The Irish Long Distance Swimming Association recently announced three marathon swimmers and two contributors who will be inducted into the Ireland Marathon Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2022 will be inducted into the Ireland Marathon Hall of Fame at the ILDSA Awards in Mullingar next month.

The ILDSW Awards reward, recognise and celebrate the passionate and vibrant long distance swimming community and their achievements.

Below you will find bio’s for the Class of 2022.

Elaine Burrows Dillane

Elaine Burrows Dillane was the second female and sixth swimmer overall to complete the Original Triple Crown: North Channel 34.5 km (2021), English Channel 33 km (2019) and Bristol Channel 27km (2022). She was the first (and as of 9-2022 the only) female swimmer and second swimmer to complete the Irish Triple Crown: North Channel, Fastnet to Baltimore 19.1 km (2020) and Galway Bay 10 km (2021).

She is also only the third female swimmer from Ireland complete both the North and English Channels – and with the fastest times (as of end 2021): 14 hours 54 minutes and 30 seconds and 12 hours 45 minutes.

Her other marathons include: Blennerville to Maharees 20 km (2018), Fenit to Blennerville Return 16 km (2017), around Ringarogy Island 10 km (2019) and Fenit to Derrymore Return 10 km (2019)

Elaine also gave back to the sport: raised 21,000 Euro for Brain Tumour Ireland through her English Channel Swim and crewed for Gerard McDonnell’s 20 km Muckalugh Swim and David Conradie’s Fastnet Swim.

Finnbarr Hedderman

Finbarr Hedderman completed the two big marathons by which Irish swimmers are measured: The North Channel in 2014 (The 20^th swimmer – before this swim became more popular and the routes more mature) and the English Channel in 2008.

His other marathon swims include three of the S.C.A.R. (Arizona) freshwater lakes in 2016 over a four-day period: Saguaro (15.2 km), Canyon (14.4 km) and Roosevelt (10 km) and Saguaro and Canyon again in 2022. He also swam from the famous Robben Island (South Africa 7.4 km) in 2018 and Baltimore to Fastnet in 2022.

In the past he was honoured with the Poseidon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame (as part of the Cork Organising Committee of the Global Open Water Swimming Conference) for his services to swimming and the Mike Harris Award from the Sandycove Island Swimmers. He also organised several mass participation open water swims and completed three Ice Mile swims.

He played water polo for UCC for over a decade and served on the Ireland Water Polo National Executive for many years, including for a period as Chairman. He has crewed for several marathon swimmers in the English Channel including Jim Shalloo and Mo Siegel.

Rosie Foley

Rosie Foley one of an exclusive group of Irish swimmers to complete the Triple Crown – one of the sport’s great “bucket list” accomplishments: English Channel in 2014, Around Manhattan and Catalina Channel in 2022.

Other marathons: 2013 Wicklow 10 km, 2014 the first unassisted swim the length of Lough Derg 38 km (earning ILDSA’s Performance of the Year Award), 2019 Strait of Gibraltar 2020 Galway Bay and 2021 Tralee Bay – the Maharees to Fenit. 1^st Female to swim around Cork City 7km July 2021 winning Shannon Region Open Water Swim League Winner 2021.

She completed an IISA Ice Mile 31/01/2021 has contributed as a voluntary organiser, Swim Ireland Tutor, Irish Water Safety Instructor and Examiner.

Rosie has had a distinguished sporting career: All Ireland medals in Gaelic Football, University & Club in Rugby, Tag rugby & Athletics (shot putt and javelin). In Rugby Rosie captained University of Limerick & Munster and 39 International Rugby Caps for Ireland 2001 – 2006 Including two Rugby World Cups .1^st female rugby commentator on RTE and President of Ballina/Killaloe RFC.

In 2018 Rosie was inducted to of the University of Limerick Sports Hall of Fame for her unique contribution to sport. Currently raising more than €50,000 for charity.

Kevin Williams

Kevin Williams dedicated 15+ years to the advancement of swimming in Tralee and since 2011 led open water swimming.

To get to local marathon swimming, Kevin helped organise “Across the Tralee Bay Challenge 5km” in 2007 and reinstated it in 2013 – completed by more than 350 swimmers. In 2009, he reintroduced “Blennerville to Fenit 8km” – completed by more than 250 swimmers. He started in 2013 “The Tralee Bay Winter Swimming and Turkey Series” – all togs with Sunday attendance of typically more than 100.

Kevin organised the first local marathon in 2009, “Maharees to Fenit 12 km” – completed by more than 40 swimmers. This inspired Elaine Burrows Dillane to become the first Kerry woman to solo the English Channel in 2019 – and go on from there. To end September 2022, 13 swimmers have completed 18 ratified marathon swims under his guidance in Tralee Bay. Coach to Elaine’s Irish and Original Triple Crowns and has crewed on many channel crossings.

He is an accomplished marathoner as well: Blennerville to Maharees 20km and Fenit to Blennerville return 16km (both first time completed).

Noel Browne

Noel Browne has crewed on numerous marathon swims in particular crewing for Stephen Redmond (International and Irish Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame) from 2011 to 2022. These include many of his key Ocean Sevens and Fastnet swims:

2011 and 2012: Baltimore-Fastnet-Schull (38 km)
2012 Tsugaru Channel (4 times – 1 successful)
2012 Baltimore-Skibbereen on the Ilen River

2013: Irish Sea swim unsuccessful

2013 Castletownbere to Mizen

2018 Baltimore to Fastnet and back 40 km unsuccessful first attempt

2020 Baltimore to Fastnet and back to Baltimore

2022 Fastnet Baltimore to the Mizen, unsuccessful

Noel also crewed: 2012 Darren Millar – Tsugaru Channel, 2014 Sean Murray & Eoin O’ Sullivan – Fastnet to Baltimore, 2016 Nathan Timmins – Fastnet to Baltimore, 2017 Nathan Timmins – English Channel (2 times – 1 successful), 2017 Declan Newman & James Keating – Cape Clear to Baltimore, 2017 Kevin Maxwell – Fastnet-Baltimore, 2018 Marie Watson- Mizen to Fastnet, 2018 Ken O’Shea – Fastnet to Crookhaven and 2019 Sarah Tunnicliffe – Fastnet to Baltimore.

Noel’s more recent accompaniments have been as an administrator and observer for the Fastnet Organisation and other shorter local swims, also marathon solo swimmer: Fastnet to Baltimore, Castletownshend to Union Hall and Strait of Gibraltar.