‘It’s not just a great aid for physical recovery, it’s somewhere to reset, to take time out when busy’ – the rise of the home sauna

Almost by stealth, Ireland has become a nation of sauna lovers. Where once these sweat boxes and associated cold plunge baths were largely confined to hotels and spas, stand-alone saunas have sprung up right across the country. There has been a veritable sauna-building frenzy since the pandemic, cropping up everywhere from scenic seaside locations to otherwise nondescript business parks.