Kickstart Christmas day with a dip for a good cause

PEOPLE from across Galway are invited to join one of the most loved Christmas traditions – the COPE Galway Christmas Swim as it marks 36 years of existence.

The fundraising event taking place on Christmas morning at Blackrock, Salthill was first launched in 1989 by a small group of COPE Galway staff and supporters to raise funds for the charity’s Domestic Abuse Services.

Now in its 36th year, the swim draws hundreds of brave locals and visitors who have made the swim part of their Christmas tradition.

Families, friends and individuals of all ages, from seasoned sea swimmers to first-time dippers, gather at Blackrock for the Christmas Day Swim to take part wherever they are over the holidays.

“The atmosphere on Christmas morning is unlike anything else,” stated Lynia O’Brien, Fundraising Manager with COPE Galway.

“You see people home for the holidays, neighbours greeting one another and even dogs in their Christmas finest – all coming together in solidarity and showing that every small act can make a real difference for people in the community,” she added.

More than a festive dip, the COPE Galway Christmas Swim is a powerful act of solidarity that helps fund essential services for people experiencing homelessness, domestic abuse and isolation.

In 2024, over 850 participants raised €45,600, making a real difference for thousands of people across Galway.

Registration charge for each adult is €20 and for a child is €5. To register for the swim, donate or get more information, visit: www.copegalway.ie.