Daragh Morgan’s solo swim around Ireland has been verified by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association (ILDSA).
Morgan’s effort has been described by the ILDSA as an “assisted, solo, non-continuous staged circumnavigation swim around the island of Ireland” with a route distance of 1396.05km.
Swim time was 338:35:00, starting on May 1st at 0730 at Foudra Rock, Galway, and finishing on November 22nd at 15.42 at Foudra Rock.
Pilot was Dara Bailey on the Naomh Crónán, and the ILDSA lists observers and the many crew.
Morgan, who is a former lifeguard, had run from Mizen to Malin Head, from Galway to Dublin, and had swum across Galway Bay twice before embarking on the circumnavigation last year.
Dara Bailey, fisherman, sailor and son of the late and legendary Galway hooker skipper Johnny Bailey, provided support from the Naomh Crónán.
The 18-metre Galway hooker was built by a Clondalkin community group in 2003, and is maintained by Badóirí an Cladaigh, the Galway-based group of traditional boat builders involving Peter Connolly, brother of President Catherine Connolly.
As Afloat has reported, Lion’s Mane and Mauve stingers were among the jellyfish Morgan encountered during swims, which averaged out around 16km to 17km a day.
He said he found the south-east coast, where he is from, to be the toughest part after he had rounded the top of the island and completed the east coast.
Bailey said he “didn’t even flinch about it” when he was asked to volunteer his time and navigational expertise.
“A lot of other people were telling him it wasn’t possible,” Bailey said.
Morgan paid tribute to the many who helped out, including the family of the late Henry O’Donnell, the Donegal-born former Army Ranger and adventurer who became the first person to swim with fins solo around Ireland in 2022.
O’Donnell had previously been part of a relay team which recorded the first joint sea swim around Ireland in 2006, involving Anne-Marie Ward, Nuala Moore, Ian Claxton, Tom Watters and Ryan Ward.
Morgan’s challenge, named SwimÉire, was undertaken in aid of Simon and the RNLI.
