Everything you need to know before going skinny dipping in Cork
We’ve almost got the weather for it.
With temperatures soaring to the high teens in recent weeks, most of us have at least considered stripping off and plunging into the sea.
But if you like to let it all hang out on a more regular basis, there’s a dedicated group ready to welcome you and your wobbly bits with open arms.
With more than 600 members, the Cork Clothes Free Meet-Up is run by a self-described ‘group of family-friendly nudists, who meet regularly for clothing free recreation and social activities.’
Excursions include swimming, sunbathing, beach trips ‘and garden parties in summer with house gatherings and indoor swimming in winter’.
The new nude
Naturism is enjoying a bit of a resurgence in recent years, with one French theme park even opening its attractions exclusively to nudists looking to enjoy them ‘au naturel’ over a weekend.
Broad minded Parisians have even allocated a special part of the Bois de Vincennes park in the 12th arrondissement for the enjoyment of nudists between 8am and 7.30pm daily in the summer months.
Meanwhile in Cork, clothes-free events are few and far between, apart from the annual World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) day in June.
Last year dozens of volunteers turned up for One Thousand Bodies, a mass nude art installation designed to mark 10 years since the US photographer Spencer Tunick captured images of 1,000 naked people at Blarney Castle.
West Cork remains the top nude sunbathing location on Leeside, with Glandore’s Prison Cove the most accepted spot for a swim in your birthday suit.
The naked truth
According to the Irish Naturist’s Association, there are no officially designated naturist beaches or sites in Ireland.
However, once you’re not bothering anyone, it is within the law to be naked in public:
‘There was a fundamental change in the law on public nudity following the enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.’ reads the Irish Naturist’s Association website.
‘This new Section replaced the old law on public indecency. The new law, which is similar to the law on public nudity in the UK, states that for an offence to be committed the person exposing him/herself must intend to cause fear, distress or alarm to another person. Being naked in itself is not illegal under this law.’
Main image: Joe Joe
