PAT Conway completed the Lahinch to Liscannor Swim on Sunday for the 50th and final time.
While he will continue to be involved in its organisation and in fundraising, it will be the last time Pat will be in the water for the annual swim which he founded as a teenager and kept running for decades.
“There was a massive crowd and we had 120 swimmers. I think the sponsorship will be in the region of €25,000 so it was a great day,” said Pat this week.
Large crowds were present in Liscannor as Pat came in and a presentation was made to him to mark the milestone.
Ella Holly has a picture with event organiser Pat Conway, taken by her mother Emer, ahead of the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Kinvara’s Helen Colfer gets some guidance on the trip ahead from Joe Keneally at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Niall Collins, Noel Byrnes, Richard Hickey, Mary Byrnes and Aoife Byrnes watch the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Ruairi McEvoy in discussion with participant Chris O Meara at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Local man and event organiser Pat Conway thanking supporters for the past 50 years, and encouraging them to keep up the tradition, at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Br. Liam O Meara of The Burren Chernobyl Project speaking at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Joan O Sullivan and Richard Devereux of the RNLI were at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Shane Devoy and Elizabeth Morris in discussion ahead of the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Little Joni Griffin seems to want to go on the journey with her dad Jack at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Kevin Shalloo of Kilrush gets ready for action at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Ella Holly at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
At full stretch ahead of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Event organiser pat Conway seeing off the first lot of participants at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
The first lot of participants head out at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Event organiser Pat Conway seeing off the second lot of participants at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Lifeguard Conor Mahony of Ennis seeing off the swimmers at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Lifeguard Conor Mahony of Ennis seeing off the swimmers at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Local men Pat Conway and Brian Mc Carthy seeing off the swimmers at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Local men Pat Conway and Brian Mc Carthy seeing off the swimmers at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Mary and Karl Daly of Cratloe supporting the swimmers at the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Onlookers looking seaward following the start of the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
Sea swimmers Fionnuala Walsh of Kilrush and Rosie Foley of Killaloe head off on the 50th Lahinch To Liscannor bay swim, headed up by local man Pat Conway, to raise money for the Burren Chernobyl Project. Photograph by John Kelly
“I was presented with a lovely plaque, which I believe is going to be put on the wall at the Prom at some stage. It was all surprises, it was very emotional and there’s huge thanks due to everyone who helped because it was a very successful day.”
Pat’s two daughters and his son also completed the swim, while other members of his family were also present for the occasion.
The Burren Chernobyl Project is the beneficiary of the annual swim and Pat says they really need all the support they can get, as inflation soars.
“The cost of living has gone up there by 33% in the last year, it’s very hard to get lorries in, it’s very hard to get volunteers in.
“This money will go some way to help Brother Liam when he goes back there in the near future.”
This year the support was really fantastic, he says.
“My son’s fiancée had the idea of a raffle and that brought in nearly €2,500. Then, online nearly €4,500 was raised and going around collecting personally with Brian McCarthy, who comes home from Barcelona every year for it, we got €8,500 which was a fantastic contribution.
“The cards that the swimmers had to get sponsorship themselves, that’s up around €10,000.
“All in all it’ll be around €25,000 and I never went near that before, the best I had done was last year which was €14,000.
“A lot of people knew it was my 50th and last swim and they were very supportive.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.
