The Irish sauna boom: From petrol stations to seaside caravans – why sweat sessions have taken over

Before, a sauna session would necessitate a trip to the spa. These days, you can sweat just about anywhere, as the wellness craze grows around Ireland

Brendan Maloney owns Suaimhneas Saunas in Blackrock, Cork. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Saoirse Hanley

In the shadow of a Circle K filling station in Cork, people in bikinis are waiting for their turn. They’re not filling up their cars with diesel, but rather taking a dip in a plunge pool. Afterwards, they’ll spend some time in a sauna. They’re patrons of Brendan Maloney’s Suaimhneas Saunas, the latest branch of which you won’t find beside the ocean.

If you went for a swim a few years ago, your best bets for warming up afterwards were layers, flasks of tea, and maybe your car’s heater. But particularly since the pandemic, it’s all about the wood cabin — with hundreds of mobile saunas appearing along the nation’s coast.