Galley Head Swim 2025
19th July 2025*
10KM swim around the iconic Galley Head
*Back up date - 16th August 2025
Open for REGISTRATIONS March 22nd 8am.
About
The Galley Head Swim 2025 will be in aid of of 4 very worthy causes - Marymount Hospice, Cancer Connect, CoAction West Cork and Samaritans . All donations and proceeds will be split equally between the four charities. The swim will start at the Red Strand and go around the Galley Head and finish on the Warren Beach. Each swimmer or relay team will require a boat that is insured and helmed by an experienced boat skipper. One boat per swimmer or team (No kayaks allowed). Minimum entry needed to raise is €750 for an individual and €1000 for a relay team and any donations after that would be greatly appreciated. Relay teams to be made up of two or four swimmers. HQ for the race is The Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery. T-Shirt and race pack will be provided before the swim at the safety briefing and a medal and towel will be given at the finish. Due to the location, the swim is weather depending. A deposit of €100 per individual or €200 per relay team is required when registering. All swimmers must be 18 years or over.
Our Sponsors
Our Mission
By supporting the Galley Head Swim you will be supporting four of the most treasured charities in Cork.
Read a little bit about them below.
Marymount Hospice
At Marymount University Hospital & Hospice we offer you three distinct services:
Our Hospital offers respite, intermediate palliative and residential care services for the older person.
Our Hospice offers specialist palliative care services, at both inpatient and community level.
Our Education Centre offers University and other courses, placement and conference facilities.
Cancer Connect
Cancer Connect co-ordinate transport to Cork hospitals for people requiring Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and related treatments
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Cancer Connect is a totally free service, supported by voluntary donations and fundraising.
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Transport for passengers was offered in West Cork originally but due to growing demand is now offered throughout County Cork, with the exception of City Suburbs and surrounds.
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Cancer Connect is now firmly established in communities as a vital support for many to access Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy treatment in Cork Hospitals.
CoAction
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CoAction West Cork provides quality services to support children and adults with an intellectual disability and /or autism.
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This is achieved by helping each service user reach their full potential, working in partnership with their families and carers within the community.
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CoAction recognise that the children and adults availing of the services and supports are unique individuals with abilities who belong in a world where people with a disability have the absolute right to live a valued, fulfilled life in their own community, with access to the supports that they require to establish and sustain an ‘ordinary life’.
Samaritans
Samaritans is the only charity in Ireland offering emotional support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to anyone who is in distress, lonely, struggling to cope or feeling suicidal.
Supporting people in Ireland since 1961, its volunteers have had millions of potentially life-saving conversations with callers through its freephone phone helpline, email, face-to-face support and outreach in communities, schools, festivals and prisons.
Samaritans has 24 locations across Ireland which are run independently by a network of volunteers including a new location recently opened in Clonakilty, West Cork.
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GALLEY HEAD SWIM 2024
Massive congratulations to all Swimmers and Skippers and Crew, Safety Teams and volunteers who participated in the iconic Galley Head Swim 2024 last Saturday.
We were so fortunate with lovely conditions but as ever it was a challenging swim so well done to everyone. We are of course delighted that everyone completed the swim safely and hopefully everyone enjoyed it - the many beaming faces coming out of the water at the Warren spoke volumes and hope that everyone has some incredible memories from the day,
The results are a record of Start and Finish times and Durations. Do remember that the Galley Head Swim is not a race and one result cannot be compared to another as swimmers have different start times and therefore different tide conditions etc. Having said that we appreciate that swimmers do like to see their times
Solo Swimmers
Massive congratulations to Seán Goggin who had a fantastic time of 2:42:20
Graham Collins followed soon after with 2:56:31 with Craig Faley coming in at 2:59:04
Sheila Ryan from Sligo was the First Lady home with a fantastic time of 3:22:14
Neil Sheridan from Dublin (Sandycove Swimmers) was the First and ONLY skin solo swimmer with a fab time of 3:26:06
Well done to you all. 10km is a marathon swim and some of you may even have done a bit more than 10km too and you should all be delighted to have completed it.
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RELAY TEAMS
A family event for the first 2 teams to come home at the Warren - Congrats to D’Nevils - Thomas, Grattan and Finian - who were first overall across the line with a fantastic time of 2:31:32 followed soon after by Father and Daughter duo HollyandJaydee with 2:53:11 and John & Neil coming in at 3:07:21.
As always some relays did various splits with some doing 4x2.5, others doing 2x5, and lots of other combinations but whatever your distance and whatever your time you have completed the Galley Head Swim - many for the first time - so massive congrats to you all.
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On Friday 8th December at the Celtic Ross Hotel we were delighted to present final cheques to Marymount University Hospice, CoAction West Cork and Cancer Connect - Totallying an incredible €104,613.08 with each charity receiving €34,871.03.
We are absolutely delighted with the amount of funds raised this year and are so grateful for everyone's generousity - those who donated and supported this event - and of course thank you to our phenomenal Swimmers (those who swam on the day and those who did their swims virtually), Skippers, All our Safety Crews, our Sponsors - Secon, The Lagoon Activity Centre, A Cut Above, Smugglers Cover, Celtic Ross Hotel, Dave Scully - Scully's Butchers, Londis Rosscarbery, O'Briens Rosscarbery, Dunnes Stores, Hodnett Forde Property Services, West Cork Sauna, Clonakilty RFC - It just couldn't happen without your support.
Pictured are Mary Lowney (Marymount), Jim Murphy (Cancer Connect) and Neil Ashworth (CoAction) with Justin, Margaret and Geoff from the GHS Committee.
Do keep an eye on social media and emails for updates and news coming soon - and in the meantime wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year.
Thank you so much!
The Galley Head Swim Committee.
