Would you visit a nudist beach in Ireland? iStock

Would you travel to a nude beach in Ireland?

Dermatologists have been put on alert as it was announced that the first official Irish nude beach would open in April at Hawk Cliff in Dalkey, County Dublin.

According to the Irish Post, “The council are set to put up public notices in the local area next week, but not everyone’s a fan of the news. Some have raised concerns over suitability for children and anti-social behavior, but organizers say they do not intend to cause any offense or harm.”

These concerns were brushed aside by Pat Gallagher of the Irish Naturist Association, who told TV3 News: “We don’t go out to offend anyone. We simply want to go there, lie in the sun, get in the water, have a swim… but we don’t want to wear anything, that’s all.”

The beach will still be open to traditional bathing suit wearers, and signs will warn them not to be alarmed if they do see nudists.

Read more: Ireland one of the world's top nudist beach vacation destinations

A signing warning of a nude beach ahead. Image: iStock.

“It will,” Gallagher added, “more than likely say something like ‘nude bathers may be seen beyond this point.’ So, for someone reading that, if for any reason they are in fear or distress, at least they will have the notification that there may be nude bathers. We have always used the term ‘clothing optional.’”

The news came as a shock to some, such as local Councillor John Bailey, who said he was “totally opposed.” But come April, if things remain the same, going "au natural" may become de rigueur at Hawk Cliff, adding another chapter to the Dalkey Archives.

Read more: Wexford nudists threatened with arrest if they bare all on beach again

While this will be the first official nude beach in Ireland, this has not stopped bathers from ditching their clothes previous to this. In fact, right back in 2010, Ireland joined the ranks of the world’s top nudist beach destinations, despite the fact that it was technically still illegal in the country.

The southwest of the country has particularly popular with nude sunbathers who enjoy the benign climate courtesy of the Gulf Stream. While nude swimming or sunbathing on a public Irish beach is still illegal (apart from the newest )

The group Irish Naturist believe there are places where it is tolerated, however, as long as you are discreet and heed any warnings. You can find the top beaches in Ireland, according to nude beach lovers, here.

Would you visit a nude beach in Ireland? Let us know in the comments section, below. 

Dermot McEvoy is the author of the The 13th Apostle: A Novel of Michael Collins and the Irish Uprising and Our Lady of Greenwich Village, both now available in paperback, Kindle and Audio from Skyhorse Publishing. He may be reached at dermotmcevoy50@gmail.com. Follow him at www.dermotmcevoy.com. Follow The 13th Apostle on Facebook here.