Tori Ferenc travels to the west coast of Ireland – to the seaside towns of Strandhill, Enniscrone and Clifden – to document the traditional practice of Seaweed Bathing for the Washington Post. Tori’s soft, hazy and nostalgic aesthetic compliments this culturally and historically rich topic beautifully.

Words by Tori Ferenc

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. focusing on the seaside towns of Strandhill, Enniscrone, and Clifden.