Myrtle news etc

Posted on December 8, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Lots going on with dozens of people having realised that the OW season runs from Jan 1st to Dec 31st. Swimmers in every day, morning and afternoon.

The Myrtle Turtles appear to have resolved all issues and recent press releases emphasise the sweetness and light surrounding the team, as they toil away in chlorine and occasional saline.

There have been suggestions that the latest PR photo of Eoin Lowry back in the Myrtle fold might suggest he has been drugged, but Manager Mulcahy was quick to rubbish this suggestion. All is going to plan, says Maeve. What could possibly go wrong?

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Anne, Ros and Myrtle keep a close hold on Eoin.

Elsewhere, The Hat returned to the USA for a bit of cold water swimming at 5c with Barry Madden in Chicago.

Barry Madden and The Hat after a swim in Lake Michigan.

Finally, Happy 70th to the legendary Mike Harris 🙂

A nice bunch of Myrtleville and Sandycove Swimmers helping Mike to celebrate his 70th at the Turkey Swim last weekend.

Christmas Party: November 27, 2015

Posted on November 15, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Breda Maguire is organising our Christmas night out (in November). She’s jealously guarding the guest list, so if you want to go you can petition her nicely to be allowed (I made that up, absolutely everyone is welcome 🙂 )

It’s from 7.00pm in Goldberg’s on Friday, November 27th. Please let Breda Maguire know by this Friday, 20th, if you are attending – so she can give numbers to the venue. No food, just juice drinks and healthy waters (that’s at Good Food Gary’s table) or lashings of pints (in the Cregan-Condon Corner).

Myrtleville Vampire Swim – d’Video

Posted on November 10, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Fantastic work from Denis Condon recording the 31 October swim, with technical support from Ms. Sheehy, as ever!

Vampire Swim Party

Posted on November 2, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Well done to Aisling Barry and Marie Watson for organising the Vampire Swim on Saturday and making a party day of it. With 75 swimmers, over €1,000 was raised and lots of blood was donated. Looks like ours was the largest of the worldwide swims – is there nothing we can’t do? 🙂

Vampire Swim, Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland.

Vampire Swim: Myrtleville, Cork, Ireland: 31 October, 2015; 75 swimmers.

Fantastic efforts went in to the costumes and thanks to Katie Hill and Rob for their professional work on the makeup. A great day and hopefully a new annual event. It was a party to remember.

Organisers Aisling and Marie had, of course, to contend with the usual problems when you organise a children’s party – like people wanting to know if there was a party-bag if they swam and then thinking about it when they saw what was in the bag…

Open water, sea swimming in Cork, Ireland. Vampire Swim.

Jim Shalloo gives some thought to his party bag while Aisling and Marie wait patiently for him to decide if he’s swimming or not.

Others got totally overexcited and didn’t know what was happening – the poor fella on the right here was new to the sea and was gabbling about it being the biggest pool he ever saw and what were those white things on top of it and where were the black lines and could you tumble turn on that rock and and and…the Cashell sisters and Jim (with party bag secured) just humoured him. It’s the best way with smallies when they’re wound up.

There was fantastic food for everyone and thanks to the Lowry family for the marquee etc. For some, getting their teeth into a hot dog was the main attraction.

For others, getting teeth into an Audrey was more attractive…looks like she doesn’t mind.

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As ever, thanks to Siobhan Russell for the great pictures. Well done to everyone.

Vampire Swim Details

Posted on October 27, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

The hats have arrived and 46 of the 50 available are now allocated. If you’ve donated blood, be sure to let Aisling Barry know – Barry.Aisling08@gmail.com. Also, if you want to register for one of the last four hats! We will have other goodies on the day. €10 if you have donated blood – €15 otherwise. All money raised goes to CUH Children’s Ward.

The “swim” is at 12.00 on Saturday next, October 31st. Fingers crossed for the weather. It’s only a short dip anyway – or whatever you want to do. Come in a Halloween costume if you want – lots of people will be. It’s not compulsory, but welcomed! There’s facepainting and food planned.

Come on down…..it’ll be….fun……Mwahahahaahhaha 😦

Annual Night Swim: Year Two

Posted on October 17, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

45 swimmers took to the water last night in a 13.7c sea for what is now an annual event – because it’s so much fun 🙂 Those who missed it (moi, par example) will just have to suck it up and look forward to next year. I think it’s worth noting that 45 swimmers would be peak time numbers for a Summer’s day in lots of swim locations. We get that many for a night swim in October. Myrtleville really is – to paraphrase Enda – The Best Small Beach In The World To Go Swimming.

Strange things happen in the dark, of course. People begin to commune with nature or seek to communicate with other worlds. I think the phrase Ruth is looking for below is “Nanu, Nanu”.

As always, nothing works without volunteers. Carol and Yvette were in charge of the guest list and – as you’d expect at such a high-profile social event – there were people turning up arguing they should be on it etc. etc. Ah, Breda….

Overall though, it was just smiles all the way. Well done to everyone.

There will be blood…

Posted on October 16, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Well done to everyone who has donated blood so far, including the group above at the clinic in St. Finbarr’s Hospital yesterday. You can arrange your own donation time: check the website www.giveblood.ie .

The Vampire Swim will take place 31st October midday. Those that have registered with Aisling Barry – barry.aisling08@gmail.com – will get a Vampire Swim hat (50 available).

There’s really nothing to be afraid of – quite clearly, Marie Watson thought it was just the best crack ever. Go on – give blood!

To the Dutchman and Baltimore

Posted on October 15, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

Antoinette Wilson is a regular volunteer to help at the Crosshaven Tri, Church Bay swim and other events. Taking some time for herself she completed her first ever swim to the Dutchman on Wednesday. Well done, Antoinette!

It could be that Antoinette felt the need to clear her head after the weekend away with the Myrtlevillians in Baltimore. Details are filtering back and I’m sure we’ll have enough information for a full detailed post with pictures soon. More on that later.

Also completing her first swim to the Dutchman this week was Noreen Fox – pictured at Lough Ine at the weekend. Excellent work, Noreen.

Speaking of the weekend (before the “FUN” began) it was nice to see pictures of so many Myrtleville hats and t-shirts around the Sherkin-Baltimore swim (Antoinette volunteering, again) and even some of them coming out of the water first in their categories. Charley Breen continued her great Summer of OW racing with a first in the wetsuit category.

Mr. Fastman, Anthony Sloman, came in first in the togs section. What’s great about this picture is that you don’t actually have to see the togs (or strip of cloth from 1992) he wore.

Well done to everyone who took part, as swimmer or volunteer.

So – back to the details on the night out in Baltimore. If you haven’t put your side of the story yet and don’t want someone else’s version of why you did what you did to appear on the site, be sure to contact us on 1800-DENISMADEMEDOIT or email mariesaiditwasok@gmail.com. Don’t ignore those flashbacks. Yes, you did do it and there were cameras, so you might as well tell us about it 🙂

Blood donation for vampire swim: Thursday

Posted on October 14, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

The official visit to the Blood Bank in St. Finbarr’s hospital is now taking place tomorrow, Thursday, October 15th at 4.00pm.

If you can make it, remember to bring your Myrtleville T-Shirt and/or Hat! There’s bound to be a camera!

Please do try to get there and donate.

For any questions, Aisling Barry – barry.aisling08@gmail.com.

Obviously, if you can’t get there tomorrow and want to donate another time before the swim, just contact the Blood Bank.

Vampire Swim – get entered.

Posted on October 4, 2015 by myrtlevilleswimmers

The Vampire Swim is going ahead in Myrtleville on October 31st at 12 midday. Swim is a loose term – you can just dip your feet for a paddle if you want. The goal is to encourage people to donate blood during this month. If you donate blood, the entry fee is €10 – if not, you can still swim, but it’s €15.

Funds raised will be donated to the CUH Children’s Ward charity.

A group is being organised to donate blood on October 16th at the Blood Bank in St. Finbarr’s Hospital. Contact Aisling Barry for details – barry.aisling08@gmail.com. For info on giving blood, see http://www.giveblood.ie.

So, get ready to donate and register your entry with Aisling Barry. There are very cool vampire swim hats for the first 50 registered entries.

Myrtleville Swimmers

Open Water – Sea Swimming in Cork, Ireland

Category Archives: Events