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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Participants in a previous Christmas Day Swim at Lough MacNean in Blacklion.
On Christmas Day over 40 hearty souls will brave the cold waters of Lough MacNean, Blacklion at 12.30pm to raise funds for the RNLI. This year’s swim marks the 25th year of this charity event.
The event was started back in 1993 when 14 locals entered the waters on Christmas morning raising money for Concern.
Over the years they have gathered money for various charities, both local and national. One of their most successful years saw over 80 swimmers raise €9,000 for Holles Street Neo Natal Unit.
They’ve had all types of weather over the years and they lived up to their name on two separate occasions when they actually had to break the ice to allow swimmers into the water.
Huge crowds turn out every year to support the participants and it has turned into an excellent social event where neighbours and friends get to meet up on Christmas morning.
They would like to thank everyone who has supported them over the years, from the organisers, people that donated, the swimmers and those who provided the much needed hot punch at the end of the swim. Without all of their support every year the event wouldn’t be possible.
This year marks their 25th year and they wanted to select a charity they had never picked before.
They have swimmers from Cavan, Fermanagh and Leitrim so they thought the RNLI was the perfect charity. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions so they are happy to be able to help.
They have set up a registration process this year and have a free goodie bag for the first 50 people to register. They have a very limited number of these left so act fast!
The event kicks off at 12.30pm and all swimmers are asked to sign in, drop off their sponsorship money and pick up their goodie bags before this.
Anyone interested can register online at www.macneanicebreakers.eventbrite.ie
They are also taking online donations on https://ie.gofundme.com/mac-nean-icebreaker-christmas-swim Facebook page - MacNeanIceBreakers
l MacNean Ice Breakers 25th Christmas Swim on Christmas Day at Lough MacNean, Blacklion at 12.30pm.
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