The loss of two swimmers off Silver Strand this time last year and the passing of members of Galway’s sea swimming community was recalled at the annual Swimmers’ Mass in the Claddagh Church at the weekend.
The service included a roll call by the Blackrock Diving Tower community of those swimmers and friends who died during the year.
It was attended by president-elect Catherine Connolly (now President), a swimmer herself, and this year’s reflection was delivered by Paddy McNamara.
“This time last year was a sombre one - we had just recovered Johnny Duhan, and the search was continuing for Máire,” McNamara said.
He was referring to the extensive recovery effort initiated after musician Johnny Duhan and Máire Ní Fhatharta lost their lives off Silver Strand beach in thick fog on November 12th, 2024.
Duhan’s body was recovered later that day, but it was November 22nd when Ní Fhatharta’s body was found, after searches involving some 60 craft and several thousand people.
“That search was very indicative of what I believe we are,” McNamara said.
“We are a community of caring people, and the search on water and on shore showed the many different aspects of that care in trying to bring one of the community home to her family,”he said.
“The recent passing of Denis [Slyne], the last swimmer on our list this year - and it’s a long list of great friends gone - reiterated this,”McNamara said.
“When he went missing, it was a member of the swimming community who found him and on the day he passed two members of the Fire Brigade who attended that morning were swimmers,” he noted.
“Two local fishing boats who diverted to give assistance and the RNLI RIB which also responded were crewed by swimmers also,”he said.
“ It is that sense of caring about others and giving without questioning that’s important. Perhaps it’s that sense of a community of equals who care about others - rather than a hierarchical society - that has enabled the different sub communities such as those in Renville, Kinvara, Silver Strand and Furbo to continue to thrive,”he said.
“All are welcome to participate, whether as dippers or long-distance swimmers, but we must never forget the diverse nature of our populous community, and respect …differences,”he said.
“ Most of us eventually find our grouping, but most of us just start as an unknown individual where our history, religion, political affiliation or cultural background is irrelevant but respected,” he said.
“Some people swim for the known positive benefits both physical and mental, and some meet for the social aspect which can also be just as important,” McNamara said.
“Like all communities - and it wouldn’t be Ireland if it wasn’t - there is the occasional falling out, and there have been a few,” he continued.
“But I would hope that people can resolve their issues – if not, at least leave any animosity at the entrance and gain some of the positives that can still be found by swimming in open water and interacting with others on a social level,” he said.
“When I last gave this reflection we had just come out of Covid, and there was much pondering if the many newcomers would continue to dip when normality resumed but thankfully most have continued,” McNamara said.
“ People come from all over the world and see and are amazed by the community and spirit that exists within the swimmers,” he said.
McNamara said that “one of the greatest pleasures of being in these merry groups of individuals” is “finding and discovering some of the different interests of the people around us”.
“Last week I ended up discussing Stoicism with the swimmer beside me, and have also had conversations about the nib sizes of fountain pens and which paper is best for them, and that just goes to show some of the diversity of interests that exist among us,” he said.
“As a child growing up, the two most iconic images of Galway were St Nicholas’s Collegiate Church and Eyre Square,” he said.
“Today I would hazard a guess that the Galway Hooker and the Diving Tower at Blackrock are better known images, and the Galway Hookers have been having a great resurgence over the last few years,”he said.
“Over the last 75 years these amenities have provided for generations of locals and visitors alike and it’s hard to believe that they are not protected structures!” he said, referring to both Blackrock Tower and Ladies Beach.
“ I feel this lack of protection is perhaps one of the reasons for the poor state of repair. Perhaps as a large community we need to inform and sway our local representatives that a sympathetic restoration is a priority,” he said.
“The time of “more surveys” and the continued pushing back of major repairs needs to end,” he emphasised, urging people to continue to keep a lookout for one another.
The list of departed swimmers and friends is on the Blackrock Diving Tower Facebook page.
