I tried sea and sauna therapy in Cork for the first time — here's what happened

An intense sauna session, followed by a bracing dip in the sea, is fast becoming a popular way to unwind and socialise. Novice Deirdre McArdle dives in to see what all the excitement is about

Deirdre McArdle and her sister Ciara Tattan taking a cold plunge in the sea after their sauna at Roberts Cove, Co. Cork.

It's a beautiful evening in Robert’s Cove, Co Cork. At 7pm, the sun is still high, there’s a light breeze, and the tide is in. People mill around, running in and out of the sea, and race past me to get into the sauna, perched at the beach entrance.

I have no prior experience to go on, other than a decades-old memory of swimming in the too-cold sea in Portmagee, Kerry. I shiver, even though I’m fully dressed.