In 2021, Bébhinn O’Malley, our middle child fondly called the pirate princess, had to endure the heartbreak of losing her dear dog, Samhradh. She transported the canine companion from her residence in southern Kerry to her homeland in County Mayo for burial.
Samhradh, much like her owner Bébhinn, lived a free-spirited life, often accompanying her on the sandy shores of Wild Atlantic Way, basking under the sun on sand dunes, and venturing on explorations across mountains and lands, whilst Bébhinn engaged in her love for surfing and swimming.
The pooch was laid to rest at Clare Island under the wing of Glen Hill. The scenic spot offers a splendid view over the port and the expanse of Clew Bay beneath and the sacred Croagh Patrick mountain line.
Three years post her demise, Samhradh’s memory lives on at her namesake Sauna situated on Cromane Beach in County Kerry. The sauna, boasting an unmatched panorama bordered by the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas, the Slieve Mish range, and the MacGillicuddy Reeks, has become quite the landmark.
This uptick in mobile saunas is believed to be a welcomed outcome of the pandemic, likely due to an increase in sea swimming and a better consideration for our health and general wellness.
As someone older, the health benefits of saunas never crossed my mind during my upbringing. Bath time over the weekend involving a playful splash with siblings was the height of it.
The concept of luxurious spa weekends at hotels equipped with steam rooms, saunas, salt caves, and hydrotherapy pools were as foreign to me as a day without prayers and midday meals. Nevertheless, with the knowledge of our ancestral legacy of stone-constructed sweatrooms, I was left with no excuse to decline Bébhinn’s invitation to a sauna during a recent trip to the Kingdom.
Quite honestly, I was stepping out of my increasingly defined comfort zone by agreeing to join a group of unfamiliar people in a closed 80 degree Celsius space with limited attire. The subsequent idea of meandering about on a windy beach in order to plunge into freezing water – given it was April, and the ocean’s temperature was barely hitting 10 degrees – did not fill me with exhilaration. However, after learning from Bébhinn that one of her regular clients was in their eighties, I realized age was no barrier. Moreover, she informed me that her client base was varied, including all age groups and professions, ranging from farm hands to mechanical experts, and janitors to medical practitioners, encompassing both locals and tourists. To help quell my claustrophobic concerns, she elucidated that her Finnish-fashioned wood-burning sauna, which is located outdoors, guarantees a sense of airiness due to a large window that provides therapeutic views of the surrounding land and sea.
She refers to Dr Susanna Søberg’s research as substantiated proof of the benefits of sauna use and cold water dips. Bébhinn quoted the doctor’s finding that an optimal balance of heat and cold exposure per week – 57 minutes and 11 minutes respectively – provides ample health benefits. Bébhinn emphasized that undertaking regular saunas coupled with cold water immersion provides significant benefits, advocating it as a cost-effective self-care ritual that prioritizes preventive healthcare instead of a reactive approach. Despite my initial hesitation, I eventually found myself enjoying a profound sense of wellness post sauna. I emerged from this experience not just externally but internally rejuvenated as well.
I soon found my anxiety melting away as my daughter Saoirse and I participated in the hour-long group session with four others. In the usual Irish way, we clicked almost immediately, discovering unexpected shared connections and parting as good friends by the end of our time. Meanwhile, Bébhinn was busy preparing to welcome her next group of guests, with her new puppy, Nora, amusing herself by chasing her tail next to a board displaying the Samhradh’s Sauna logo. The logo features a painting of Bébhinn, surfing with her late dog, against the backdrop of Clare Island.