Swimmers across Cork will brave the elements and take a dip on Christmas Day 

WHILE many are anticipating the exchange of gifts or festive feasting, others around Cork are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to brave the icy waves for a Christmas Day dip.

One of the county’s most popular beaches — Inchydoney near Clonakilty — will play host to a number of Christmas Day swims, but the main event is getting under way at 11am.

There will be an 11am dip also at Roscarbery’s Warren Beach, while swimmers can pencil in Skibbereen and Schull for a dip at 12pm. Dunmanway dippers have an earlier start — it is 10.30am there for the brave souls.

Santa, fresh from his round-the-world trip the night before, is expected to show up in his togs for the Santa Splash at Garretstown at 12pm — which is in aid of the Hope Foundation — while there will also be an opportunity for a bracing dip at Claycastle Beach in Youghal at 11am, along with Myrtleville and Fountainstown at 10am.

If sea-swimming is not for you, then Linn Snámha Chúil Aodha — in the Gaeltacht village near Baile Mhúirne off the N22 bypass — is also hosting “Dip na Nollag” after 10am Mass on Christmas morning.

This promises to be a musical affair as, in previous years, the local choir Cór Chúil Aodha sings the Múscraí anthem to celebrate the festive occasion.

There will also be Christmas Day swims in Muckross, in Killarney, as well as many other beaches around the country.

Next week, The Echo will feature photographs from the Christmas Day swims at many of Cork’s dipping hotspots.

A few words of good advice should be heeded before grabbing your togs on Christmas Day morning.

For those taking the plunge, the advice is not to swim alone and to make sure someone on shore is monitoring your activity.

Swimmers are also counselled to acclimatise to the water at their own pace and to remain in the line of sight of those on shore and within their depths.

Organisers of Christmas Day swims should have suitably trained personnel in attendance and have a safety officer on duty.