30th anniversary of Waterford swim coming soon and all are welcome

An annual open water swim is coming to Waterford to mark thirty years of this much-loved community event.

Sponsored by EirGrid, the swim supports the invaluable work of the RNLI, whose many volunteers provide an on-call 24-hour search and rescue service for a large part of the south coast of Ireland.

The swim starts at 1pm on Sunday 6th July where swimmers will participate in a 4km or 2km swim along a marked course starting at Dungarvan Bay and finishing at Heilbhic Pier.

Members of the public are encouraged to come and cheer on the swimmers in Heilbhic, while enjoying live music, food vendors, a raffle, and many activities along the pier.

Kevin O'Morchoe, Chairman, RNLI Helvick Fundraising Committee said, “This year is extremely special for us, as we celebrate thirty years of community spirit, generosity and support. Every euro raised from this event goes directly to crew training, equipment and lifesaving operations. We are encouraging everyone to join us on July 6th to help us continue this proud tradition.”

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Safety is the utmost priority throughout the swim, with a dedicated team of expert kayakers and safety boats on hand to escort the swimmers throughout the event.

Speaking ahead of the event Sinead Dooley, Head of Public Engagement at EirGrid said, “EirGrid is proud to be sponsoring the RNLI Helvick Open Water Swim, in support of the critical work of the RNLI and their many volunteers. Communities are at the heart of our work to transform the electricity system and create a cleaner, more renewable future. I would like to wish all participants the best of luck and look forward to continued collaboration with communities in Waterford.”

More information about the RNLI Helvick open water swim can be found at https://rnlihelvickswim.ie/swim/