Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in the long-course gala in Limerick recently, particularly Charles O’Brien and Paul O’Leary who won silver and bronzes medals respectively in the 100 breaststroke. Well done also to Ian Coffey who got his Division One times in the 50 freestyle and to Paudie O’Leary who made Division Two times in his first ever long-course gala! Thanks to our lead coach, Cathal O’Brien and our Team Manager Mary O’Leary and to all our parents who travelled and did Officials duties over the weekend.

Congratulations also to all youngest swimmers who took part in a fun gala against Tralee at the weekend. Competition was predictably fierce (and loud) with Killarney swimmers doing themselves and all of us proud, setting down serious markers in all strokes! Killarney names to watch out for in the future are Sabra Hickey, Ella Cremin, Jenna Coffey, Holly Horan, Sadhbh O’Sullivan, Emilija Berzina, Emma Sheehan, Jessica Uchytil, Cliodhna Sweeney, Fiachra Roarty, Cathal Mackey, Diarmuid Quirke and Sean O’Brien. Well done to our coach John Edwards and for all parents who travelled and helped out.

Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in the Development 1 Gala in Tralee recently with some fine performances all round.

Girls under 13 – Well done to Meabh Doolan who won a classy bronze in the 100 freestyle.

Boys under 13 – Liam O’Leary had a fine swim to take silver in a very fast 50 freestyle.

Boys under 14 – Ross Bowell was hoovering up the medals for Killarney taking silver in the 50 backstroke, silver in the 100 IM, silver in the 50 breaststroke and bronze in the 50 freestyle. Cathal Coffey showed a great turn of pace, taking bronze in the 50 breaststroke.

Girls under 16 – Chloe Whelan turned on the style to take bronze in the 100 freestyle and then a second bronze in the 50 breaststroke.

Boys under 16 – Jack McGuire was in flying form winning gold in the 100 freestyle, gold in the 50 breaststroke and silver in the 50 freestyle – not a bad haul of medals.

Thanks to our coaches on the day, our squad manager and to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

The results of our Christmas Quiz 2018 are in and after much consultation, discussion and re-checking, our carefully-selected panel of expert judges have chosen a winner.

But first, the answers:
1. 100 C in a E      100 cents in a euro.
2. M is 838 M H     Mangerton is 838 metres high.
3. M C of the Y 2018 – K S C!    Munster Club of the Year 2018 – Killarney Swimming Club!
4. 5 G R      5 Gold Rings.
5. 2002 by A-M      2002 by Anne-Marie.
6. 3 P for a G B in S      3 points for a green ball in snooker.
7. Y by 5 S of S      Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer.
8. 2018 C Y of the D      2018 Chinese Year of the Dog.
9. 4 C B      4 Calling Birds.
10. The F is 28 M L      The Flesk is 28 miles long.
11. T M ½ na hO (Gaeilge)      Tús maith leath na hOibre.
12. 25/08/18 P F V I      25/08/18 Pope Francis visits Ireland.
13. U, M, L, C the 4 P       Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connacht the 4 Provinces.
14. 11/11/’18 – E of the G W      11/11/’18 – end of the Great War.
15. 3 F H      3 French Hens.
16. L (23rd J – 22nd A)       Leo (23rd July – 22nd August).
17. 12 is the C R of 1728       12 is the cube root of 1728.
18. N 72 K to K      N72 Killorglin to Killarney.
19. 15/07/1853 – O O of K R S     15/07/1853 – Official Opening of Killarney Railway Station.
20. 2 T D       2 Turtle Doves.
21. A 2018, the D H & G re-O      April 2018, the Dunloe Hotel and Gardens re-opens.
22. 2018 – K M F C      2018 – Kerry Minor Football Champions.
23. The 2nd B E M H       The 2nd Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
24. 1st P the P      1st past the post.
25. G L Y by M 5      Girls Like You by Maroon 5.

For the second year in a row, our outright winner is Saibh O’Brien from A Squad. Well done, Saibh. Enjoy the cinema and those hot chocolates and for winning it twice, you get extra marshmallows!

Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in the Invitational Gala in Tralee recently. Some great PB’s and an incredible haul of medals.

Girls under 12 – Faye O’Neill won a beautiful silver in the 100 backstroke.

Boys under 12 – Ian Coffey took bronze in a very fast 50 freestyle.

Girls under 13 – Alison Butler won a well-deserved silver in the 100 butterfly.

Boys under 14 – Nathan O’Connor won a fine silver in the 200 freestyle and a bronze in the 50 freestyle.

Girls under 15 – Aisling Coffey won a selection box of medals with gold in the 50 freestyle, silver in the 100 butterfly and bronze in the 100 freestyle while Ellen O’Connor won a magnificent gold in the 200 breaststroke.

Boys under 15 – Charles O’Brien was in scintillating form, hoovering up golds in the 200 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke and the 100 freestyle.

Girls under 16 – Our girls did us proud in this age group with Julie Rose Bowell winning gold medals in the 200 IM and 100 freestyle, Emer O’Dowd winning silver medals in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly and a bronze in the 100 breaststroke while Imogen O’Connor won a very nice pair of bronzes in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

Boys under 16 – Donal Daly won a lovely bronze in the 200 IM.

Girls under 17 – Margaret O’Brien, who never fails to shine, won us gold in the 200 freestyle and silver in the 100 backstroke.

Boys under 17 – Paul O’Leary, one of our star swimmers, won gold in the 200 IM, gold in the 100 butterfly and capped it off with a silver in the 100 breaststroke.

Boys under 18 – Alan O’Shea took a great bronze in an extremely fast 100 freestyle.

Thanks to our coaches, Cathal O’Brien and John Edwards, who gave huge support and encouragement to our swimmers. Thanks also to our squad manager and to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

Finally, don’t forget our Christmas Gala which takes place next Sunday, the 16th of December.  Lots of fun and goodies to be had (pizza, sweets, biscuits, cake, rice-crispy buns, that sort of thing).  There’s even a rumour that a surprise guest might turn up!

Club Chair, Brian O’Connor, collecting the Munster Club of the Year Award on behalf of Killarney Swimming Club at the Swim Ireland ceremony in Ennistymon, Co. Clare

Our Munster Club of the Year Award has been collected! Not only that, we have also been awarded a Clubmark Award for excellence! Heady stuff indeed. Both Awards will be available for inspection, and photos with Santa, at our Christmas Gala on the 16th.  More on that shortly.

Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in the Development 2 gala in Tralee recently. Some great PB’s achieved and a fantastic haul of medals.

Girls under 11 – Jocelyn Hickey was simply on fire – there’s no other way to put it – taking gold in both the 200 IM and 100 butterfly followed up by silver in the 100 breaststroke.

Boys under 12 – Ian Coffey continued to attract attention winning a super gold in the 200 freestyle and silver in the 100 breaststroke.

Boys under 14 – Nathan O’Connor was the star of the show taking gold medals in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke and silver medals in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

Girls under 15 – Clodagh Carroll showed some classy moves to win silvers in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle while Marnie Horan won a fine bronze in the 100 breaststroke and Mollie Whelan took bronze in a very fast 200 freestyle.

Girls under 16 – Orlaith O’Sullivan never fails to impress and won a marvellous silver in the 200 IM.

Thanks to our fantastic coaches, Cathal O’Brien and John Edwards, who gave huge support and encouragement to our swimmers. Thanks also to our squad manager and to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

Congratulations to everyone in Killarney Swimming Club!  Swim Ireland have decided that all of us are the winners of the Munster Club of the Year Award for 2018.  Further, we have now been short-listed for the overall Club of the Year Award.

This is a major achievement for our club and is a mark of how far our young swimmers have progressed in just six short years and the respect in which they are held by the swimming community in Ireland.  Everyone has played their part, both past and present members, but a special mention must go to Mike O’Sullivan (the driving force behind the club), Cathal O’Brien (our inspirational lead-coach) and our two Club Secretaries to date (who, lets face it, do all the hard work), Denise Casey and Samantha O’Connor.

The presentation ceremony takes place at the Swim Ireland Awards in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, Co. Clare on the 24th of November.  If you are travelling, hit the road early – the traffic from Kerry will be heavy!

Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in the Development 1 gala in Tipperary recently. This was a first gala for some young swimmers so there were plenty of nerves and long silences in the cars on the “trip to Tipp”! However, there was nothing to fear and all Killarney swimmers were superb on the day with some dazzling performances in the pool.

Girls under 12 – Well done to Sarah McAuliffe who won bronze in the difficult 50 butterfly and to Nicole Murphy who took a very fast bronze in the 50 freestyle.

Boys under 13 – A classy performance by Cathal Coffey produced a well-deserved silver in the 50 breaststroke.

Girls under 14 – Saoirse Sweeney was in fine “early-season” form to take a pair of silvers in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

A particular mention for Jenna Coffey and Sadhbh O’Sullivan who were taking part in their first ever gala – well done, girls.

Two other swimmers that turned heads on the day were Roisin McAuliffe and Cliodhna Sweeney with some marvellous bursts of speed – certainly names to watch out for in the future.

Thanks to Niamh Coffey, our team coach, who gave huge support and encouragement to our swimmers. Thanks also to Denise Coffey, our Squad Manager and to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

Congratulations to our swimmers who took part in Munster Development II gala in Douglas recently.

Girls under 13 – Well done to Alison Butler who won a wonderful pair of silver medals in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 butterfly.

Boys under 14 – Congratulations also to Nathan O’Connor on winning his silver medal in a very fast 100 Individual Medley.

Girls under 15 – Clodagh Carroll showed some great form to take the bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke while Ellen O’Connor struck gold in the 100 butterfly and won the bronze medal in the 100 backstroke.

Thanks also to Samantha O’Connor, our Team Manager on the day, for both practical and emotional support and to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

Congratulations to Killarney Swimming Club members, Mary Claire McCarthy and Antonette O’Leary, who took part recently in the 2018 Special Olympics Ireland Games, swimming in the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown where they represented both Kerry and Munster.

Now, us folk in Killarney Swimming Club have always known that these two girls are fantastic swimmers, so we were expecting nothing less than their best, but the opposition would be the finest swimmers in the country. So, the question on everyone’s lips as we waved them off was, would they just be small fish in a big pool?

There was no need to worry. Antonette won a very precious gold medal in the 100 backstroke and Mary Claire won silver in the 100 freestyle and bronze in the 200 freestyle. But the proudest moment for both families came when both Killarney girls swam on the Munster freestyle relay team – and won gold for their province!

Both swimmers must now wait to see if they will be chosen to represent Ireland at the Special Olympic Games to be held in Abu Dhabi next March – there won’t be a fingernail left in the club.

Well done to both girls – we are all so proud of you.

Congratulations to all our swimmers who took part in galas in Mallow and Limerick recently.

Boys under 13 – Well done to Ross Bowell who won a lovely silver in the 50 freestyle.

Girls over 14 – Mairead Egan was in great form taking gold in the 50 backstroke and silver in the 100 freestyle.

Girls under 15 – Ellen O’Connor kept up her winning streak to win gold in the 50 freestyle and bronze in the 200 freestyle while Aisling Coffey won a fantastic bronze in the 100 butterfly.

Girls over 16 – Margaret O’Brien was on song again to take the gold in the 200 and silver in the 100 butterfly.

Boys over 16 – Sean Farndon won a wonderful bronze in a hotly-contested 100 backstroke. Limerick belonged to Paul O’Leary on the day who, accepting nothing but total victory, won gold in both the 100 breaststroke and the 100 butterfly.

A particular mention to one of our youngest swimmers, Roisin McAuliffe, who was taking part in her first ever gala – well done, Roisin.

Thanks to our coaches who gave huge support and encouragement to our swimmers. Thanks also to all parents for travelling and taking part in timekeeping duties.

Finally, well done to those brave souls who took part in our end-of-year bog-swim. Chaotic.