Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim

The Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim is one of Ireland's most iconic open water crossings and a leg of the Irish Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. The approximately 13km swim from Aughinish, Co. Clare to the Blackrock Diving Tower in Salthill has been running since 2006, raising over €1.8 million for Cancer Care West. The 2026 edition — the event's 21st anniversary — takes place on 18 July and is already sold out.

This is a major open water crossing, not a casual race. The 13km route takes you across the full width of Galway Bay — exposed Atlantic water with tides, currents, and no shelter. Water temperature in mid-July is approximately 15°C, warmer than most Irish open water events but still cold over a multi-hour swim. Conditions are unpredictable: wind, swell, and jellyfish are all realistic possibilities depending on the day. Each solo swimmer is accompanied by a support boat with a crew — this is not a mass-start race but a supported crossing. The final 100 metres into Blackrock are guided by paddle boards and kayakers. The 2025 event saw 157 swimmers cross: 47 solo and 31 relay teams. The atmosphere at the Salthill finish line is electric, with crowds gathering at Blackrock to cheer swimmers home.

Registration opens on 1 March each year through Eventbrite at galwaybayswim.eventbrite.ie. The 2026 event sold out on its opening day. If you're serious about entering, set an alarm for the registration date — there is no waitlist. Entry includes both solo and relay team options. All swimmers are expected to fundraise for Cancer Care West. Contact galwaybayswim@gmail.com for queries.

The finish is at the Blackrock Diving Tower in Salthill, Galway — a 10-minute drive from Galway city centre. Solo swimmers and relay teams are transported to the Aughinish start point in Co. Clare by boat on race morning. Spectators gather at Blackrock from late morning to watch finishers arrive. Galway city has extensive accommodation but book well in advance — mid-July is peak tourist season and the swim coincides with a busy summer calendar in the west.

The Galway Bay Swim is one leg of the Irish Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. Swimmers training for the crossing often use the Gaelforce Great Swim Trilogy — particularly the 8km Fjord Swim (September) and 12km River Swim (May) — as distance preparation. The Swim Ireland Open Water National Championships at Lough Key (July) offer competitive-level racing at shorter distances. For a less extreme Galway event, the Gaelforce Great Lake Swim at Portumna (July) offers 750m to 3.9km on Lough Derg.