The Liffey Swim

The race starts at Rory O'More Bridge near the Guinness Brewery and takes competitors past landmarks such as the Four Courts. The competitors swim under James Joyce Bridge, Mellows Bridge, Father Mathew Bridge, O'Donovan Rossa Bridge, Grattan Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Liffey Bridge, O'Connell Bridge, Rosie Hackett Bridge, Butt Bridge and Loopline Bridge near 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 1936–39, 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 1977–79, 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]

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][6]

The 2009 Liffey Swim was the 90th edition of the race and saw electronic timing used for the first time.[7][8]

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.[9][10] The 100th Liffey Swim was held in 2019. The 2020 Liffey Swim will mark the 100th anniversary of the 1st Liffey Swim.

An annual Ladies race on the Quays course under the Liffey bridges was not introduced until 1991 and has been held since then as a separate race as part of the Liffey Swim programme. However, efforts to allow participation of women date back to the early years of the Liffey Swim.[1] In 1922 a letter was published in the Irish Independent suggesting that interest in the race would be considerably increased if ladies were permitted to compete. Women already swam in races on the River Lagan in Belfast and on the River Thames in London.[1] The correspondent argued that there was no specific rule against female participation. A spokesperson for Leinster I.A.S.A. responded informally that “such a contest was not possible, as very few of our ladies were fit for the ordeal”.[11]

The views of the Most Reverend John Charles McQuaid, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland from December 1940 to February 1972, on women competing in sport, in particular at the same sports meetings as men, would inhibit the possibility of a women's race for many years.[1] In 1934 the National Athletic and Cycling Association of Ireland (N.A.C.A.I.) passed a motion at its annual Congress in favour of women competing at its athletics meetings. This unleashed protests against the Association.[12] McQuaid cited the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol xxii, no. 2, pp 72–75, the Latin text of which was printed in the newspapers alongside his translation of Pope Pius X's encyclical that “the Christian modesty of girls must be, in a special way, safeguarded, for it is supremely unbecoming that they should flaunt themselves and display themselves before the eyes of all’.[13] Thus, the idea of women swimming through the centre of Dublin in full public gaze, even in a separate Ladies Liffey Swim, a display which might undermine the moral thoughts of male onlookers, was unlikely to occur during McQuaid's lifetime. He died on 7 April 1973.

The first Liffey Swims for women were held in 1977 through 1979, when the race was moved to Islandbridge, because the city stretch of the river was so polluted by its tributary, the River Camac, from Heuston Station, Kingsbridge, to the estuary.[14] The Chief Medical Officer of the Eastern Health Board, Dr Barry O’Donnell, advised that swimming in the traditional stretch of the River Liffey should not take place for health and safety reasons. In consequence the President of the Leinster Branch of the I.A.S.A. announced in June 1977 that the Liffey Swim would not take place until the river water met safe quality standards.[15] To maintain the Liffey Swim, races at Islandbridge were organised by Dublin and Half Moon Swimming Clubs. In 1977 a Liffey Swim for Ladies over 500 yards (handicapped) was inaugurated, the winner receiving the Tommy May trophy donated by the 1956 Liffey Swim winner.[14] In 1980 the Liffey Swim reverted to a men-only event on its return to the Quays. However, what now became the “Upper Liffey Swim” for women on the Islandbridge Memorial Park stretch of the River Liffey continued from 1981 through 1990. To show that women were just as able as men in swimming distances, the race was increased from about 500―600 metres to 1000 yards in 1987 and to one mile from 1988 through 1990. This was the same distance swum by men from 1977 through 1979 on this part of the river.[14] This probably convinced the Leinster Branch of the I.A.S.A. that women could complete the classic course of the Liffey Swim and led to a Women’ race over the same walled Quays course as the men in 1991.

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 in 1991. The inscription on the front of the Cup on a shield bounded on each side by laurel leaves is "Ladies Challenge Cup for Annual Liffey Swim Presented by Electricity Supply Board". The names of all winners since 1991 are inscribed on the base. The trophy was made by Alwright and Marshall, Silversmiths, Dublin (Maker mark A&M in shamrock) and bears the Dublin Assay Office hallmarks and date letter for 1982 (Britannia, Harp with Crown, Letter R).

Between 1977 and 1979, when the women's Liffey Swim was staged at the Islandbridge Memorial Park stretch of the river, a trophy provided by Tommy May, winner of the Liffey Swim in 1956, designated The Tommy May Cup, was presented to the winner of the race. This race continued throughout the 1980s, referred to as the "Upper Liffey Swim". In 1987 the race distance was increased to 1,000 yards and in 1988 through 1990 to 1 mile.

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 exact inscription on the front of the cup is "Challenge Cup for Annual Liffey Race (Inaugurated 1920) Presented to the Leinster Branch Irish Amateur Swimming Association by the Irish Independent". The trophy was made by Hopkins & Hopkins, Silversmiths (Markers mark: H&H), located near O'Connell Street Bridge, Dublin, at a cost of 50 guineas [£52-10-0]. The Cup bears the Dublin Assay Office hallmarks and date letter for 1921 (Britannia, Harp with Crown, Letter F). The names of all winners from 1920 J.J. Kennedy through 2004 Robert Clarke are engraved on the Cup. The winners from 2005 onwards are on its base. Although the cup was not presented until 1921, the winner that year, John Cyril Hopkins, insisted that the name of the winner of the inaugural Liffey Swim in 1920 J.J. Kennedy be placed on the trophy before his.[1]

Dublin Fire Brigade provide decontamination showers at the finish.[16] There have been concerns about the possibility of contracting Weil's disease in the Liffey as well as other safety concerns relating to pollution.[17][18] Studies have found that E. coli levels in the Liffey are higher than EPA standard levels.[19]

• 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 - 100th edition in 2019 - 364 finishers
• Liffey Swim with the highest number of women finishing - 100th edition in 2019 - 252 finishers
• First double winner of the Liffey Swim on the classic course in the River Liffey - 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
• Oldest male swimmer to place in the top three finishers - Jackie Kearney (Dublin SC), 2nd in 2004, aged 73
• 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 Michael Mongey St. Vincents WPC 1997 and Brian Mongey Millennium SC 2000
• In 1980 three brothers finished in the top ten finishers - Michael O'Meara (4th), Nicholas O'Meara (6th) and Vinny O'Meara (9th), all members of Clontarf 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
• Gerry Boland, Liffey Swim winner in 1953, collapsed and died on 3 July 1977, after rescuing his North Dublin SC friend and veteran of 26 Liffey Swims, Jim Kavanagh, from the sea of Clontarf where he had suffered a heart attack during the Leddy Cup 800m open sea race and also died
• The Liffey Swim in 1978, held at Islandbridge, is unique in the annals of race in that the first three places in each of the men's and women's races were from the same swimming club - Men: Half Moon SC - 1st Jim Mooney, 2nd Dermot Hughes, 3rd Briam McLoughlin; Women: Guinness SC - 1st Yvonne Smith, 2nd Adrienne O'Rourke, 3rd Joyce Palmer
• 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 2015 no woman has won the race twice
• Highest number of members of one family to complete the Liffey Swim together - 95th Liffey swim in 2014 - Brian Murphy (at "Go", 184th, 55:07) and his four sons, Aidan Murphy (at 8 min, 15th, 36:48). Stephen Murphy (at 6 min 45 sec, 46th, 40:07), Colm Murphy (at 2 min 45 sec, 125th, 47:55) and Martin Murphy (at 2 min 30 sec, 186th, 52:04), all members of Sandycove SC
• 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)
• Entry Fee for the 70th Liffey Swim in 1989 was IR£2 (€2.54)
• 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)
• In 1981 two Brothers, Arthur "Art" Dunne (15-years-old) and Gerry Dunne (23-years-old), fought out a stroke-for-stroke duel over the final yards of the Liffey Swim to the finishing boom; Art Dunne was adjudged the winner by a touch
• Most Liffey Swims swum by a male competitor - Jackie Kearney (Dublin SC) and Paul Emmett (Half Moon) - exact numbers differ in various sources
• Most Liffey Swims swum by a female competitor - Sandra Trappe (Dublin SC) - all the women's races from 1991-2018 except 2007 - Winner in 2003
• 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 - 96th Liffey Swim - 19 September 2015
• 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 (1988, 1991) - Half Moon SC; Donncha Ó Siadhail (2015) - Swim4Life SC and Jennifer Gilbert (2016) - Swim4Life 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), Donncha Ó Siadhail (winner 2014, runner-up 2018)
• Longest gap between Liffey Swim Wins - 7 years - Bert O'Brien (1988, 1995)
• Two sets of brothers finished in the top ten placings in the 62nd Liffey Swim in 1981 - The Dunne brothers, Art and Gerry, 1st and 2nd, respectively, and the O'Dea brothers, Paul and Joe, 7th and 10th, respectively
• Greatest number of fastest times in Liffey Swim - 9 - Francis "Chalkey" White (1966-1971,1973,1974,1980); he missed the Liffey Swim in 1972 while representing Ireland at an international meeting in Belgium and attempting to qualify for the Olympic Games in Munich
• 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
• Paul Kealy, the winner in 1983, was the first cousin of the double Liffey Swim winner in 1981 and 1982, Arthur 'Art' Dunne
• Jason Stynes (Kingdom SC, Tralee), the winner in 1984, was the nephew of winners Colm O'Brien (1963, Half Moon SC) and Bert O'Brien (1988, 1995, Sandycove SC)
• 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
• Ken Turner, fastest time in 1991 and 1992, and David Turner, fastest time in 2001, are brothers
• Nathan Fullam-Turner, the winner of the 2017 fastest time, is a nephew of both Ken and David Turner, and is the younger cousin of Conor Turner, son of David Turner and five times winner of the fastest time prize in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016
• Niall O'Sullivan, Dublin SC won the first prize for first outside the winners prizes for going under the new Rosie O'Hackett Bridge when the prize was first introduced in 2014.
• Patrick Sheehan (Sheehan) (Garda SC), who finished in the Liffey Swim in 1932, is the father of John Sheahan, Irish musician and composer and the last surviving member of The Dubliners[20]
• 2017: First time the male and female winners came from the same swimming club, Dublin SC - Colin Monaghan and Ann Marie Bourke
• Longest gap between 1st and second place: 2 minutes 13 seconds, Ciaran O'Driscoll (2013) over a shorter than normal course.
• Mark Hanley, aged 15, winner of the 100th Liffey Swim, is the youngest winner since Jason Stynes (Kingdom SC, Tralee),aged 14, won the 65th Liffey Swim in 1984
• Sinead Delaney, the 2019 winner, and her mother Joan Delaney (9th scoring place) were the first two members of the Phoenix SC winning team to finish
• In the 11th Liffey Swim in 1930, William F. Case (Clontarf SC), an 18-year-old, won the race using only backstroke from start to finish
• In the 100th Liffey Swim in 2019, Ceall Ó Dunlaing (Dublin SC) became the first ever swimmer to complete the course using only the energy-sapping butterfly stroke

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