People are being asked to forego the annual Christmas Day swim at the 40 Foot in Sandycove due to concerns over large groups of people gathering for the annual tradition.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, gardaí, and the Health Service Executive issued the appeal for people to refrain from visiting bathing areas, especially the 40 Foot in Sandycove and at Seapoint this year over the potential risk of spreading Covid-19 at these public gatherings.
In a joint statement, the council, gardaí, and the HSE acknowledged that winter swimming and especially the long-standing tradition of the Christmas Day swim have become increasingly popular in recent years in the area, with very large numbers of people of all ages gathering at bathing locations along the coastline.
In the statement, they said "it is only for this year and is being advised in the spirit of ensuring the safety of all our families and friends".
The statement goes on to say that they are "keenly aware that this is a very significant request being asked of people.
"We would not be asking this if we did not consider that a large gathering would create a potential risk to public health and the spread of Covid-19.
"Personal responsibility has been a significant part of our armoury in the fight against Covid-19 and we urge you to exercise it now and to avoid creating a crowded environment over Christmas at these traditional locations.
"We are appealing to the public to consider their wider communities and to please refrain from visiting these bathing areas this Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day".
