On May 31st, 2025, endurance swimmer Daragh Morgan waded into the water at Blackrock Diving Tower in Galway, an iconic image on the west coast, to begin an attempt that has never been completed before: a full circumnavigation swim of Ireland.
The route will take him clockwise, out past the Aran Islands, up the northwest coast, down the east, and back around to Galway. It’s a distance of roughly 1,600km, with Daragh averaging between 10-20km a day. The journey is expected to take around four months, swimming on a six-hour-on, six-hour-off schedule to coincide with the tides.
Why swim around Ireland?
So why take on such a huge undertaking? For Daragh, it’s about more than endurance.
“I’ve always loved the sea,” he says. “Ireland is such a special place, three seas, three coasts, and countless coastal communities. This swim is about connecting with those communities, highlighting the culture, cuisine, and industries that depend on the water. It’s also about shining a light on the challenges, like the pressures on the fishing industry, and showing how important it is that we protect this incredible natural resource.”
The expedition also has a charitable purpose. One of the key organisations Daragh is supporting is Galway Simon Community, which provides vital services for people facing homelessness in the west of Ireland.
Logistics and planning
While Daragh’s job will be singular, to swim as far as possible each day. The project requires a huge logistical effort behind the scenes. The swim will be broken into a series of “bounds” or segments of 60-70km each, typically taking 6-7 days to complete, depending on weather and tides.
Each bound will be supported by Daragh’s Galway Hooker 43ft Boat, Naomh Cronan, with Captain Daragh Bailey will act as his floating base: a place to rest, refuel, and shelter between swims. A small crew of three will be on board, coordinating safety, navigation, and communications with land.
“It’s not just about the swimming,” Daragh explains. “We’ll be constantly adapting to conditions, weather, tides, safety, and sometimes having to seek shelter in harbours or piers. That’s actually part of the magic: sailing into these towns and connecting with the people there.”
Training is already well underway. Since 2017, Daragh has kept a daily routine of early morning sea swims, usually 1–2km, regardless of weather. For him, it’s both preparation and ritual:
“Every morning I get into the water. That consistency is what makes big challenges possible.”
For Daragh, the dream is to create something bigger than just a personal challenge:
“At the end of the day, my job is to swim. But this is about more than me. It’s about the communities, the coastline, the sea that surrounds us, and the chance to give something back.”
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