Bofin Swim Challenge In Ireland

"Are you all ready, steady?" was the last question heard by the 10 solo swimmers and a two-person relay before the start of the 12K Cleggan to Inishbofin Swim.

Inishbofin is a tiny island 8K from Cleggan, a picturesque fishing village in western Ireland where 200 people reside.

The Bofin Swim Challenge certainly lives up to its name although the weather conditions were kind to the swimmers at the start. En route, most of the swimmers reported meeting jellyfish in varying quantities from 'loads' to 'millions'. Outside of Inishbofin, a strong current caused most swimmers to spend 30 minutes going nowhere.

Colm O’Neill, one of only nine swimmers to successfully cross the Irish (North) Channel between Scotland to Ireland and the only swimmer to do it on his first attempt, set a new record of 2 hours and 54 minutes.

Colm, shown above after his historic North Channel swim, said, "The Cleggan to Inishbofin Swim was my first major open water event back in 2001. It gave me the thirst to conquer bigger and tougher swims. However, no matter how many bigger and tougher swims I will hopefully complete in the future, it will always remain my favourite due to the organisation by Martin Cullen and the amazing hospitality and support of the people of Inishbofin."

The final results are as follows:

1. Colm O’Neill, 2:54:53
2. William Ferguson, 3:02:08
3. Andrew Flanagan, 3:06:01
4. John Ward, 3:24:25
5. Fergal Somerville, 3:29:15
6. John Daly, 3:59:34
7. Graham Coleman, 3:59:34
8. John Downes, 3:59:34
9. Eibhlin Scanlon and Myra Lydon, 4:11:42
10. Kate Suitre, 4:13:38
11. Eoin Hughes, 4:42:36

Inishbofin Charity Challenge Swim

The Inishbofin Charity Challenge Swim is an 8-mile race held in mid-August in 14-16°C (57-60°F) water in western Ireland. The race starts on the mainland from Cleggan and traverses Bay to Inishbofin Island as a fundraisr for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

One of the participants, Martin Cullen said, "I woke up to blue skies and calm seas. What a day God had in store for us all. The boat cutting through the water only disturbed the glassiness of the harbour. Out past the tower and into the ocean, stillness was all around. All of a sudden the dolphins greeted us and showed us how they are the real swimmers. Then, after the swimmers were numbered, a sea rescue helicopter appears out of the clear blue skies, dips and flashes its lights to acknowledge what we are all attempting to do."

Colm O’Neill, a former Irish National Team swimmer who is one of only nine swimmers to ever cross the North Channel, left everyone in his wake from the start of Cleggan Bay. The swimmers were greeted with a huge school of sprat that appeared like shafts of light coming up from the depths. As the swimmers entered the harbour, most were caught in a 1½ knot current. But nearly the entire island’s population came out to cheer on the swimmers towards the finish.

O’Neill won in 3 hours and 2 minutes followed by Kieran Fitzgerald in 3:47 and Aido
Connaughton in 3:54. The event also included a 1K swim for children.