Just Transition Fund.
Banagher Open Water Pool, which was delivered by the Shannon Bank Park Trustees Community Group in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, provides a year-round open-water swimming amenity for the local community and visitors alike.
The project received €616,700 in funding through Fáilte Ireland’s Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs.
The local community in Banagher raised €156,000, in match funding, reflecting strong local commitment to the redevelopment.
Central to the project is a new 25-metre floating open-water swimming pool, designed to adapt to fluctuating river levels and improve access for swimmers of all ages and abilities.
The facility also includes a dedicated children’s area, a safe access zone, a canoe launch area and a recreational seating area with sheltered pods on the pontoon.
The newly enhanced amenity strengthens Banagher’s reputation as a destination for outdoor recreation and water-based tourism along the River Shannon for both domestic and international visitors.