{"id":76649,"date":"2025-09-21T08:05:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T08:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/76649\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T08:05:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T08:05:11","slug":"how-safe-is-it-to-take-plunge-beyond-the-summer-in-ireland-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/76649\/","title":{"rendered":"How safe is it to take plunge beyond the summer in Ireland? \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s just after 8am at Low Rock Beach in Malahide<\/a>, north Co Dublin<\/a>, and a group of people are setting up plastic chairs. There are bags filled with towels, swimming hats and wetsuit booties on the ground, as they begin to strip down to their swimming<\/a> togs, in preparation for their morning dip.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s soul food,\u201d Mary Lennon says enthusiastically, when asked why she\u2019s braving the cold on this brisk September morning.<\/p>\n

She and her partner, Ken Lynam, try to swim a few times a week. The first year they started, before Covid-19<\/a>, they thought it would just be during the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be able to do it. I went month by month. I said I\u2019d go up to Christmas and that would be an achievement. And then it was like, maybe I\u2019ll do January. And in fact, that year, March was the worst because it just felt like this was never going to get any warmer,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n

The couple are among a growing number of people who are opting for a morning or weekly sea swim as part of their routine. And since the pandemic, more people are opting to keep it up outside of the summer months.<\/p>\n

\"MalahideMalahide sea swimmers Dave Tuite, Joe Keeling, Anne Sullivan, Michele Owens, Liam Kennedy, Connie Dottino and Kevin Treacy. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Kevin Tracy (76) goes every day. During the summer, he could stay in the water for 20 or 30 minutes. As we move into the winter season, however, it\u2019s much shorter.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people would say they would rather see it cold rather than during the height of summer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see the sun coming up every morning on the east, rising there, and you see the people. When they come back, they\u2019re full of vitality and rigour. They\u2019re bouncing around and they\u2019re almost talking too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AnneAnne Sullivan, Joe Keeling, Michele Owens and Dave Tuite at Low Rock Beach. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill<\/p>\n

[\u00a0How and why to sea swim: walk in slowly wetting your shoulders, if you likeOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

The mental benefit is something to which Liz Taylor also attests. Who needs an alarm clock when you\u2019ve cold waves to really wake you up, she says. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a routine. I used to play tennis but I injured my back so now I do this.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s rough, we wouldn\u2019t get in because those rocks are dangerous. So the waves are coming in, you could get knocked up on those rocks. Sometimes you know from looking at the winds that it\u2019s not going to be suitable. I swim with a group, so usually a crowd of us go out together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"EnthusiastsEnthusiasts say sea swimming is good for body and soul. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

The camaraderie between the group is clear, with Connie Dottino, a 51-year-old from Argentina, saying sea swimming has helped her \u201cintegrate into the community\u201d. <\/p>\n

It is also, she says, an excellent way to kick-start the day, feeling more relaxed both physically and mentally. <\/p>\n

A 2023 study published in the Official Journal of the Irish Medical Organisation found cold water therapy has been shown to have physiological effects across all the big systems, improving immunity, metabolic, cardiovascular and neurological health.<\/p>\n

The physical benefit is one of the main reasons why 66-year-old Liam Kennedy hits the waves every day. He has been involved in sport since he was a child, playing rugby and captaining the Irish athletics team in 1980.<\/p>\n

\u201cI come [to the beach] every day because I train every day, it fits into my schedule. I do running or weights and then I come down for a dip,\u201d he says. \u201cAfter a hard session then, the cold water gets rid of all that lactic acid.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0The addictive magic of swimming in the sea in winter: ‘It\u2019s life affirming’Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

There are many positives to outdoor sea-swimming. But 2024 research conducted by UCD<\/a>\u2019s Environmental Research Institute, on behalf of the Department of Housing, states cold-water swimming outside of the summer period can present \u201csignificant health and safety risks which many bathers may not be fully aware of\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"KevinKevin Treacy prepares to take the plunge. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill<\/p>\n

It highlights the risks of contracting waterborne diseases in particular, stating that after heavy rain there is a \u201cgreater inflow of faecal contaminants from surrounding catchments and often sudden decline in receiving water quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

The official bathing season runs annually from June 1st to September 15th, during which period the local authorities and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitor water quality. Outside of this, however, there is largely no testing of water quality.<\/p>\n

\"SeaSea swimmer Tim Kinsella in Malahide: The official bathing season runs from June 1st to September 15th. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Karin Dubsky, co-founder of Coast Watch and a marine ecologist, says during the winter there is too much rain for sewerage plants to cope, which results in increased pathogens in the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re in calm weather, you have your head above the water, that\u2019s one thing. But if you\u2019re in rougher weather, which what happens during the winter, you get splashes of water into your eyes, your ears, your mouth,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll ingest small amounts of bacteria and viruses and they\u2019ll go into your tummy where they\u2019ll feel totally at home to reproduce and make you sick. You know, diarrhoea or an upset stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KenKen McCarthy, one of the Malahide sea swimmers. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Malahide swimmer Ken McCarthy knows all about it. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m on antibiotics now for that. In autumn, a lot of sea swimmers get a bug, you know Delhi belly kind of thing. You could get it about twice a year. But it\u2019s about being unlucky if you get it,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it\u2019s definitely getting worse. Definitely getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catching a disease isn\u2019t the only potential consequence of sea swimming; there are also risks associated with the colder, rougher conditions.<\/p>\n

Anything below 15 degrees is defined as cold water, which can seriously affect your breathing and movement, according to the RNLI.<\/p>\n

Dr Eamonn O\u2019Shea, the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) lead for cardiovascular disease, says there is an \u201cinherent risk\u201d that people may not be aware.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom now until next July, water is cold enough to bring on cold water shock. And what happens is you hyperventilate, your blood pressure goes up, your heart rate goes up. Even if they\u2019re very fit and healthy, that shock can cause heart problems, including cardiac arrest,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s only a small minority of people now, and it would mostly be someone who has fallen in unexpectedly or someone who is not adequately prepared for it. It\u2019s important to acclimatise the body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MaryMary Lennon and Ken Lynam. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Maureen McCoy, an award-winning long-distance open water swimmer, coach and author, says the after-swim coffee and cake is about socialising, but it\u2019s also necessary to warm up during the winter months.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to protect yourself after. You should have extra layers, somewhere to keep the towel dry, particularly if it\u2019s a rainy day,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hot drinks are warming up the body from the inside out, which is so important. Even getting your hands around a warm cup. Eating too can generate more warmth in the core area. That\u2019s why you see so many swimmers having cake and coffee after a dip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MicheleMichele Owens, Dave Tuite and Anne Sullivan. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

She and her partner Paul McCambridge, a photographer, swimmer and coach, have released two books on wild swimming in Ireland. It\u2019s something they\u2019re passionate about, but Ms McCoy says there have been some \u201cconcerning trends\u201d post-pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen an awful lot of people challenging how low can you go. As in how low temperatures can the person put up with. That is something I would caution against; it leads to real problems,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you experience cold shock, you lose muscle strength and function. After a certain amount of time \u2013 and that is very individual \u2013 people then can\u2019t really swim. It\u2019s called swim incapacitation. The result of that can be quite tragic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RegularsRegulars say they find camaraderie in sea swimming. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Joanne Walsh, chief executive of Water Safety Ireland<\/a>, says another issue is that outside of bathing season, there are no lifeguards who can help if someone gets into difficulty.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should swim in an area that is known to be safe. Swim with a friend. Check the tides. Check the currents. And just because the light isn\u2019t as good as it would be during the summer season, you should wear a brightly coloured swim hat or brightly coloured togs,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

But the group in Malahide believe it\u2019s all about being aware of safety issues and ensuring they\u2019re not taking any unnecessary risks. A member of their group puts up the water temperature on a board in the changing rooms everyday, so people know exactly what they\u2019re getting into.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sea is always in charge,\u201d says Anne O\u2019Sullivan, one of the group. \u201cBecause we all know it so well, we know whether we can go in or not go in. We generally go in together and just stay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s just after 8am at Low Rock Beach in Malahide, north Co Dublin, and a group of people…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":76650,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[9,10,52,18,13,14,2215,6,6693,19,17,11,12,15,16,5,10905,7,8,51879],"class_list":{"0":"post-76649","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ireland","8":"tag-breaking-news","9":"tag-breakingnews","10":"tag-dublin","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-featured-news","13":"tag-featurednews","14":"tag-for-you","15":"tag-headlines","16":"tag-health-wellness","17":"tag-ie","18":"tag-ireland","19":"tag-latest-news","20":"tag-latestnews","21":"tag-main-news","22":"tag-mainnews","23":"tag-news","24":"tag-swimming","25":"tag-top-stories","26":"tag-topstories","27":"tag-water-safety"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}