Sandycove Swimmers

Upcoming Swims – Please Enter Early!

lecummins — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:48:27 +0000

A number of our swim organisers have asked us to highlight the importance of entering swims as early as you can. Late entries mean that organisers do not know how many swimmers to cater for. This has implications in many areas such as organising safety cover, ordering swim gear and/or post-swim refreshments and even in determining if the swim can actually go ahead. A number of swims were cancelled last summer due to entries not coming in early enough. Organisers need to be certain that they will be able to cover their costs, and if entries are low then they may have to make the decision to cancel their event.

So please, if you are intending to do swims this summer, please do not leave your entry to the last minute. We have compiled a list of all of the upcoming swims over the next month and their entry requirements and links for registration. The list is here, thanks to Carol Cashell for putting it together. Please have a look and see if there are any events on the list that you plan on entering, and if so…now is your chance! The Munster events list for the rest of the summer is also linked on the same page.

Happy swimming

Open Water Events Calendar 2013 – Get Signing Up!

lecummins — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:06:21 +0000

Now that we’re into May, it’s time to get thinking about and signing up for your summer swims! There is a link to the calendar of events on the site here: http://sandycoveswimmers.com/calendar#MunsterOWCalendar. A big thank-you to Finbarr Hedderman for all of the work that he did putting this together.

Please sign up early so that organisers know how many people that they have swimming. This is very important particularly for organising safety cover. If lots of people sign up at the last minute it causes a lot of headache for the organisers in the run-up to the swim. So if you know that you definitely want to do a swim, please sign up as soon as entries open!

As always a big thank-you also to all of our swim organisers

Páraic’s Picnic Table

lecummins — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:56:34 +0000

Páraic Casey continues to be remembered, and his life celebrated in Sandycove.

These words, Páraic’s words, are the same as those on his bench in Varne Ridge.

After a lot of behind the scene negotiations, planning and work everything fell into place on Friday the 5^th of April. Páraic’s picnic table was installed in Sandycove by a team of dedicated friends and professionals.

You may be aware from a previous post on this site that a bench has been erected in Páraic’s honour in Dover, thanks to the generous donations of many. Due to the overwhelming generosity of Páraic’s friends and family enough money was raised to do something similar in Sandycove. But why stop at a bench? Why not go all out and put in a picnic table? After all, the best part of any swim is often the chat with fellow swimmers over a hot beverage when you get out of the water. And we all know that Páraic always loved the chat, the tea, the food and the company.

So, early on the morning of Friday April 5^th a couple of Páraic’s friends (the driving force behind these two projects) left the pool and headed straight to Sandycove for a long day’s work. Different people dropped in and out during the day to give a hand, show encouragement, bring food and generally help out.

Everyone has their own interpretation of a helping hand!

We all know this view of Sandycove, a little bit of waste ground (although some people find it very useful, for private reasons!). This is where the picnic table was to go. After a morning of serious clearing, leveling and measuring the area was ready for the cement truck that laid the foundation for the table.

Laying the foundation.

After much deliberation the table was finally ready to be lifted onto the wet cement. It took the brains of the group to figure out how best to do this. Luckily there was an architect standing by to advise!

Possibly the best view from any picnic table in Ireland!

The finished product is amazing. It is a real tribute to Páraic. All the money raised, and the helping hands from start to finish in this project are a real testament to the true friend that Páraic was to so many. It is also another indication of the fantastic community that we have here in Sandycove. Sandycove Island Swimming Club – The Club that keeps on Giving – A very sincere thank you to all those who made this happen.

We look forward to many more years of sitting and chatting and sharing with Páraic at this place that was so close to his heart.

Water is warming up!! Time for a splash – Baltimore MAYDAY Swim in aid of the RNLI

lizswim — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:15:08 +0000

Baltimore RNLI Fundraising Branch is organising a swim from Sherkin Island Pier to Baltimore Pier on Saturday 4 May as part of the MAYDAY festivities.
Where: Sherkin Island to Baltimore, Baltimore, Cork

When:

Start Date: 4 May 2013 14:00
End Date: 4 May 2013 18:00

Fees: Adult Price €15

Contact details: mayday@rnli.org.uk

Event details:

you can enter here:

http://rnli.org/howtosupportus/getinvolved/events/Pages/Baltimore-Swim.aspx

Entry fee is €15 and you will receive a MAYDAY John West welly key ring.

The RNLI’s Baltimore Swim is part of MAYDAY. The event is a 1 nautical mile (2km) open-water swim from Sherkin Island Pier to Baltimore Pier and offers a unique opportunity to swim with 7 Ocean Challenger Steve Redmond. The swim will cross this famous channel under controlled circumstances. Numbers are limited so early entry is recommended.

Stephen Redmond is from Ballydehob, Co. Cork. He is a former rugby player and triathlete who is currently one of the few adventurers in the world on track to achieve the Oceans Seven, which is especially remarkable given the training facilities near his home town. He has also become the first person to swim around the treacherous Fastnet Rock.

Swimmers must be able to swim 1 mile in open-water conditions, be medically fit and agree to raise a minimum of €50 for the RNLI. You will be required to provide and wear a wetsuit. Swim caps will be provided and must be worn. Minimum age for entry to this event is 14 years.

MAYDAY is proudly supported by John West.

The Season Approaches…

lecummins — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:27:08 +0000

We have been a little quiet on here lately – the horrible winter weather has been getting the better of us! But there is light at the end of the tunnel…the weather should be starting to get warmer soon and dates for summer swims are starting to be announced. So, as we did last year, we are having a dinner to open the OW swim season over some fine food and good company

The date of the annual dinner is set for Friday, 5th April in Isaacs Restaurant, MacCurtain’s Street, Cork at 8 pm. It’s a set dinner and the cost is €30 per person (which does not include drinks).

The link to sign up for the dinner is here:
http://www.activeglobal.com/gl/swimming/munster-ireland/sandycove-island-swim-club-2011/168895. We need to send in numbers soon so please sign up as soon as possible if you want to come along. At the end (after you pay) you will get a message: “You still have to fill out online form”…ignore it!

It was a great night last year so please join us if you can!

London-Bound!

lecummins — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:55:17 +0000

Tomorrow a large group of Sandycove swimmers will be bound for London in time for Saturday’s Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting Bec Lido. The event is essentially an outdoor gala…in an unheated pool in snowy London! ‘Races’ include 30m freestyle, 30m head-up breaststroke, relays and (for the braver people!) a 450m endurance swim. And, for the creative among us, there is a “best-hat” competition during the head-up breaststroke races, so I’m sure that we will see some weird and wonderful headpieces there!

All week we have been receiving updates on the water temperatures (currently around 1 degree C) and the amount of ice covering the pool (last update is that it has melted but you can see a photo (borrowed from @AlexMcfadyen73‘s blog) below that shows the lido earlier this week). He has lots more photos of the lido on the blog, including some great underwater shots, so it’s worth taking a look.

Ice covering Tooting Bec Lido
(photo courtesy of http://quickdip.blogspot.co.uk)

The one incentive to all of this is that after the swims there is a choice of a hot tub or a sauna to warm up in…hopefully that will make all the cold worthwhile!

Best of luck to everyone travelling over for the event

Turkey Series 2012 – Results!!

lizswim — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 11:27:48 +0000

Dear Swimmers.

Thank you once again for a great season of Turkey Swims.

We had a great kitty for the prizes in both Sandycove and Loch Hyne and were able to run 2 draws, one for each location.
We also had a very kind donation from Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking (www.atlanticseakayaking.com) with 2 vouchers for half day kayaking trips!!

The Loch Hyne draw took place in Apple Bettys, Skibbereen and the following swimmers were present:

Noel Brown, Una Wycherley, Steven Black, Eileen O’Sullivan and Liz Buckley.
Una’s super charming daughter pulled the tickets ….

The winners are:

Marianne Nealon – 30 euro voucher for local butcher
Micheal Hurley – half day kayaking with AtlanticSeaKayaking (Jim Kennedy)
Eoin O’Sullivan – Loch Hyne whiskey
Eileen O’Sullivan – Toblerone

Steven Black, Noel Browne, Una Wycherley, Micheal Hurley, Padraig Leahy, Denise O’Donovan all won Selection Boxes.

The Sandycove Turkey draw took place in AnnMarie Mullally house near Belgooly.

Those present were:
Lisa Cummins, Carol Cashell, Mags Buckley, Paul O’Brien, Finbarr Hedderman, David Merriman, Jim, Mike (eventually), AnnMarie and Liz Buckley.

AnnMarie’s very patient son drew the tickets…

Winners are:

Mags Buckley – 30 euro meat voucher (Barretts butcher, Kinsale)
Lisa Cummins – 30 euro meat voucher (Barretts butcher, Kinsale)
Tadgh Harrington – 30 euro meat voucher (Barretts butcher, Kinsale)
Eoin O’Riordan – half day kayaking with Jim Kennedy (Atlantic Sea Kayaking)
Loch Hyne Whiskey – Paul O’ Brien
Bottles of wine: Karen McEvoy, Ned Denison, AnnMarie Mullally, Sandra Howard
Toblerone: Owen O’Keefe
Selection Boxes: Mike Harris, Finbarr x 2, AnnMarie M x 2, Nora Irwin, Keith McKeown, Mike Dunne, Dave Mulcahy, Ger Venner.

Huge thanks to AnnMarie and her family for the warm and generous hospitality at their home. Huge thanks to Jim Kennedy for the kayaking prizes.
Also a huge thanks to everyone who helped out and those who participated.

Mags, Lisa, Tadgh, Eoin and Micheal, please contact me directly re your prizes.

Would like to wish you all a wonderful New Year!!

Kind regards
Liz Buckley
Chairperson Sandycove Island Swim Club
http://www.sandycoveswimmers.com

Turkey Draws – Loch Hyne & Sandycove this weekend

lizswim — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:37:30 +0000

Hi all,

Its that time of year again, when all that hard work over the past few weeks may just win you a meat voucher, bottle of wine or a fabulous selection box

Tomorrow we will have the Loch Hyne Turkey draw @ 11 am in Loch Hyne.

Sunday we have the Sandycove Turkey draw after the swim @ 12 noon. Weather permitting at the slipway, otherwise at the Dock bar.

Ann-Marie Mullally has very kindly offered refreshments of mince pies and mulled wine back at her house after the draw on Sunday, everyone welcome (thank you Ann-Marie!)

If anyone needs directions, let me know.

See you at the weekend!

December Turkey Swims ….

lizswim — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 10:25:48 +0000

Just to be sure everyone is up to date on the Turkey Series news, we’ve had quite a few now!

Sunday 2nd Dec @ Myrtleville

Carol Cashell
Alan Craughwell
Lisa Cummins
Ned Denison
Bernard Lynch
Keith Mackeown
Rosaleen Mackeown
Karen McEvoy
Maeve Mulcahy
Niamh O’Connor
Damian O’Neill
Kevin Power
Siobhan Russell
Ger Venner

Saturday 8th Dec @ Sandycove

Finbarr
Ned
Mike
Angela
Rob Bohane
Riana
Dave Mulcahy
Ossie Schmidt
Anne Marie Mullally
Paul O’Brien
Mags Buckley
Imelda
Paschal Hedderman

Sunday 9th Dec @ Sandycove:

Finbarr
Mags
Paul
Dave Merriman
Mike Harris
Clare
Christine O’Brien
J.Flynn

Sunday 9th Dec @ Loch Hyne

Michael Hurley
Marianne Nealon
Eileen Murphy
Chris Murphy
Steven Black
Noel Browne
Padraig Leahy
Liz Buckley

Well done to everyone for joining in! Remember you don’t have to swim, you can walk, jog, bring tea

Huge thanks to all the coordinators: Lisa, Mags, Eoin, Steven, Noel, Carol, Craig!!

There is a swim tomorrow in Loch Hyne @ 11 am with Noel and Steven.

Next week is the last week, swims scheduled are :

12 noon sat 22nd Dec– Sandycove – Craig
12 noon sun 23rd Dec – Sandycove – No fee collected this swim – this is the day of the draw. Draw will be held after the swim in Sandycove, weather permitting or back to the Dock bar if its raining.

There will be more on this in a separate email.

Celebrating with Páraic – In Dover and France

lecummins — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:33:41 +0000

After Páraic’s Channel Swim in July Páraic and Riana had planned to return to La Sirène, the restaurant on the beach at The Cap. Sadly this didn’t happen.

In an attempt to honour this wish and to remember the good times we had in Dover and France we went back. We went back to remember the holiday we shared with friends and ‘family’, to celebrate a small part of a great life that we were all lucky enough to have shared with Páraic.

Before our meal at La Sirène, we had the obligatory dip, in chilly conditions, it has to be said. A special mention has to go to Paul Foreman and John Thorpe, Páraic’s pilot and observer, who both got in for a dip. Coach Eilís also deserves a mention for her endurance swim in chilly water. In keeping with the tradition of collecting a pebble from one’s landing spot Ned suggested we all take a pebble (some people took liberties on the definition of a pebble!) from the beach and bring it home to Sandycove for Páraic.

An important part of the trip was the ‘unveiling’ of Páraic’s bench at Varne Ridge. Huge thanks go to those of you who brought about this touching tribute to Páraic (you know who you are…take a bow!). Situated on top of the cliff at Varne Ridge Caravan Park, the bench has a commanding view of the channel. We hope that many people will have the opportunity to sit on the bench, think of Páraic, and take it all in.

Thank you to Sandycove Island Swimming Club – The Club that keeps on Giving – who helped make this memorable trip happen.