In Pictures: Brave swimmers and dippers in Mountcharles on New Year's Day swim

A fantastic turnout of swimmers, dippers and supporters came together at Mountcharles Pier for the annual New Year’s Day swim. Click on the arrows to see Siobhan McNamara's photos of the event: 

There was a serene but chilly air as participants gathered at the Big Pier for an 11am start. The tide was low, and Killian O’Kelly from Bundoran RNLI had some words of encouragement for those taking part, while also reminding them not to be too quick to dive in as the water was quite shallow. 

The event was a fundraiser for the RNLI, and crew from the Bundoran lifeboat took to the water themselves in support of the swimmers.

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This is a long-running event in Mountcharles, having started as a Christmas morning swim by the Temple family as a mark of gratitude to the RNLI for saving the life of an ancestral family member. 

A new wave of year-round sea swimmers has seen events such as this swell in numbers in recent years. For many, it is a deeply symbolic way to start the New Year - a cleansing ritual, a fresh start. For others it is a social activity undertaken with family and friends, and for many of the diaspora home for the festive season, it is a way of reconnecting with with their roots and with childhood memories of happy times spent on the shore and in the sea. For some this was a quiet memorial, a personal tribute to loved ones who have passed away.

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The calm, shallow water at this year's event created the perfect opportunity for people of all ages to take part, from young children to seasoned swimmers. And there was a real international flavour, with locals joined by participants visiting from California, New Zealand, Egypt, Australia, Germany, and across the UK and Ireland.

Afterwards, many enjoyed hot drinks at Salthill Cabin. 

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