Swim Ireland would like to introduce you to the Shipwreckers swimming group in Wexford who won the Me and the Water Members Short Story Competition in August.

The prize was a professional photo shoot with Bryan Keane from Inpho Photography at their local beach Ballymoney.

In true Shipwreckers style, these Me and the Water members got together for a swim, breakfast buffet and live performance of the beach ballet Swan Lake!

“We felt like movie stars for the day,”

said Patricia McEntee, the Me and the Water member who wrote the winning story.

Patricia came across the Shipwreckers by chance. She had just returned to Ireland from a spell living and working in London and had been swimming at her local pool, dreaming of swimming in the sea.

“The sea, it’s my therapy – it’s my go-to place.”

“When I get into the sea I just become part of something else and my mind rests.

“One day I was standing in the queue for the local swimming pool, I just remarked to the person next to me how I preferred to swim in the sea, and she said, ‘oh, I swim with a group who swim in the sea,’ and put me on a WhatsApp.

“The next thing I knew, I had a new routine, a new way of life. A new way of filling up a long, isolated day and putting some structure on it.”

Jessica Lamb, Swim Ireland’s Communications Executive and avid Open Water Swimmer, added:

“Patricia’s story will be familiar to so many who turned to open water in the past 18 months as a social outlet and a way to remain active.

“Meeting daily, come rain or shine, they leave their troubles on the shore on return dancing.

“We are so proud to have them as part of Swim Ireland’s new Me and the Water community and hope their story will lift spirits and inspire more swimming friendships to grow.”

The Shipwreckers swimming group meets every day at Ballymoney beach. Many of them had never swam in the sea until last year – or even this year.

Some dip, some bob and some swim to the famous shipwreck, while others go even further!

You can read Patricia McEntee’s competition-winning Shipwreckers story at meandthewater.ie – the home of Swim Ireland’s new membership category, aimed at open water splashers, dippers and swimmers.

A key benefit for Me and the Water members is access to monthly competitions and challenges, like the August Short Story Competition.

These competitions and challenges are always designed to build community and celebrate open water swimming.

Swim Ireland is also hosting two fun, social 750m swims in Wexford on September 26 to celebrate European Week of Sport. These events take place at Burrow Beach in Courtown and at Rosslare Strand. Anyone who wishes to come along is welcome to book their place online via swimireland.ie/open-water.