Who we are

My name is Tomás Kelly and I live in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. The photos are myself and my eldest daughter in Lough Dan on Christmas eve 2025. I've no idea what the water temperature was, but I wouldn't have had the guts to get in that day had she not waded in first! Anyway, we didn't hang around long and you can see from the second photo it wasn't a slow graceful exit!

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The idea for a charity swim in Lough Dan was inspired by family in Sligo who organise the Enniscrone Pier Swim each year. 2026 will be our inaugural event, but actually I convinced a small gang of friends I swim with in Greystones to jump in last September to raise some money for Gaza. Afterwards, having filled them full of cake and coffee on the shore, I managed to talk them into forming a committee to run this year's event!  

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Lough Dan has to be one of my favourite places in the world, and you couldn't ask for a better backdrop for a swim. Of course, it's no stranger to hosting events. It has held National Long Distance 10km Swims, Ice Mile Swims, Triathlons and Adventure Races over the years.

 

Thank you for supporting this event and the incredible charities that we are partnered with. I hope that everyone who enters or comes to spectate this year has a fantastic day out and that this event will become the first swim everyone looks to stick in their calendars each year!