Seaweed bathing has been part of Irish coastal tradition for centuries, with its roots in both folk practice and natural medicine. Communities living along the Atlantic seaboard harvested kelp and other seaweeds for food, fertilizer, and healing purposes.

Seaweed bathhouses appeared in the late 19th century in towns like Strandhill, Enniscrone, and Ballybunion. Popular through the early 1900s as natural cures for rheumatism, arthritis, and skin ailments, many declined mid-century. In recent decades, however, seaweed baths have seen a revival, blending heritage with modern wellness tourism.

I have travelled to the west coast of Ireland in late August to document these bathhouses for an assignment with The Washington Post.