The Liffey Swim: An Open Water Race

Photograph of the Liffey Swim: Swimmers on a pontoon at the starting point.

Photograph of the Liffey Swim

By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Photograph of the Liffey Swim: Swimmers on a pontoon at the starting point.
By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Photograph of the Liffey Swim: Swimmers on a pontoon at the starting point.

Photograph of the Liffey Swim

By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Enlarge image

Photograph of the Liffey Swim 2003: Emerging from under O'Connell Bridge

Photograph of the Liffey Swim: swimmers emerging from under O'Connell Bridge

By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Photograph of the Liffey Swim 2003: Emerging from under O'Connell Bridge
By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Photograph of the Liffey Swim 2003: Emerging from under O'Connell Bridge

Photograph of the Liffey Swim: swimmers emerging from under O'Connell Bridge

By kind permission of Brian Mongey

Enlarge image

The Liffey Swim is the penultimate event in a season of 26 open water races held during the summer months and it is a handicapped race, there being a time penalty imposed based on a swimmer's ability.

 

Entrants to the Liffey Swim must complete 5 races of the season to qualify for the Liffey Swim. All levels and ages of swimmers compete in the race, however an entrant must be a member of a swimming club and be able to swim a mile. Nowadays the total average entry to the race is 200 males and 80 females.
 

Swim Ireland organises the race and approximately 70 of their volunteers manage the race. For many years the swim was sponsored by the Irish Independent newspaper, and in more recent years it has been sponsored by the ESB, Speedo, the EBS and Toyota. Dublin City Council has always been associated with the event.
 

Information on Open Water Races

Information on Swim Ireland

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