Courtesy of Ned Denison, Deirdre Ward and Eilís Burns of the Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
The Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was created in 2017. The Hall of Fame recognizes and honors the leading marathon swimmers and contributors to the sport in Ireland.
The Hall of Fame provides a historic record of the heroes and heroines who serve as role models for future generations. The Hall of Fame was co-founded by Billy Wallace, the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association, Ned Denison, and Stephen Redmond.
Deirdre Ward and Eilís Burns, both members of the Class of 2018 in the Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame introduced the Class of 2021 in today’s edition of WOWSA Live. The luminaries include the following individuals:
* Honour Swimmer Carol Cashell is a fast marathon swimmer. She is the second fastest of those from Ireland who have achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming: Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 2013, the English Channel in 2017, and the Catalina Channel in 2017. She is a pioneer on 11 new marathon swim courses, either as a solo or swim group.
* Honour Swimmer Ray Cossum was the first person from Ireland to swim the English Channel back in 1970 (in 13 hours 41 minutes) and has completed many other marathon swims and serves as a Vice President of the Channel Swimming Association.
* Honour Swimmer Rachael Lee is the fastest female marathon swimmer from Ireland, setting an English Channel record in 2016 with a swim as 9 hours 40 minutes. She has dominated the sport in Ireland for many years, winning races and setting records.
* Honour Swimmer Fionnuala Walsh is the first female swimmer from Ireland to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming: the English Channel in 2012, the Catalina Channel in 2013, and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 2014.
* Honour Contributor Donal Buckley for Media is known as the Lone Swimmer who has educated so many marathon and open water swimmers since 2010. He is also a co-founder of Marathon Swimmers Federation and one of the co-authors of The Global Rules of Marathon Swimming.
* Honour Administrator Pádraig Mallon has his finger in many pies, as founder of Infinity Channel Swimming which provides piloting and coaching for marathon swims, focused on the North Channel and HITtheWALL Ireland. He also finds time to be chairperson of the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association.
* Honour Administrator Jacqueline McClelland is heavily involved in the founding and running of many organizations, is the co-founder of Infinity Channel Swimming & Infinity Swim Academy, and is the lead organizer and logistics manager of HITtheWall and others.
The Class of 2021 was joined by fellow inductees Ned Denison, Conor Gunn, Owen O’Keefe, and Fergal Somerville.
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