9. Cabra Baths Wars.

[Narration] Broombridge stop & Baths and cabra wars.

If you have made it this far, maybe your legs have walked off you, but we are nearly at the end.

You are now standing at Broombridge, one of the most important transport hubs in Cabra.

For many years, this area has been a place where different routes met, from railway lines to canal barges. Long before the LUAS arrived here, people were already travelling through Broombridge by canal and by rail.

This area was also an important place in Cabra West for leisure. Just over the bridge on the banks of the Tolka River were the Cabra Baths.

Imagine a sunny day in cabra in the 1940s, the sound of playing children splashing around in the summer sun.

These baths were built by the Dublin Corporation and were open to the public and included changing facilities.

When the baths first opened a local priest banned girls from using the baths. Instead they were forced to swim in the nearby Tolka River.

Every summer fights broke out between Cabra and Finglas over who had control over the baths. Known as the Cabra & Finglas Wars hundreds of people took part every year.

The wars were brought to an end in 1968 thanks to the work of the Ds Jim “Lugs” Brannigan. He was a former international boxer and head of the Garda riot Squad.

As indoor heated swimming pools started to pop up around Dublin the baths were closed and were filled in in 1979. In the years before the baths were filled in the baths were left derelict and were full of old bikes and beer cans.

What a shame that these outdoor swimming facilities were demolished.

[Directions] Make your way over the bridge and turn left at the traffic lights and stop under the bridge and the final story will play.

[Music Reference] Music: “Ambient Atmosphere” by AtlasAudio (via Pixabay)