Galway endurance swimmer Daragh Morgan this week became the first person to swim around Ireland in an unprecedented 1,468-kilometre swim which took him five months to complete and raised vital funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI ) and Simon Community.
Beginning in May and finishing in November, Morgan spent 338 hours in the water, covering an average of 15km per day and swimming for approximately four hours daily across 99 separate swims over 93 days. The idea for the project first emerged six years ago and after extensive training, logistics, and planning it finally became a reality in 2025.
Daragh is now looking forward to celebrating his amazing achievement with the people of Galway at his homecoming which takes place at 4.30pm in Galway Docks on Saturday, November 22nd. Daragh and the team would like to extend an invite to all to attend.
A key element of the expedition’s success was the support fleet, with the primary vessel being Naomh Crónán, a traditional 43ft Galway Hooker provided by Badóirí an Chladaigh. Across the journey, the team managed three boats, ensuring Daragh’s safety, navigation, and daily operational needs.
The expedition was captained by Dara Bailey, from Leitir Mór in Galway.“Without Dara, none of this would have been possible,” Morgan said. “His knowledge of the coastline, seamanship, and calm leadership kept us going through the toughest days.”
Despite facing freezing waters, relentless jellyfish stings, severe chafing, and multiple injuries, Morgan pushed through to complete the circumnavigation. Notably, the swim was achieved without major corporate sponsorship, relying instead on community support and small-scale fundraising to keep the project afloat.
The extraordinary feat aims to raise funds for the RNLI, acknowledging the organisation’s life-saving work along Ireland’s coasts.
The team encourages the public to continue supporting the fundraiser through its website: https://www.swimeire.ie/
