This article is from page 14 of the 2012-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE last traces of the old Golf Links Hotel in Lahinch was demolished on Friday, as the area known as the “pump-house”, located on the southern most point of Lahinch beach, was removed by Clare County Council.
The structure, which has stood on the Lahinch seafront for more than 120 years, was originally built to service the old Lahinch Gold Links Hotel in 1890. The concrete pumphouse was used to pump fresh sea water to the hotel, which was then used to provide hot and cold, saltwater baths for its guests.
The hotel itself, which was located at the highest point in the village of Lahinch, was built to cater for the large number of tourists who flocked to play on the famed Lahinch Golf Course. It burned down in suspicious circumstances in the 1920s and the pump-house was all that remained of the historic structure.
Despite countless storms and high tides over the last century, the pumphouse has survived everything that the Atlantic Ocean has thrown at it over more than 120 years. The location, which could be accessed by a narrow cliffs side path, has been a popular teenage hangout for decades.
A spokesperson from Clare County Council confirmed that it has been concerned about the locations safety in recent times.
“The structure has become dangerous due to coastal erosion. Local groups have on numerous occasions in the past requested the council to remove this structure as it had become a gathering place for groups of youths and posed a serious health and safety risk to the general public,” said a spokesperson.
“So the works involved the removal of a serious health and safety risk.”
Over the last decade the pump- house has become a favourite hang out for the scores of local surfers who live in Lahinch and the surrounding area. A number of local surfers have expressed their disappointment that the structure has been removed.
It has also been suggested that one of the locals waves could be named in honour of the pump-house.
The old Golf Links Hotel was constructed a large tract of land which covered, in part, the area currently occupied by the Lahinch playground. It was build in close proximity both to the Golf Course and the Lahinch stop on the West Clare Railway, which is located on present day Station Road.