Swimming for Lynn: Lough Ennell challenge for Brain Tumour Ireland
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John Kilroy, Darragh Grennan and Karl Brady.Image 3 of 15
Helping out on the day were Maeve Wright, Caroline O’Connell, Iveta Mangulsone, Mary Taaffe, Mary Finnegan, Enda Wright and Howard Whelan.Image 4 of 15
Taking part on the day were Emma Williamson, Emma Casey and Karina Doorley.Image 5 of 15
Paddy Reilly, Malcolm Allen and Anita Tiernan, Mullingar Canoe Club getting kayaks ready for the lake.Image 6 of 15
Enda Wright helping out at the swim.Image 7 of 15
Nuala Daly and Jenny Algar.Image 8 of 15
John Walsh, Conor Hughes and Stephen Bell.Image 9 of 15
John, Angela and Jenny Algar, and Lynne’s children, Nuada and Aille Algar Quinn.Image 10 of 15
Dave Algar was on boat duty.Image 11 of 15
Sinead Whitelaw, Laura Bell and Jenny Gibson getting ready for the swim.Image 12 of 15
The group of swimmers, Algar family members and supporters ready for the start of the swim.Image 13 of 15
John Kilroy making final preparations.Image 14 of 15
Swimmers in the water ready for theImage 15 of 15
Nuada and Aille Algar Quinn (Lynne’s twins) with Conor Hughes (first male) and Liz Carr (first female).On Saturday week last, July 26, dozens of swimmers took to the waters of Lough Ennell for the second time to honour the memory of Lynne Algar, a woman known for her sporting prowess.
The day brought together swimmers, friends, and family to raise funds for Brain Tumour Ireland and to celebrate the life of an inspiring woman. Setting off from Lilliput harbour, the participants completed a 4.3km swim across the lake.
“A few of us got together and arranged the first swim last year, but it got a bit even bigger this time out,” Jenny Algar told the Westmeath Examiner.
“We did it in remembrance of my sister, Lynn Algar. We had around 36 swimmers in the water, and a few more supporting us in different ways.
“Everyone who took part wore hats with Lynn on them. We started from Lilliput and went straight across the lake to the Tudenham jetty,” Jenny said.
“The weather was good, we were lucky because there was a south-westerly wind, which was in our favour. It blew from Lilliput over. At the end, for the last kilometre, it was pushing us to the shore,” she said.
Jenny spoke of the support for the swim: “We had great volunteers, from those in the kayaks to people helping the swimmers out and in.
“I think we had about 15 or so kayakers and three boats, so we were lucky that way.”
Taking on such a challenge is not for the faint-hearted: “We all do a bit of swimming. A lot of the people were good friends of Lynn, or would have known Lynn through this and that.
“Lynn was always involved in the higher end of sporting activities, she was a serious athlete. That’s why we went for a longer swim.
“My brother, John, was in the kayak and my dad, David, was in the boat and mam, Angela, was dragging people out of the water, literally pulling people out at the jetty,” Jenny said.
“Everyone brought food. We had gazebos up and we had food, coffee and tea and a little bit of a presentation for the first female and first male. Liz Carr was the winner of the female and Conor Hughes was the male winner. They did it at roughly the 59-minute mark.”
Last year the swim raised more than €6,000 for Brain Tumour Ireland: “This year we will probably not raise that much as we got a few big donations last year, but we are grateful to everyone who supported us.”
Aside from the fundraising side of things the organisers of the Lynne Alga Lough Ennell swim were assisted by Midland Triathlon Club, and Mullingar Canoe Club.