Massive sea swim completed by Newtown man

A MAN from Newtown and former Burgess player has successfully completed the 21-kilometre Fastnet Rock Lighthouse sea swim in a time of 6hrs and 57mins in aid of Pieta, the charity providing professional one-to-one therapeutic service for people who are experiencing suicidal ideation, people who have attempted suicide and people who are engaging in self-harm.

John Ryan (51) completed the swim on Monday of last week starting from Baltimore Pier at 8.44am and landing on the iconic Fastnet Rock and lighthouse off the Cork coast at 3.41pm, proudly flying the Tipperary flag with his crew.

“We were very fortunate to get excellent swimming conditions on the day with light winds and a relatively calm sea state,” John told this newspaper.

“I was very well looked after by the Fastnet Swim team of Noel Browne and Nathan Timmins, ILDSA observer Brianna Jackson, pilot Darren Collins, and my own crew of Ethan Devaney and Paul Evans who managed my feeds from the boat, kept an eye out for lionsmane and compass jellyfish and provided encouragement all of the way. After the swim on our boat trip back from Fastnet to Baltimore we came across feeding pods of Minke Whales, dolphins and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna which was very exciting.”

TOUGH CHALLENGE

For years, swimmers familiar with the waters around Fastnet Rock, Cape Clear and Sherkin Islands were under the impression that this swim could not possibly be done as even sailing boats have difficulty racing off Fastnet due to challenging sea and tidal conditions. But, following a number of unsuccessful attempts, the amazing swimming feat was first achieved in 2011 by Cork’s Stephen Redmond, who is one of the greatest open water endurance swimmers of all time, and ever since elite long distance open water swimmers from all around the globe have been attempting to emulate the feat.

A son of Pat and Elizabeth Ryan of Monroe, Newtown, John is relatively new to long distance swimming, which he took up just a few years ago having originally taken adult swimming lessons in the Regional Sports Centre in Athlone in 2016 under their Adult Swim for Life Programme. The Fastnet Swim is John’s ninth marathon distance open water skins swim of 10km or more.

OTHER LONG SWIMS

In August this year he successfully completed the Jim O' Connor Memorial Castle to Castle Swim, a 13.5 kilometre route from Rindoon Castle on Lough Ree in County Roscommon to Athlone Castle in County Westmeath in a time of 6hrs and 24mins in very challenging weather conditions. In July of this year John swam from Greystones harbour to Wicklow harbour, a distance of 19 kilometres in a time of 4hrs 36mins.

All John’s swims are ‘skins swims’, meaning no wetsuit, neoprene or swimming aids of any type, just one regular swim hat, goggles, swimming trunks and earplugs.

He is now in training for the 10.5 kilometre Galway Bay Swim from Aughinish in County Clare to Blackrock Tower in Salthill, Co Galway, as well as a much tougher swim of approximately 35.5 kilometre across the North Channel from Donaghadee County Down on the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland to Portpatrick on Scotland's Rhins of Galloway.

Looking to build on his Fastnet Swim success, John is hoping to attempt the other two events over the coming two years and in doing so to complete the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association’s ‘Irish Triple Crown’ of open water long distance swimming.

TRAINING

John told The Guardian: “I have 22 months of training ahead of me in preparation for my North Channel swim attempt in 2026, which will push me to all of my limits, mental and physical.

“The North Channel is regarded as one of the toughest channel swims in the world, with very cold waters, brutal tides, unpredictable weather and guaranteed lionsmane jellyfish.

“I’ve been across the North Channel twice as a crew member for the successful swim attempts of Ger Devin in 2024 and Douglas Riberio in 2023, so I am under no illusions whatsoever as to the enormity of the challenge this swim presents.

“Luckily, I have great support, mentors and coaches in the swimming communities both here and in Greystones and also in Athlone as well as from my family and friends.

“My training takes me to some exceptionally beautiful swimming spots all over Ireland and one of my favourites is our own Youghal Quay on Lough Derg where I always return to for a swim when I’m back in Newtown.”

HOW TO DONATE

To donate to John's Jim O’Connor Memorial Castle to Castle Swim fundraiser for Pieta visit www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/JohnRyan646.