WILLIAM MORRISON,
Sir, - It was interesting and pleasing to read Eibhir Mulqueen's report (The Irish Times, January 5th) on the new swimming pool at the University of Limerick. However, it is not correct to describe it as the first 50-metre swimming pool in the State.
From the 1920s Blackrock Baths, Co Dublin, had a 50-metre, eight lane, outdoor Olympic-style swimming pool, incorporating a complete diving tower, consisting of one and three-metre springboards, plus five and 10-metre high-board diving platforms.
For the next 50 years, Blackrock Baths hosted full-scale international swimming, water polo and diving galas from June to September for the enjoyment of a large public.
The sad aspect of Limerick's good news is that the capital city and the East coast, which had a state-of-the-art facility, some 80 years ago, should have been without this amenity for the past 20 years, due to lack of support from national and local government resources.
It's good to see the South West's awake , but sad to have our own east-coast Olympic pool go Rip Van Winkle for the past two decades. We envy - but do not begrudge - Limerick's new indoor pool. Enjoy! - Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM MORRISON,
Sandycove Swimming
and Diving Club,
Waterloo Road,
Dublin 4.