Anxious wait for Limerick town is almost over as community set to make a splash
New swimming pool and leisure centre in Askeaton expected to open this summer
THE much-anticipated re-opening of Askeaton Swimming Pool is “imminent”, an ex-local councillor for the town has said.
Kevin Sheahan, a former chairman of the management committee for the swimming pool, has hailed news the facility will be back in operation.
It has been closed since 2023 to allow for vital works, and in that time, almost €2.5m has been spent on upgrade works.
Minister of State and local TD Niall Collins over Easter confirmed that an operator for the new pool will be in place soon.
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This will pave the way for the re-opening of the centre, perhaps as early as this summer.
The move was welcomed by Mr Sheahan, who represented Askeaton on council from 1985 until last year’s local election.
“Not one penny has the community been asked for, or the swimming club. It was all obtained through grants,” he said.
“On behalf of the community who are anxiously waiting for this to be available to them - at long last, we have it. We have suffered enormously sometimes from false rumours around when it was opening, when it wasn’t opening, what was being done. The council must be complemented for the professional way in which they have dealt with this. The entire community is delighted,” said Mr Sheahan.
The ex-Fianna Fail councillor said he has been involved in swimming “since I was in short pants” and he was the Cathaoirleach of the old County Council when then President Mary McAleese cut the ribbon on the pool in 2008.
“Swimming was always a very important sport in Askeaton. Every family had a commitment to it. I remember a schoolteacher came one day and after around two weeks, she was asked how she was getting on with the young children. She said she could not understand it - they could swim before they could walk or talk,” he concluded.