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Open Water Swimming News from Ireland
Ballintoy beach on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast
Water quality activists have alleged that people are “getting ill” after swimming at beaches in Northern Ireland, as BelfastLive reports. Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage suggests that the public is being let down by NI’s water testing system, which currently…
Maxine Strain and the Swim Smooth Ireland Squad making their donation to Wicklow RNLI on Sunday 29 January
Flying Fifteen sailor John MacAree was part of a major fundraising effort in aid of Wicklow RNLI by the members of Swim Smooth Ireland, who presented a cheque for more than €10,000 at the weekend. The swimming club’s big charity…
Northern Ireland ice swimmer Grace McLaughlin
A County Down swimmer has broken a world record and claimed two gold medals at the ice swimming world championships, reports The Belfast Telegraph. Grace McLaughlin from Bangor defied freezing temperatures to triumph at the International Ice Swimming Association’s (IISA)…
Balscadden Bay at Howth Head
Howth’s Irish Coast Guard unit reminds sea swimmers to be wary of cold water temperatures after they responded to a hypothermic swimmer needing medical assistance on Wednesday morning (4 January). The casualty was taken safely from the water at Balscadden…
100 Baywatch keen swimmers took to the water for the Christmas Eve Dip at Helen's Bay on Belfast Lough
Helen’s Bay is a small village on the Belfast to Bangor railway line on the south shore of Belfast Lough and is named after Helen Blackwood, Baroness Dufferin and Clandeboye, who lived in the early nineteenth century. It’s not recorded…
Water Safety Ireland is urging those planning festive charity dips to be mindful of the effect of a new moon on Dec 23rd which will lead to higher tides throughout the weekend. Higher tides can hide unfamiliar depths and hazards…
Fethard sea swimming group 'Hooked on Swimming', has begun its '12 swims of Christmas'. Until their final swim on New Year's Day, the swimmers will brave the elements and swim 12 times for the RNLI. The 12 Swims group began last year and has grown from strength to strength, now comprising 140 swimmers
Fethard RNLI’s fundraising branch has begun to distribute RNLI Christmas cards to local shops and businesses, while local swimming group Hooked on Swimming have begun their 12 swims of Christmas fundraiser which will see proceeds raised to power the lifesaving…
Chris Gallagher after completing the 2022 Dublin Marathon in his bare feet
An Omagh man who was rescued by the Irish Coast Guard after he was caught in a rip current off a Donegal beach in July has completed the Dublin Marathon in his bare feet to raise awareness of water safety…
Rosie Foley pictured in training
A former Irish rugby international has become only the second Irish woman to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. Rosie Foley recently crossed 32.3km between Catalina Island and the mainland of Southern California to match the rugby union…
Competitors in a previous Liffey Swim
The annual Liffey Swim was held in Dublin city centre on Saturday (24 September) with nearly 500 people taking part, as RTÉ News reports. Dublin Swimming Club’s Ken Dent took the men’s honours, leading from the outset and setting a…
University of Galway expert Prof Dearbháile Morris - the current EU bathing water quality directive requires updating
Preliminary research into the impact of harmful organisms in bathing water suggests that regular sea swimmers leading a healthy life may have some protection. University of Galway expert Prof Dearbháile Morris cautions that the indications are preliminary, and require more…
270 swimmers took part in the River Boyne Swim
The seventh annual Boyne Swim took place on Saturday, 10th September, with the biggest entry ever of 270 swimmers taking part on the day. It was a beautiful sunny day with excellent weather conditions, and the River Boyne was in…
The open water skills programme is for experienced swimmers who want to improve their technique, skills and stamina in open water
Dippers to Swimmers, Beach to Buoy, open water skills and yoga and dip are among Swim Ireland’s tuition programmes for its summer season. The 45-minute classes, which will run for four or six weeks depending on location around the Irish…
Galway City Council has imposed a ban on swimming at two beaches due to E.coli contamination. The bacterial contamination was detected during tests at Grattan beach in Lower Salthill and Ballyloughane beach on the city's east side near Renmore. The…
Crosshaven RNLI at roches Point in Cork Harbour
Shortly after launching on exercise this evening, Valentia Coast Guard tasked the volunteer RNLI crew at 7.15 pm to proceed to Ringabella Bay, where two people who had been cut off by the tide attempted to swim across the bay…
Sea swimmers at the Forty Foot on Dublin Bay
Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have initiated a study to determine if open water swimming has an impact on depression. The researchers are seeking people in Britain to take part in the randomised control trial, where some participants will…