The Liffey Swim

The Liffey Swim - An Snámh na Life
Established	1920
Inaugural Winner	J.J. "Jack" Kennedy (Sandycove SC)
Most Wins Men	Richard N. "Ritchie" Case (Clontarf SC), 1934,'36,'37,'38
Most Wins Women	No woman has yet won the Liffey Swim twice
Current Year	13 September, 2014
Current Edition	95th
Sport	Open Sea Swimming
Region	Leinster
City	Dublin
Men's Trophy	Irish Independent Cup
Women's Trophy	Ladies Challenge Cup
Current Holder Men	Gerard Wilkes (North Dublin SC)
Current Holder Women	Rachel Lee (Guinness SC)
Fastest Swim Men	Conor Turner (Aer Lingus)
Fastest Swim Women	Rachel Lee (Guinness SC)
Team Winner Men	NAC Masters SC
Team Winner Women	Dublin SC
Organising Body	Leinster Open Sea Swimming Committee (http://leinsteropensea.ie/)
Current Sponsor	Dublin City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath)

The Liffey Swim is an annual race in Dublin's main river, the Liffey and is one of Ireland's most famous traditional sporting events. The race is managed by a voluntary not-for-profit committee, the Leinster Open Sea Swimming Committee.

The race is one of last swims in a season of 30 open sea races held during the summer months, organised by the Leinster Open Sea Swimming Committee, and takes place on a Saturday in either late August or early September. Entrants to the Liffey Swim must complete four races of the season to qualify. Many levels and ages of swimmers compete in the race, but entrants must be a member of a swimming club. International competitors are common. The race is handicapped with the slowest swimmers starting first and the fastest last. Over 340 swimmers took part in the 95th Liffey Swim.However, for five years between 1934 and 1938, the Liffey Swim was run as a scratch race.^[1]

Course

The race starts at the Watling Street Bridge (Rory O'More Bridge) near the Guinness Brewery and takes competitors past landmarks such as the Four Courts, under the Ha'penny Bridge to finish between O'Connell Bridge and Butt Bridge at the The Custom House.^[2] Average entry is 200 males and 80 females. Wetsuits are not allowed. The race is held in the tidal section of the river meaning it is flushed twice daily. Due to the tidal nature of the Liffey, race times vary from year to year.^[3]

For four years 1936—1939, the Liffey Swim took place from Bull Wall to Dollymount Strand (in 1939 to Clontarf Baths) because of the degree of pollution of the course stretch of the River Liffey.^[1] For the three years 1977—1979, again because of the risks to health caused by pollution, the race was moved to an upstream stretch of the river near Chapelizod, finishing at the slipway of Dublin University Boat House, at Memorial Park, Islandbridge.^[1]

Due to the development of the LUAS Bridge, the Rosie Hackett Bridge, from Hawkins Street to Malborough Street, the race diverged from the historic route in 2012 and 2013 starting at the Loopline Bridge beside Butt Bridge and finishing at the pontoon on the North side of the river beside the East Link Bridge in front of the 3Arena. At approx. 1,600 metres it was somewhat shorter than the more spectator friendly route down the Liffey and under its numerous bridges.^[4]

History

The first Liffey Swim took place on the 22 July 1920. Bernard Fagan was the first to organise the race. Fagan was a swimmer and became the city analyst for Dublin Corporation in 1923. The race was swum at high tide when there were fewer pollutants. The first Liffey Swim had an entry of 27 male swimmers and was won by J.J Kennedy with Bernard Fagan himself coming in third. Fagan's son Jack Fagan later won the Liffey Swim in 1951. During the 1930s, 40s and early 50s the Liffey Swim attracted large crowds. The race has not changed length from being a distance of one and half miles (2.2 km) but the start and finish points have changed. The race originally started at Victoria Quay, from a Guinness Barge and finished at Burgh Quay. In 1991 the first ladies race was introduced and in the early 1990s the race was moved 400 yards down river to start beside the Civic Offices and to finish opposite the Custom House.^[5]

The 2009 Liffey Swim was the 90th edition of the race and saw electronic timing used for the first time.^[6][7]

One of the earliest Liffey Swims was portrayed in the Jack B. Yeats 1923 painting entitled The Liffey Swim, which won him the Silver Medal for Painting at the Art competitions at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The painting and the Olympic medal can now be viewed in the National Gallery of Ireland.^[8][9]

Trophies

The cup presented to the winner of the women's Liffey Swim race is called the Ladies Challenge Cup. It was presented to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association by The Electricity Supply Board. Between 1977 and 1979, when the Liffey Swim was staged on the Chapelizod-Islandbridge stretch of the river, a trophy provided by Tommy May, winner of the Liffey Swim in 1956, designated The May Cup, was presented to the winner of the women's race.

The cup presented to the winner of the men's Liffey Swim race is called the Irish Independent Cup. It was presented to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association by Independent Newspapers Ltd in 1921. The trophy was made by Hopkins & Hopkins, Dublin Silversmiths, at a cost of 50 guineas [£52-10-0]. The names of all winners since 1920 are engraved on it and its base, as the winner in 1921, John Cyril Hopkins, insisted that the name of the winner of the inaugural Liffey Swim in 1920 be placed on the trophy before his.^[1]

Health issues

Dublin Fire Brigade provide decontamination showers at the finish.^[10] There have been concerns about the possibility of contracting Weil's disease in the Liffey as well as other safety concerns relating to pollution.^[11][12] Studies have found that E. coli levels in the Liffey are higher than EPA standard levels.^[13]

Liffey Swim - Facts and Trivia

• The winner of the Liffey Swim in 1920, J.J. “Jack” Kennedy, was the grandson of Alderman John O’Connor, Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1885.
• Liffey Swim with the smallest number of starters/finishers - 20th edition in 1939 - 15 started/12 finished - held over 1¾-mile (2.8 km) course from Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths
• Liffey Swim with the highest number of men finishing - 91st edition in 2010 - 237 finishers
• Liffey Swim with the highest number of women finishing - 88th edition in 2007 - 115 finishers
• Oldest surviving winner of the Liffey Swim - Anthony W. Kennett (Pembroke SC) of Blackrock, Co. Dublin, winner on 25 June 1943
• First double winner of the Liffey Swim - Francis "Chalkey" White (Guinness SC) on 10 August 1966 and 14 August 1967
• Youngest ever male winner of the Liffey Swim - Francis "Chalkey" White (Guinness SC) in 1966 at age 11
• Youngest ever female winner of the Liffey Swim - Mairéad Doran (Dublin SC) on 11 September 1979 at age 10 on Islandbridge course
• First time the Liffey Swim was swum on a Saturday - 57th Liffey Swim on 14 August 1976
• First time the Liffey Swim was swum in the afternoon - 57th Liffey Swim at 15.00 hrs
• Brothers who have won the Liffey Swim - William F. "Billy" Case (1930) and Richard N. "Ritchie" Case (1934, 1936, 1937, 1938) - Clontarf SC; Cyril Hardy (1957) and Anthony "Tony" Hardy (1960) - Crusade Aquatic Club; Colm O'Brien (1963) - Half Moon SC and Bert O'Brien (1988,1995) - Sandycove SC; Fintan O'Meara (1972) and Nicholas O'Meara (1977) - Clontarf SC; Greg O'Dwyer (1986) and Brian O'Dwyer (2010) - Guinness SC; Pat O'Driscoll (2009) - Templeogue SC and Ciarán O'Driscoll (2013) - Half Moon SC
• First winner of Liffey Swim from Cork - Andrew Crosbie (Sunday's Well SC, Cork) in 1935, under scratch conditions
• First Winner of the Liffey Swim from Limerick - Joe Grant (Shannon SC) in 1950
• First Winner of the Liffey Swim from Galway - Patrick "Pat" Broderick (Galway SC) in 1955
• Lowest men's winning team score - 1941 North Dublin WSC (1,2,3,4) 10pts - T. Hannigan, S. Thomas, J. Fagan and J. Colgan
• In 1967 William F. Case, winner in 1930, now Detective Garda Case, was awarded the Walter Scott Medal for Valor for rescuing a man and a boy at Barley Cove, West Cork against a strong current, an act of exceptional bravery and heroism involving risk to his own life.
• Liffey Swim-Winner Olympians - Thomas "Hayes" Dockrell (1922), 1928 Amsterdam - Water Polo; Charles "Cecil" Fagan (1923), 1924 Paris - Water Polo; David Cummins (1975), 1980 Moscow - 100 m Butterfly, 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Backstroke.
• Liffey Swim-Fastest Swimmer Olympians - Donnacha O'Dea (1963, 1965), 1968 Mexico City - 100 m Freestyle, 100 m Butterfly, 200 m Individual Medley; David Cummins (1976, 1977, 1978), 1980 Moscow - 100 m Butterfly, 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Backstroke; Kevin Williamson (2000), 1976 Montreal - 200 m Freestyle, 400 m Freestyle, 1500 m Freestyle, 1980 Moscow - 200 m Freestyle, 400 m Freestyle
• John Cyril Hopkins, Winner of the 2nd Liffey Swim in 1921, became a Sergeant Pilot 17th Fighter Squadron R.A.F.; he was killed on 4 December 1933 as a result of a mid-air-collision flying accident between two Bristol Bulldog aircraft at Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire, England
• Highest number of Liffey Swim wins by a man - 4 - Richard N. "Ritchie" Case (1934,1936,1937,1938), all under scratch conditions
• Highest number of Liffey Swim wins by a woman - as at 2013 no woman has won the race twice
• Double winners of the Liffey Swim under handicap - Francis "Chalkey" White (1966, 1967), Arthur "Art" Dunne (1981, 1982), Bert O'Brien (1988,1995)
• Entry Fee for the 1st Liffey Swim in 1920 - 2/6 (2 shillings and 6 pence) (€0.16)
• Entry Fee for the 50th Liffey Swim in 1969 - still 2/6 (2 shillings and 6 pence) - in terms of the relative wage of a working man 1920 versus 1969 about 7½ pence (€0.04)
• Youngest Male Swimmer to place in top 3 - Ciarán O'Driscoll (Dublin SC) aged 10 – 2nd by 2 yards in the 56th Liffey Swim in 1975
• Longest gap between being Runner-up in and Winner of the Liffey Swim - 38 years - Ciarán O'Driscoll (runner-up 1975, winner 2013)
• Most Liffey Swims swum - Jackie Kearney (Dublin SC) and Paul Emmett (Half Moon) - exact numbers disputed
• Longest run of winners from same club - 6 - Half Moon SC (1978-1983) - Jimmy Mooney, Dermot Hughes, Michael Fitzpatrick, Arthur Dunne (twice), Paul Kealy
• Earliest date in the year that the race has been swum - 24th Liffey Swim - 25 June 1943
• Latest date in the year that the race has been swum - 88th Liffey Swim - 15 September 2007
• Earliest start time - 93rd Liffey Swim -18 August 2012 at 11.15 - Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge near the 3Arena
• Latest start time - 65th Liffey Swim - 21 August 1984 at 20.00
• Brother and Sister Winners of the Liffey Swim - David Cummins (Cormorant SC) 1975 and Ann Cummins (Cormorant SC) 1977 (her brother was the fastest swimmer in 1977)
• Husband and Wife Liffey Swim Winners - Ciarán O'Driscoll (2013) - Half Moon SC and Siobhán Hoare (1991) - Half Moon SC
• Male winners of the Liffey Swim who also placed 2nd - John Cyril Hopkins (winner 1921, runner-up 1922); Thomas Hayes Dockrell (winner 1922, runner-up 1923); Richard N. Case (winner 1934,1936,1937,1938, runner-up 1939); Jimmy Rafter (winner 1946, runner-up 1944); Patrick G. Condon (winner 1944, runner-up 1947); Michael Fitzpatrick (winner 1980, runner-up 1972,1974); Bert O'Brien (winner 1988,1995, runner-up 1967), Ciarán O'Driscoll (winner 2013, runner-up 1975)
• Longest gap between Liffey Swim Wins - 7 years - Bert O'Brien (1988, 1995)
• Greatest number of fastest times in Liffey Swim - 9 - Francis "Chalkey" White (1966-1971,1973,1974,1980)
• Longest sequence of fastest swims - 6 - Francis "Chalkey" White (1966-1971)
• Thomas A. "Tommy" O'Reilly, Winner of Liffey Swim in 1926, became President of the I.R.F.U. in 1963-64
• Father and son winner and fastest swimmer in same year - 2009: Pat O'Driscoll winner and Daire O'Driscoll fastest swim, nephew of Ciarán O'Driscoll, 2013 winner
• Liffey Swim winners in the fastest times under handicap - 1932: Leo Maher (Republican SC); 1946: Jimmy Rafter (Half Moon SC); 1958: Robin Power (Sunday’s Well SC, Cork); 1966: Francis 'Chalkey' White (Guinness SC); 1967: Francis 'Chalkey' White (Guinness SC); 2003: John Morton (Wicklow SC); 2006: Kevin Stacey (Coolmine SC)
• Butch Moore (North Dublin SC), a competitor in the 1955 Liffey Swim, achieved celebrity status in 1965 as Ireland’s first contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest in Naples singing Walking in Streets in the Rain; Ireland placed 6th of 18 entrants
• Rachel Lee, the 2014 winner and fastest swimmer off scratch, had previously achieved the fastest Liffey swim by a woman on at least four occasions
• Father and son winners of the Liffey Swim - Derek "Bimbo" Wilkes 1989 and Gerard Wilkes 2014 of North Dublin SC

Roll of Honour

Liffey Swim Winners - Men

‡ Bull Wall to Dollymount Strand, scratch race; † Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths, handicapped race; § Liffey Swim held at Chapelizod finishing at the Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge, handicapped race; ≠Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

Liffey Swim Winners - Women

† 500 yards race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House; ‡ 500 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ≠ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

Liffey Swim Winners - Teams Men

A club team competition was inaugurated in 1934 on the occasion of the 15th Liffey Swim. A scoring team comprised four swimmers, with the placings of the first four members of each team to count as points. The team with the lowest aggregate points was deemed the winner of this subsidiary competition for a special prize. A silver-mounted mahogany shield, sponsored by Independent Newspapers Ltd., was presented for the first time for the team competition in 1960 at the 41st Liffey Swim.

‡ Bull Wall to Dollymount Strand, scratch race; † Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths, handicapped race; § Liffey Swim held at Memorial Park, Chapelizod finishing at the slipway of Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge, handicapped race; ≠ NP=not published in newspaper reports; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

Liffey Swim Winners - Teams Women

† 500 yards race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House, three to score; ‡ 500 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

Liffey Swim - Fastest Men

§ He appeared as "J. Pembroke" in the results; ‡ Scratch races; # Handicapped race from Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths; † Race swum at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

Liffey Swim - Fastest Women

† 500 yards race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House; ‡ 500 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Chapelizod finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time

References

External links

• Liffey Swim 2005
• Swim Ireland Results of Dublin Liffey Swim 2009
• 2010 photos