Heat and healing: Ireland’s ancient and modern sauna culture
Ireland’s centuries-old tradition of sweathouses, which offered healing for body and soul, lives on in its modern-day waterside saunas
Sauna and Sea, County Derry
Tucked into rugged landscape, Ireland’s new wave of outdoor saunas offer more than just a warm-up - they tap into a centuries-old tradition. Inspired by ancient stone sweathouses once used for healing and reflection, these modern retreats blend wellness with a deep sense of place, connecting visitors to the island’s elemental past.
Ireland’s seventeenth-century landscape was dotted with unique beehive-shaped, drystone structures with low narrow entrances that played an important part in the health and wellbeing of communities. Long before wellness retreats and cold plunges were trending, these stone sweathouses were the go-to spot for a good purge - of aches, fevers, and maybe even bad vibes. Tucked beside rivers and streams, these rustic steam rooms offered a full-body reset: sweat it out, then plunge into icy water for the ultimate refresh. Locals believed it wasn’t just the body being cleansed, but the mind and spirit too, like ancient detox with a touch of soul.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, sweathouses fell out of favour as modern medical practices were introduced. From the thousands that existed in the seventeenth century, around 300 sweathouses still stand on the island of Ireland today, mossy relics of Ireland’s past. Creevaghbaun, in County Galway is an excellent example, featuring a carved effigy of a woman, thought to be of St Bridget, dating to 1710. Another well-preserved one is Ballydonegan Sweathouse, County Derry, situated right beside a stream in the beautiful Sperrin Mountains.
Although these stone sweathouses are no longer in use, outdoor sauna culture in Ireland is having a renaissance - think sea swims followed by sizzling wooden huts, misty views, and locals swapping small talk. It’s part wellness, part wild ritual, and entirely in tune with the island’s raw, rain-soaked magic.
A prime example is Sweathouse, which operates in counties Galway and Wexford; a mobile sauna that sits by the sea providing a stimulating hot/cold experience. Here you can book a space and join in the communal experience or opt for private hire. Also in County Galway, award-winning Driftwood Sauna. sits right on the beach on the Wild Atlantic Way, the sauna’s large windows providing panoramic views. Here, trained Sauna Masters lead guided ritual group sessions – fully immersive experiences designed to promote deep relaxation.
Tigh n Alluis, Irish Sweat House, Glencullen, Co Dublin
Meanwhile, on the spectacular Causeway Coast, Sauna & Sea is committed to sustainability and the promotion of saunas as places for relaxation, socialisation, and therapy. And in the Dublin Mountains, Tigh ‘N Alluis is an oasis of Irish warmth and welcome where tradition meets innovation. Its sauna and ice bath experiences are designed to rejuvenate the body, calm the mind, and uplift the soul.
Other sauna outlets promise an altogether more lively experience, such as Helios Sauna, with locations in Bray, County Wicklow, and in Dundrum, County Dublin. Unlike the hushed, meditative vibe of a traditional sauna, Helios Sauna turns up the heat and the energy. Set against a backdrop of crashing waves and wild coastal views, sessions here often include music, group rituals, guided breathwork, and even storytelling - creating a communal, almost festival-like atmosphere. It’s not just about sweating solo in silence; it’s a social, sensory experience that celebrates connection, nature, and the joy of letting go.