The four – brothers, Eoin, Se\u00e1n and Ryan Underwood with friend and \u201chonorary Underwood\u201d Peter Shanahan – swam, scrambled, floated along the entire stretch of the Lee – immersing themselves in the beauty, culture, ecology and problems the river holds. They camped where they came ashore each night and got to know the river in a unique and visceral way.<\/p>\n
Talking a few days later on Zoom, the four are fresh and smiling after catching up on sleep and showers! It started as \u201cone of Se\u00e1n\u2019s bad ideas, he\u2019s known to do these kinds of things,\u201d said Eoin. (Back in 2018, Se\u00e1n rowed across the Atlantic!)<\/p>\n
The idea started with a swim on the morning of Se\u00e1n\u2019s wedding last year. \u201cI put it to them that I had an adventure in mind \u2014 something in Cork, to do with water.\u201d<\/p>\n
Initially they simply wanted to follow the river from the source to the Port of Cork, but in their preparation and scouting trips they started to realise all the different issues facing the river. Poor water quality, the impacts of agriculture on the river, changes to the natural systems and the impact all that has on the creatures who call the Lee home.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the start it was more a challenge and an adventure, and once we realised all the issues going on, we thought we could actually put it towards a good cause,\u201d said Eoin. \u201cThe Cork River Alliance Group (CRAG) seemed to be doing a lot of practical, actionable stuff – getting stuck in, organising river cleanups,\u201d said Se\u00e1n.<\/p>\n
So, the lads decided to raise funds for a device you can put in the river that gives readings on phosphates, nitrates and all the runoff \u2014 which CRAG will use to put \u201chard facts in front of whoever needs to see them\u201d.<\/p>\n
They have a lot of swimming experience under their belts. Ryan and Eoin are surfers. Peter and Se\u00e1n were into triathlons. They\u2019ve done lifesaving courses in the past. An A-team of skills and experience \u2013 a doctor, ecologist, architect and chemical engineer – are keen to emphasise that a huge amount of preparation went into keeping themselves safe. They mapped out the course, went through the OS maps, and worked out how they would swim the river in nine days.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d go tackle different sections of the river we thought would be more difficult or dangerous and scout them. We got lucky with how low the flow was. It made the swimming sections a bit tougher, but it helped with the more dynamic sections of the river with rapids and waterfalls,\u201d said Ryan.<\/p>\n
This experience isn\u2019t for just anyone to undertake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThere are sections that are genuinely dangerous, and we wouldn\u2019t want to encourage people to get into the water in places they shouldn\u2019t,\u201d Se\u00e1n emphasised.\n <\/p>\n
Plus, they had a fantastic support team of friends and families who helped with logistics and accompanied them by kayak when extra safety measures were needed.<\/p>\n
Day one, they got off to an unintentionally long start. \u201cWhen we got to Gougane Barra, we agreed the river was clearly coming from further up, so Ryan decided we should hike to find the actual source. Which resulted in a three-hour hike in full wetsuits up the mountain. We must have looked strange to the local walkers up there \u2014 four of us in wetsuits and goggles next to hikers,\u201d said Se\u00e1n. They didn\u2019t finish their swim till 10.30pm with bats flying over them as they got out of the river.<\/p>\n
One major impression they took from the experience is how the health, and taste, of the river changes depending on the landscape surrounding the river. Se\u00e1n said, \u201cYou read how a tree-lined riverbank helps filter nutrients, but with your head in the water for hours, you learn to taste, smell, and anticipate it. Coming up to a field with no tree line you\u2019d know the water was about to taste bad; then you\u2019d see a lovely tree-lined field ahead and know it\u2019d taste better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully nobody got sick \u2013 bar some skin irritation from spending nine days in a wetsuit. They were surprised they avoided an upset stomach but as Eoin said \u201cthe lack of rain meant less agricultural runoff than usual\u201d.<\/p>\n
The lack of salmon in the river was eye-opening and the trip drove home how iconic the salmon is in the Irish landscape and culture. \u201cEven the top of Shandon has a salmon weathervane looking out over Cork said Ryan. \u201cIt\u2019s one of Ireland\u2019s genuinely important animals, and its spawning routes have been blocked.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team found it interesting talking to older generations who described the river \u201cwriggling with salmon\u201d but now only a tiny amount makes it up the fish pass on the dam. \u201cThe Lee used to have around 15,000 salmon at the peak of its run, but there has been a 90% decline in salmon runs over the last 50 years,\u201d said Eoin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was only once we got past Inishleena that we started seeing big fish jumping \u2014 coming into that was one of the highlights. On the final day we climbed the weir near the Kingsley hotel and could see the salmon jumping,\u201d said Ryan.<\/p>\n
Eoin\u2019s highlight was seeing a night heron, \u201ca rare vagrant species\u201d around the Gearagh \u201cit was a real privilege,\u201d Peter said.<\/p>\n
\n \u201cPeople were surprisingly warm and generous people. One farmer, Michael, offered us his field, and when we came back that night, he\u2019d left unpasteurised milk and eggs for us. People took a real interest.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
For Se\u00e1n, \u201cit was really nice to reconnect with my brothers and a lifelong friend. Being immersed in Cork and in that fraternity – that was the best bit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, will there be a 2027 Lee Source to Port swim? They\u2019re not sure. Se\u00e1n said, \u201cI think there probably will be another adventure, but we need a few more sleeps and warm showers before we recover.\u201d<\/p>\n