The Cork beach sauna where you can grab an O’Flynn’s hotdog after your cold plunge
This might be our dream day out.
A new beach sauna with cold plunge is now open on Garretstown Beach, with fresh coffee and sizzling hotdogs to help you refuel after your dip in the icy water.
Niall Calnan, a project manager with a passion for well-being, opened Coastal Roast to offer visitors a taste of Nordic luxury with a distinctly Irish twist.
Calnan isn’t your typical entrepreneur. He stumbled upon the transformative power of beachside saunas in 2021, and the experience was nothing short of revelatory. “You could be after a terrible day at work, stressed out,” he says, “but spend an hour in the heat with dips in the ocean, and whatever you were carrying is gone and you’re in the right frame of mind for whatever life throws at you next.”
The key, Calnan believes, lies in the hot-and-cold therapy cycle. It’s a practice long revered by Scandinavians, and for good reason. The heat relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and supposedly boosts the immune system – Calnan himself claims to have banished the “man flu” since becoming a sauna devotee.
But Calnan’s vision goes beyond individual wellness. He sees his sauna as a social hub, a place where friends and family can bond over shared experiences. “My wife and kids, my parents, brothers and sister all use them now,” he beams, “giving us some great memories.” He even hopes to attract sports teams for post-training recovery sessions.
The addition of outdoor showers is another innovative touch. While Calnan himself relishes the invigorating ocean dips, he acknowledges they’re not for everyone. The showers provide a more accessible alternative for those who prefer a gentler approach to cold therapy.
If you like to feel the burn (and the benefits) of a proper ice bath, the Coastal Road tubs are set at three degrees for experienced users and seven degrees for newbies.
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Sweating profusely is a hungry business and right outside, Niall’s parents run a snack bar where you can order anything from an O’Flynn’s gourmet sausage hot dog to croissants and scones straight from the oven, along with Brewdoo coffee and a range of teas.
Right now Coastal Roast is open on weekends (from 9am-6pm Friday to Sunday) with a view to extending these hours depending on demand.
The price is €10 per person for 30 minutes for a shared session and you can book through Coastalroast.net.
