Family swim and open swim times in Dublin
Finding out when each Dublin pool runs a family swim is harder than it should be, because the times sit on a different page at every council and leisure centre. This guide puts them in one place.
This guide covers the pools on Nipper that publish a family, public or parent and toddler session. Timetables change each term, so use the times below to pick a pool, then confirm on the day.
Swan Leisure Rathmines and Crumlin
Swan lists its family swim as long windows rather than set start times. Crumlin is open for family swim from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 2pm to 4.30pm on Saturday and 10am to 4.30pm on Sunday. Rathmines runs 9am to 6pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays, 9am to 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays, two windows on Saturday (10am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 5.30pm) and 10.15am to 5.30pm on Sunday.
Prices from the posted rates: Crumlin charges €3 for a junior swim, €7 for an adult and €15 for a family of two adults and two children. Rathmines charges €4, €8 and €17. Under 3s swim free at both.
The pool is shared with swimming lessons and school groups, so a window on the timetable does not mean the whole pool is open to everyone for the whole window. Ask at the desk which lanes are free.
dlr pools: Meadowbrook, Loughlinstown and Monkstown
The three dlr pools run public swims through the week and at the weekend. At Meadowbrook in Ballinteer you will find morning sessions on weekdays, evening sessions at 6pm on Monday to Thursday and Saturday afternoon sessions at 3pm and 4pm. Loughlinstown runs on Sundays from 11am, with a session each hour into the afternoon. Monkstown has the most variety, including a Sunday fun swim from 2pm to 4pm.
The full weekly grid for each pool is on its Nipper page.
SCD Leisure Tallaght
Tallaght runs a family swim at 7.30pm every weeknight, which suits families who cannot get there during the day. At weekends there are four sessions on both Saturday and Sunday, starting at 12.45pm.
Newpark Sports Centre, Blackrock
Newpark's public swim runs on Wednesday evening, Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon and every hour from 11am on Sunday. Parent and toddler swims are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10.45am, which is the one to know if you have a baby or a child under three.
Terenure College
Terenure runs a family casual swim on Saturday from 1pm to 1.45pm and on Sunday from 12.15pm to 1pm. The Saturday session straight after, from 1.45pm to 2.30pm, is sensory friendly, with a calmer setting for children who find a loud pool hard.
Coolmine Sports and Leisure Centre, Blanchardstown
Coolmine lists a family swim with non-member prices of €4.60 for adults and €3.50 for children. Check the centre for current session times before you set off.
Ballymun
Ballymun lists a parent and toddler swim on Thursdays at 10.30am, with lane swims on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The timetable we found is from September 2024, so ring ahead before you travel.
Which one should you pick?
For a first swim with a baby or toddler, choose a parent and toddler session: Newpark on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, or Ballymun on Thursdays. For a family with older children after school, Tallaght's 7.30pm weeknight swim and Swan's weekday afternoons are the easiest fit. At weekends, Sunday has the most choice, with Newpark, Loughlinstown, Tallaght and Swan all running.
You can filter every pool above by day and time on Nipper's open swims page. If your child needs to learn to swim rather than splash, the swimming lessons page lists the classes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book a family swim in Dublin? The pools above publish a timetable and prices but no booking step. Check the pool's own page before you go, especially in school holidays.
How much does a family swim cost? From the rates we have, between €15 and €17 for two adults and two children at Swan, and €3 to €4 for a child at Swan or Coolmine.
Can babies swim at a public session? Under 3s swim free at Swan. Newpark and Ballymun also run parent and toddler sessions, aimed at the youngest swimmers.