Swim shelter falls after heavy rain shifts sand - Donegal Daily
By Rachel McLaughlin · Donegal Daily · 31 August 2026

A changing shelter used by swimmers at Portnablagh Pier has collapsed after heavy rainfall on Sunday evening.The incident happened at around 7pm, when flowing w...
A changing shelter used by swimmers at Portnablagh Pier has collapsed after heavy rainfall on Sunday evening.
The incident happened at around 7pm, when flowing water shifted the sand supporting the concrete structure.
Local Councillor Michael McClafferty says options will now have to be considered to reset it elsewhere or provide a stronger base.
“Contact with the Council is ongoing to see how to address this and we’ll take it from there,” Cllr McClafferty told Donegal Daily .
“The Council will assess the location, what has happened and address what works need to be carried out. Whatever works are necessary, they will be taken in due course.”
The shelter was officially opened by Dunfanaghy Dippers in July 2025, when the group named it the “Dippers Den”.
It was one of four swim shelters installed across Donegal as part of a project delivered by Donegal Sports Partnership to provide open-water swimmers with a place to change and gather throughout the year.
The wider project also included facilities in Buncrana, Gweedore and Mountcharles, with support from Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland and Donegal County Council.
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Reporting by Rachel McLaughlin for Donegal Daily, funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Republished by News Room under the scheme’s reuse permission.
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