A Season Ticket

By Geraldine Kelly

Each child in our family had a season ticket for the baths which provided unlimited entry.

My father thought that the shouting from the bank in the group swim classes was not conducive to learning so he engaged a private teacher who used to pour a kettle of hot water at the pool steps before we got in – so we thought the water was warm!  And we learnt to swim very fast.”

Once we learnt, we used to be down there at 9am Monday – Friday for swim training with Louise Kennedy – she taught/trained a generation of DL children. Learnt all my strokes and bilateral breathing from her.

Hanging out then til lunchtime – diving off the big board was a dare. Occasionally we used to cycle to Blackrock Baths for a change and the season ticket applied there also. Can you imagine a crowd of 10-20 kids heading off anywhere on bikes these days?

Then back after tea three times a week for Otter SC races.

The lifeguards were known as “keepers” and they ruled with a rod of iron. Their threat was to “bar” us and then you’d have to explain to your mother why you weren’t going down to the baths. Barring lasted for about a week – I think the word comes from being ‘barred’ from a pub – and I imagine they had no authority to do it!