Hi folks,

Just to remind you, every year at Christmas we have a swim in Sandycove followed by nibbles and drinks back at Anne and Mike’s place in Kinsale. The reason for the swim/ party, well there are a few – to celebrate Mike’s birthday, celebrate his body part replacements… and of course red togs and Christmas!

The history of the party is a bit vague, but as far as we can remember it started as a celebration of Mike’s 60th birthday (where the concept of THE MIKE HARRIS TROPHY was unveiled).

Then came the ‘replacement’ years. Mike has a 12 year record of doing at least one lap every month. During this period Mike would get in an early November lap then hobble off to get a knee replaced. After the minimal recovery period, Mike would get a team of us safety swimmers assembled in late December to make sure he made the requisite December lap.

Without consideration of the group, Mike seemingly ran out of body parts to replace last year, whereby Finbarr Hedderman presented Mike with the “named” togs…never imagining that they would ever be worn, much less all the time!!

So we now come screaming into 2010…and another party!