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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Kim O'Leary

Hundreds of swimmers brave the cold for traditional Christmas dip in Dublin

Dozens of swimmers braved the cold weather earlier to take part in traditional Christmas Day swims across the capital from Sandycove to Clontarf.

Hundreds of people gathered at different locations across Dublin for the annual festive dip, and there were long queues of swimmers wearing Santa hats waiting to jump in the sea at Forty Foot in Sandycove where the sea temperature was just over 10C.

In recent years bad weather and the Covid-19 pandemic meant that not as many swimmers took the festive dip, but things were back to normal this morning at Forty Foot.

Read more: Met Eireann issues yellow warning for ice with 'hazardous' road conditions expected

The annual Christmas Day swim was first mentioned by James Joyce in his famous novel Ulysses, and ever since Dublin sea swimmers have flocked in droves to Sandycove for a festive dip.

There were also queues of swimmers in Clontarf, and the swim was organised by the Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club to money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Another location that attracted crowds earlier today was at Portmarnock Beach, where swimmers took to the water in aid of St Francis Hospice in Raheny. The popular swim spots were as busy as ever from early morning well into the afternoon, and many enjoyed the festive atmosphere with some wearing hats and colourful Christmas jumpers.

Here's some photos of the brave souls who took part in this year's annual swim at The Forty Foot in Sandycove.

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