On the morning of September 25, 2026, eight members of the Lane Swimmers set out to complete a challenge that had been a bucket list item for many of this group of swimming enthusiasts and supporters of the PSLC pool.
Joe Caulfield, Aoife Gibbons, Emily Grimes, Julie Carbery, Aoife Crowe, John Halpenny, Dermot Kelly and Helen Vaughan each swam the full distance from Lambay Island to Low Rock. This was not a relay and there were no changeovers. All eight swimmers completed the entire route themselves, covering just under nine kilometres of open water.
For every one of them, finishing the swim was a major personal achievement and a genuine bucket-list moment. It was also an effort made on behalf of the wider community, with every donation going directly towards the work required to reopen the PSLC pool.
From Lambay Island to Low Rock
The direction of the swim was determined by the tide, currents and the conditions expected on the day. Rather than swimming out towards Lambay, the team travelled to the island by boat before beginning the return journey towards Low Rock.
That starting point required additional planning. Lambay is a privately owned island and access is normally limited, so permission had to be secured for the boats to stop there and for the swimmers to enter the water before beginning the challenge.
Lambay itself is a remarkable location. Situated off the north County Dublin coast, the 630-acre island is the largest island off Ireland’s east coast. It is the remnant of an ancient volcano and is now an important protected habitat for seabirds and marine wildlife, including grey seals, harbour seals and harbour porpoises. It is also known for its fallow deer and its unusual population of wallabies.
Against that backdrop, the eight swimmers entered the water at approximately 11:30am and began the long journey back towards the mainland.
Nearly nine kilometres in open water
The conditions demanded sustained concentration and effort. The exposed, open-water section was choppy, requiring the swimmers to maintain their rhythm, changing direction while continually dealing with the movement of the sea. As they moved closer to shore, conditions became steadier and the sun began to appear, bringing some welcome warmth during the final section.
This was several hours of continuous open-water swimming. During the crossing, the swimmers had to pause in the water to take on fuel supplied by the support team. Food, energy gels, water and other drinks were passed to them before they resumed swimming. These stops were essential, but they were not rest stops in the usual sense: the swimmers remained in open water throughout, taking on enough energy to continue before setting off again.
The first swimmers began reaching Low Rock from approximately 2:30pm, with all eight arriving between then and 3pm. The tracker’s final recorded position was logged at 2:54pm. Depending on individual finishing times, the swimmers had spent roughly three to three and a half hours in the water.
A team effort on the water
Although eight people completed the swim, the challenge depended on a much wider team.
The swimmers were accompanied by a dedicated support team, providing safety cover, navigation assistance and access to food and drinks from shore to shore.
Tony, the support boat skipper, and Marita, the first mate, are both members of the Lane Swimmers and played central roles in making the day possible. Accompanied by Emer who supported the swimmers and provided us with images and video of the challenge. Their work helped keep the swimmers safe, together and on course throughout the journey.
Selena from Portmarnock Triathlon Club was another major part of the operation, supporting the planning and logistics, assisting on the boats and capturing photographs and video during the swim. Portmarnock Tri Club also made an incredible contribution of €4,470 to the fundraiser. This is an exceptional show of support for the swimmers and the wider campaign.
Members of Portmarnock Sub-Aqua Club offered their RIB. Kobus, Sinead, Shane and Georgina provided safety support along the entire route as well as transporting swimmers across to the island in the PSAC RIB.
At 2km from the shore, Jen Byrne and Mike McSwiggan shadowed the swimmers from their paddle boards as the boats handed over just ahead of the shallow waters.
Thomas, Aoife Gibbons’ husband, provided commentary at the beginning and end of the challenge, helping those following remotely to share in the occasion. John Gale supplied aerial photographs that captured the scale of the crossing and gave a completely different view of the swimmers and their route.
Many other people contributed time, equipment, practical help, photographs, videos, encouragement and expertise before and during the challenge. The swimmers could not have undertaken a crossing of this nature safely without that collective support
Followed live from the shore
The challenge was followed through a live GPS tracker on the PSLC website and Instagram Live, allowing family members, friends, supporters and donors to watch the swimmers’ progress from Lambay towards Low Rock.
The tracking map gave those on shore a clear view of the route and provided an indication of when the swimmers were approaching the finish. Images of the completed track now provide a permanent record of the distance covered and the scale of what all eight swimmers achieved.
As the swimmers approached the mainland, family members, friends and supporters gathered at Low Rock to welcome them home.
After hours in the water, the finish was the first opportunity for the swimmers to stand on solid ground, see the people who had followed their progress and take in what they had completed. Every swimmer made it safely to Low Rock, bringing an ambitious idea, months of work and nearly nine kilometres of open-water swimming to a successful conclusion.
€27,500 raised. donations remain open
At the time of writing, the Lane Swimmers’ fundraiser has raised €27,500 for the PSLC, with donations still open. Alongside the €4,470 contribution from Portmarnock Tri Club, major donations include €5,000 from Halpenny Golf and €2,000 from David McCarthy, together with donations of every size from individuals, families, clubs and local organisations.
Every euro raised contributes directly to the work required to reopen the PSLC pool.
The Lane Swimmers are a group of around 40 people who have trained together at the PSLC for more than a decade. They know first-hand that the pool is far more than a place to complete lengths. Before its closure, it supported more than 2,000 visits every week and served schoolchildren, swim students, AquaFit participants, lane swimmers, clubs, triathletes and people for whom swimming provides vital exercise, friendship and routine.
The eight swimmers have now completed their part of the Lambay Challenge, but the wider Lane Swimmers group is not finished. Once the PSLC pool reopens, the remaining members plan to complete a five-kilometre pool challenge to continue the fundraising effort.
Thank you
The PSLC extends its congratulations to Joe, Julie, Aoife Crowe, Aoife Gibbons, Emily, John, Dermot and Helen on completing an exceptional challenge.
Thank you also to the support team, Portmarnock Tri Club and everyone who contributed to this challenge. The funds raised will support our goal to reopen the pool for everyone in the community who rely on the pool for their physical and mental wellbeing.
