From A to Sea – The Southern Star Sea Swimming Podcast

KEN O’Sullivan is an Irish underwater cinematographer, film maker, author, diver and swimmer.As well as completing documentary series' for RTÉ, Ken was cameraman on BBC’s Atlantic – Wildest Ocean on Earth series, a CBC Canada documentary on jellyfish and ITV’s Britain’s Whales and Britain’s Sharks documentary.His series on the North Atlantic, The Dark Ocean was hugely popular when it was shown on RTE last year. It revealed never-before-filmed behaviours of our stunning marine creatures, with an original soundtrack performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.Ken has also made a ten-minute movie on West Cork elite swimmer Steve Redmond.He recently spoke to Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin from his home in Lahinch, Co Clare, not far from where he grew up.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan. Listen below.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper. 

SARAH McKnight is a Londoner who moved to Schull after meeting a Cork man. She's a swimming teacher, an open water swimming coach and a level one triathlon coach.McKnight started her swim teaching career on board cruise ships, and from there moved to the Cayman Islands, but every Sunday morning she takes a group for a swim off the slipway at the Fastnet Marine Centre in Schull.Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin joined them recently, but before that had a great chat with McKnight in the town's Harbour Hotel.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper.

NUALA Moore is a force to be reckoned with – and the sea knows that!Nuala’s earliest memory is of jumping off her father’s fishing boat in Dingle and swimming back to shore. Since then, she’s swum in some of the coldest, remotest and most dangerous waters in the world, from the Bering Strait to the Drake Passage.After years of marathon swimming, Nuala struggled to balance sacrifice and achievement. Her work–life balance, coupled with caring for her father, forced a change in her pathway. She turned to ice swimming.Nuala believes that everyone is capable of greatness, whatever shape that might take.Her incredible memoir talks about her initial dive into the world of marathons and triathlons and how she eventually came back to her one true love – the ocean.Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin travelled to Dingle to meet Nuala inside her beautiful little linen shop, where they talked about Nuala’s drive to constantly challenging herself, from scuba diving to swimming, and the world’s fascination with cold water.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper.

THIS week’s From A To Sea podcast is very close to Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin's heart.Since the 90s she has been visiting Iceland whenever she could get the chance – and whenever her wallet would allow.Her most recent visit was just a few weeks ago, as the earthquakes rattled the region near the main airport and the people of this wonderful land were in fear of a dormant volcano erupting at any moment.On the Saturday morning of her long weekend, Siobhán happened to visit the local beach outside Reykjavik and just by pure good timing and luck, stumbled up on a group of local women enjoying their regular dipping routine.Siobhán's friend, a Reykjavik local, was able to introduce her and within minutes she found herself togging out for a dip on the magnificent beach overlooking the city.These women are amazing. They meet three times a week and do a short meditation before the swim, as well as opening what they call their ‘complaints department’ where anyone in the circle of friends can vent their anger or upset about anything at that moment.That morning swimmer Margaret said she was anxious about the events at the time and everyone shared in that anxiety. But she said she realised that nothing would improve her mood better than a dip with her lady friends in the ocean.These women don’t wear wetsuits, just neoprene gloves, boots and distinctive yellow hats.These inspiring women formed the Happier You swimming group during Covid, when their usual hot-spring pools were closed to the public.Siobhán just had to learn more about these delightful women, living on the island which is our closest northern neighbour, so she invited Tinna, Margaret and Klara on the podcast to share their story.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper.

PAMELA Deasy is a force to be reckoned with. The Union Hall woman, who grew up by the sea, is a great ambassador for West Cork. Through her work with the RNLI, she has touched many families and seen both tragedy and joy at close range. Her own personal life has brought her into contact with both, too – as she has become a very vocal advocate for cancer research, and is now in recovery from pancreatic cancer – one of the toughest cancers to defeat. She also organises one of West Cork’s most popular open water swims – the annual Union Hall swimming fundraiser for the RNLI. It has raised almost €100,00 for the RNLI over the past ten years.Here she talks about her relationship with the sea, how it has helped in her recovery, and how organising the Union Hall swim helped keep her focused during some of the most challenging days of her cancer treatment.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper.

CORK journalist Ken O’Shea is an executive producer in RTÉ … but he’s also a fairly impressive hobby swimmer.Ken is also the first man to ever swim from the Fastnet Rock to Crookhaven, having always harboured a dream of swimming up the channel between the Alderman Rocks and Rock Island, and walk up the steps at the pier into O’Sullivans for a pint!He did just that, and a lot more, in his relatively recent sea swimming endeavours.He told podcast presenter Siobhán Cronin all about it, on a zoom call from his Dublin home.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Tony O'Shaughnessy.***Thanks for listening to The Southern Star's From A to Sea Podcast. Please be sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen to our previous episodes by clicking here.For stories like this and more, pick up a copy of this week's Southern Star or subscribe online via www.southernstar.ie/epaper.