Swimmers at the start of the Macnean swim bmcb64
FOR THE 22nd year the annual Christmas Day swim will take place on Lough Macnean at Blacklion. The Macnean Icebreakers as they are known will again brave the freezing waters, with this year’s nominated charity the Oisin McGrath Foundation.
One of the organisers Danielle Nolan, whose parents Sean and Patsy helped start the tradition back in 1993 explained that this promises to be the biggest event yet, with as many as 70 expected to take the plunge.
“It started off with about 10 people going in and over the years we’ve done nearly every charity. In the last two years we’ve tried to get a charity with a local connection and our numbers continue to grow and now are up to 50 or 60. Last year we raised €10,000 and that’s been our most successful yet.”
Each year the swimmers gather at Blacklion Pier and make the run from the car park into the freezing waters. For some it’s a short dip in the water, but for others it’s a chance to enjoy a morning paddle.
“Some run just in and straight back out,” noted Danielle “while others, some of the lads enjoy a wee swim and be the last people out. It’s over fairly quick though, like 10 minutes and everyone’s out. Then Seamus McGovern from the Bush Bar, Blacklion provides the swimmers with a hot punch and drinks for the children. There is a real community spirit and everyone comes out and meets each other, it’s a really big tradition in the area.”
This year’s charity is the Oisin McGrath Foundation, a charity with a special connection to those in the local community.
“We always try to get a local one and it’s not just people in Blacklion who do the swim, it’s Blacklion, Belcoo, the Glenfarne area. Because it was such a close charity and meant so much to so many people we knew the minute immediately once they set up the foundation we were going to do it for them this year.”
It is expected that members of the McGrath family and friends of Oisin from Belcoo will take part in the swim with the organisers hoping that the rain stops and the water levels recede before December 25.
“The carpark is flooded at the minute, but it won’t stop us. It happened last year and was up to the road so we just gathered at the road and braved it. We ran in from the car park. It was just a longer run in so it probably made it harder, but it still went ahead.”
If you’re interested in doing the Christmas Day swim contact ‘Macnean Icebreakers’ on Facebook.
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