From A to Sea – The Southern Star Sea Swimming Podcast

The latest edition of the From A to Sea podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at Bandon Town Hall during the recent Banshee Festival.Organised by Marguerite McQuaid, secretary of Creative Bandon, the annual festival enjoys a varied arts programme, marking the start of the Halloween season in West Cork.For this month’s podcast, host and Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin was joined by three wonderful guests to discuss the theme of ‘Women and Water’.Women and Water – even the words have a wonderful symbiosis … they both begin with w, they both contain two syllables and of course, water is the source of all life, as are women.It’s no wonder women feel so connected to H2O.Siobhán’s guests – who dive deep into the subject matter – are author, extreme swimmer and businesswoman Nuala Moore from Dingle; Durrus-based yoga teacher, wild swimming enthusiast and children’s swimming coach Dominique Corcoran, and educator and sea enthusiast Katie McShane, the founder of Wise Water, based in Kinsale. 

Hotelier Dena O’Donovan is a businesswoman, musician, entrepreneur and … daily sea swimmer. Having spent her childhood summers on Inchydoney Beach, the Clonakilty woman has continued her love affair with the popular strand and can be seen there most mornings splashing about in the waves or swimming short distances for health and well-being. She admits that her much-publicised trials and tribulations at the hands of a vulture fund in recent years have left her seeking the solace of the salty water more than ever. But she is also actively involved, along with other Inchydoney locals, in research, spear-headed by UCC, to monitor the ongoing coastal erosion at her beloved beach. As a result of this, the BBC recently shot an episode of its Storyworks series at Inchydoney, featuring Dena, and the story of coastal erosion.But for now, here’s a little chat our editor Siobhán Cronin had with Dena about her lifelong fascination with saltwater. 

Hairdresser and Clonakilty native Justin Crowley is one of the people behind the iconic Galley Head 10km swim that takes place every year from Red Strand, past the lighthouse to the Warren Strand.Over its six years of operation, it has raised almost a half-million euro for local charities.He joined editor Siobhán Cronin recently to chat about the origins of the hugely popular event and why it’s a ‘must-do’ on so many swimmers’ calendars. 

Carmel Collins is a swim coach, award-winning ice swimmer and has just completed the Fastnet swim. Based near Cork city, she swims regularly at Sandycove in Kinsale, and spoke to Siobhán Cronin recently about some of her many swimming achievements.***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.

OSSI Schmidt is a legend in Open Water Swimming – he was involved in starting the Irish Open Masters Swimming Championships, brought the Global Open Water Swimming Conference to Cork in 2013 and became honorary recorder for the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association in 2019.He has swam the Gibraltar Straits, and completed several relay swims including the four-person English Channel, Lake Zurich, Alcatraz, Robben Island and, locally, Fastnet to Schull.But these days Ossi is best known as the founder of the GaddinAbtGarnish swim event that takes place twice each summer, over to or around the stunning island off Glengarriff.Just ahead of entries opening for the second swim this summer, Ossi came down to Lough Hyne to chat to us about the origins of one of Ireland’s most popular charity swims.***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.

NIALL Kenny is an open water marathon swimmer and a Cork native. But, most importantly, he is the man behind the campaign for a Lido in Cork.He joined Southern Star editor Siobhán Cronin recently to explain exactly what a ‘Lido’ is, and why Ireland’s second city so badly needs – and deserves – one. The possible site of the Lido in Cork city. Kenny says that a possible site could be along Kennedy Quay, near the train station, where Cork County Council bought land from the Port of Cork Authority. A possible design for the Lido. Tune in now to hear more about the campaign, why Cork deserves a Lido and the benefits a city can see from embracing its river.This episode was produced and presented by Siobhán Cronin, with editing by Dylan Mangan. ***Follow Cork CLG on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or visit their website.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.

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.