It’s hard to imagine it now, but there was a time when Myrtleville was not the centre of open water swimming in Cork – and thus the world, of course.  A time when you didn’t have to carefully work out when to go swimming, in order to avoid the crowds.  A time before its fame as home of The Hat, tremendous Towels and nude calendar models (tremendous, Kieran, tremendous).

Back then – c.2007 – someone had the bright idea that getting two famous Corkonian sporting brothers down for a photo might raise the profile of swimming at the beach.  So down they came, stalwarts of the Cork hurling scene…… Frank and Bernard Lynch.  

No laughing up there in Source, now.  Bernard played senior for Blackrock (it was a challenge game, yes, and they were stuck for subs, but it still counts).  Frank was a star minor until he went abroad for the crack.  He’d tell you himself, but he’s very modest.  

Anyway, they also brought along another few fellas with them, two of whom might also fall under the banner of famous sporting brothers who played a few matches.

Michael Collins, Frank Lynch, Sean Og O hAilpin, Bernard Lynch & Teu O hAilpin sporting and playing on Myrtleville beach in 2007.

Seriously, though, look at Bernard in that wetsuit.  A slip of a youngfella.  Only ten years ago?  He must have been doing nothing for the last few years.   Really – he went from that to THIS???

Bernard after a bit of a day out from Dover last Summer.

Age is a terrible thing.    Up the Rebels 🙂