BlackRock Diving Tower

Blackrock Diving Tower's origins go back to 1885, when a springboard was erected on Col O'Hara's property much to his dislike. He had the board removed but the Urban Council intervened and secured a public right of way to the bathing area, as well as installing new diving boards. After a near-fatal accident in 1942, the diving boards were marked as unsafe and replaced with the structure that exists today. Blackrock was a 'men only' bathing place up until the early seventies when women began to swim there. It's still a hugely popular bathing place, gaining even more popularity for cold water swimming during the colder months, which has proven benefits for both mental and physical health, something that the locals have known for a long time.