Get the Irish forum started up again! [Archive]

biggav90

14-05-2006, 06:08 PM

Leprechaun

14-05-2006, 08:06 PM

Right guys, this forum for Northern Ireland and Ireland is being unused - last post was over a year ago! Get with the programme!

Like just start saying where you train, what strokes you like, your favourite pool etc.

Just talk...

Not sure how you calculate your years - last discussion was around the Ulster Masters in Nov 2005.

For what its worth I was with Ards from '71 to 78 (1978 not 1878) and will do breast free and IM. Whilst living in Guildford am still swimming under the Ards flag in Ulster and Irish Masters (see Swim Ulster Masters records for proof).

Regarding pools, always thought Bangor was fastest I ever swm in, but old enough to remember Belfast Inst Pool for Grammar and Ulsters Schools finals.

Claim to fame is that my Dad found some little kid called Andrew Bree at Ards and we used to have some bloke called Eddie Irvine in our club who went on to do something in F1!

biggav90

14-05-2006, 10:15 PM

Sorry about the date, I was just taking a guess that the forum hadnt been used in a while because of all the dates on them!

Im with Larne, and started about 5 years ago, but am only starting to "make a dent" on the Ulster open/Irish age group stage now. I mainly do breast and free. My friends granny owns Guildford castle!

I have to admit that I have never really liked Bangor pool. I think that the Grove is the best. While the facilities there are not the most modern, the pool is still fast.

Andrew Bree is amazing! Thats something to put in your scrapbook lol!

Katie

15-05-2006, 07:51 AM

This is sad. I've lived near Guildford for 15 years and I didn't even know there was a castle! Where is it? (feeling sheepish!!)

Katie

15-05-2006, 07:52 AM

Right my mum's just cleared that question up for me. All is clear. :)

On with being Irish. I'm not. But I know some people who are. One of them swims for Cork. Wahey!

Leprechaun

15-05-2006, 08:21 AM

This is sad. I've lived near Guildford for 15 years and I didn't even know there was a castle! Where is it? (feeling sheepish!!)

Its not much of a castle - just off/up behind the High St, so you have probably spent all your time in the shops not knowing it was there.

http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/186/guildfordcastle.htm

Leprechaun

15-05-2006, 08:21 AM

Right my mum's just cleared that question up for me. All is clear. :)

On with being Irish. I'm not. But I know some people who are. One of them swims for Cork. Wahey!

And will be swimming the River Lee swim in July? E-fitz and I are heading there.

biggav90

15-05-2006, 09:14 AM

No, thats not the Guildford castle I was talking about. Its the one in Northern Ireland, not in Surrey. Its a fancy castle and is really nice looking.

GettingFaster

15-05-2006, 10:04 AM

biggav90

15-05-2006, 11:20 AM

aye that'd be the one.

Leprechaun

15-05-2006, 01:31 PM

Ah, then maybe you need to spell it correctly. Just looking at Multimap, there's a place called "GILford" just south of Portadown, with a castle and a standing stone nearby (won't mention the sewage works...) so perhaps THAT's the castle you're on about.

the other thing that worried me was that Guildford Council seemed to imply they owned the castle so I was dead worried about your friend's Granny getting into an unseemly squabble with them what takes our rates money here. It could only result in our rates going higher!

16-05-2006, 10:13 AM

Hi Gav I'm from Northern Ireland. Don't swim for a club or anything. Not good, young or fast enough.

And yeah you're right... the NI part of the forum is dead :cry:

GettingFaster

16-05-2006, 10:45 PM

Not really, it's more that the NI bods have integrated...

waterbucket

25-09-2007, 02:41 PM

Hi
Used to swim for Ballymena, mid 70's to early 80's.
Bangor was a fast pool also swam at Larne that also was a great pool.
How live in Bromsgrove, teach and coach for them.

Leprechaun

25-09-2007, 04:44 PM

Hi
Used to swim for Ballymena, mid 70's to early 80's.
Bangor was a fast pool also swam at Larne that also was a great pool.
How live in Bromsgrove, teach and coach for them.

Hi Waterbucket - welcome to the fora.

Used to swim in your Seven Towers Pool - Ulster Age Group Champion in 76 when your star Jimmy McXXXX (you'll maybe know him then?) got dq'd for a repeated fly kick on 100 breast.

You'll have come up against e-fitz, or more likely his little brother (if you're male of course!) around then too.

waterbucket

25-09-2007, 05:27 PM

I was there when Billy Moore was head coach. George Spencer, an english man and a Dutch man called Smits was my breaststroke teachers but Sally-ann Spencer alwaya beat me. I have traveled a lot so the memory is thin but I'm not sure about Jimmy.

Juicy Lucy

25-09-2007, 05:48 PM

Hi
Used to swim for Ballymena, mid 70's to early 80's.
Bangor was a fast pool also swam at Larne that also was a great pool.
How live in Bromsgrove, teach and coach for them.

As Leppy will confirm, I'm Irish too. You say you swam for Ballymena? Ballymena's greatest son, Ian Paisley, was also a good swimmer when he was a young boy. That's something you didn't know, I bet!

waterbucket

25-09-2007, 06:12 PM

I did know that and he even gave out swimming awards at the school galas.
Duncan Goodhew also spent a week training with us at Ballymena and gave out the awards at the club champ's.
It is nice to see we have all traveled away but still we swim.

e-fitz

25-09-2007, 08:08 PM

Hi Waterbucket - welcome to the fora.

Used to swim in your Seven Towers Pool - Ulster Age Group Champion in 76 when your star Jimmy McXXXX (you'll maybe know him then?) got dq'd for a repeated fly kick on 100 breast.

You'll have come up against e-fitz, or more likely his little brother (if you're male of course!) around then too.

Yup, I swam for Coleraine in the mid 70s, when there was SFA else to do in that place.... I left in 1977 to go to University in London, and managed to avoid going back...

waterbucket

25-09-2007, 09:08 PM

I moved because of my da's work, I only go back on visits.
I went on to swim for Wycombe District, early 80's to late 80's, Paul Dean was my coach.
Then went to Bicester and turned my attention to teaching and moved abroad.
Back in the UK now with a good club and I know we need a Senior coach and next year a Junior one but we pull together and we work at it.

waterbucket

08-10-2007, 10:51 PM

Hi can anyone help/find or post a link to help me find old records of swimming times in NI

Thanks.

Limerick

19-11-2007, 04:09 PM

it would be good to see more regular posts on Irish swim topics...I live in Limerick funnily enough and swim with one of the bgger clubs in Ireland, Limerick Masters, I focus more on the 100 and 200m fly events as I love fly....I know that some of the regular posters to this site are Irish or have Irish connection...it would be great if some of ye could come to the next big Irish masters gala which is our own Limerick Masters Long Course probably some time in Feb or Mar 08. See ye there?!

Limerick

19-11-2007, 04:11 PM

oh - quick PS - I was at the recent Aer Lingus masters in Dublin - great gala - we had a great day out!

Juicy Lucy

19-11-2007, 04:18 PM

I'd like to go to the next Cork meet, whenever it is. Been three times in the past and enjoyed it enormously.

2.tso

19-11-2007, 04:56 PM

cork masters holding irish national masters this year so prob not the club meet! but tht would be a good one for you all to go to!!!

waterbucket

19-11-2007, 06:49 PM

I don't swim anymore only teach/coach but I have a few in my club who would just love to do Cork Masters. They always ask me about swimming in Ireland and I tell them you can't beat it.
I would love to see more posts on there and I wish the Irish clubs who have websites have a message board which would be a great help. Ballymena!

2.tso

19-11-2007, 07:19 PM

the coach of ballymena at the moment i believe is junior moore!!!!!!!! just incase you wanted to know!

Leprechaun

20-11-2007, 02:09 PM

cork masters holding irish national masters this year so prob not the club meet! but tht would be a good one for you all to go to!!!

Cork International Masters = Irish Open Masters in the year it is held, every two years. Next one is 2009

http://www.corkmasters.ie/html/irishopen.htm

Ossie Schmidt and his colleagues are a great bunch, they will make you all feel very welcome. Every medal winner receives their award on a podium, not some emotionless table at the end of the pool. There arent golds - 2005 & 2003 had beautiful crystal glasses which you wont dump in your medal box when you get home.

You will need to train but it is strictly the necessary stamina and endurance for their evening social events. Be warned.

Leprechaun

20-11-2007, 06:53 PM

For Limerick,

Do you have links into eg Munster (Swim-munster?) where you could "push" this forum so that your countrymen have the chance to hear of it?

Limerick

21-11-2007, 01:23 PM

hi guys
we dont have such a forum as far as I know in Ireland. The nearest equivalent would be the official Irish swim site which is www.swimireland.ie, apart from that you are talking about individual clubs websites, our own is http://www.limerickmasters.com
I would highly recommend our own Masters gala, which is held in our fab long course 50m pool, normally in March time...
oh, guys, check ut the Masters forum on this website, I posted a thread on what members had links with Ireland, some interesting posts there also.
Cheers!

swimmer_hoop

27-11-2007, 03:44 PM

Hi guys!

I'm a new member, swim for Coolmine in Dublin.

200 freestyler with a decent 100 & 400

Best Pool going is Ponds Forge in Sheffield but the NAC is quality facility too just lacking oin atmosphere. Must admitt to the Grove Pool being amazing though. Old as it is its a really really fast racing pool.

waterbucket

27-11-2007, 05:19 PM

Hi Swimmer Hoop and welcome.

waterbucket

09-02-2008, 11:21 PM

Swimmer Hoop is there a open/masters gala at your club in Dublin in or around September. Let me know asp.

Thanks

swimmer_hoop

11-02-2008, 08:45 PM

nah there's nothing no that I'm aware of....definately not in my club anyway, they couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.....September is traditionally a pretty quiet month competition wise

Limerick

12-02-2008, 09:32 AM

welcome to the forum swimmer_hoop!
Is there not the aer Lingus masters coming up in Dublin in November, that any good for you waterbucket?
Im the meantime my own club has the Limerick Masters Long COurse gala in Limerick on 1st March, should be a great event...

LilySue

12-02-2008, 04:44 PM

Juicy Lucy

12-02-2008, 04:53 PM

Hi - am new to the forum.

Anyone in the Dublin area - can you recommend any good sea swims/sea swimming clubs? Would like to do lots of swimming this summer...but better to do it with those who know the local waters.

Thanks!

The guy you need to contact is Ozzi Schmidt, deeoz@tinet

He runs the Cork masters meet, but is so knowledgable about swimming in Ireland. He knows everyone! I'm sure he'll be able to point you in the right direction.

.

LilySue

12-02-2008, 05:24 PM

Thanks for the tip!!

Leprechaun

12-02-2008, 06:33 PM

The guy you need to contact is Ozzi Schmidt, deeoz@tinet

He runs the Cork masters meet, but is so knowledgable about swimming in Ireland. He knows everyone! I'm sure he'll be able to point you in the right direction.

.

ossie is a great contact for sure but go to swim irelands website (google it) andit will take you to tje leinster site.loads sea swims.

2.tso

12-02-2008, 06:40 PM

www.swimireland.ie

swimmer_hoop

12-02-2008, 07:44 PM

www.swimleinster.com

open water section on it.

swimmer_hoop

12-02-2008, 07:46 PM

Hi - am new to the forum.

Anyone in the Dublin area - can you recommend any good sea swims/sea swimming clubs? Would like to do lots of swimming this summer...but better to do it with those who know the local waters.

Thanks!

Welcome LilySue!!

whereabouts in Dublin do you live?One of my coaches is big into the Sea Swimming malarky

waterbucket

12-02-2008, 09:37 PM

Welcome LilySue.

Thanks Limerick, have you got a link for that! We are looking for a weekend away with a few seniors/open age group and masters.

LilySue

14-02-2008, 01:24 PM

Thanks for the tips, esp the swim leinster site. Great to be able to see the times of the various events. I'm not really into the racing aspect of it (used to swim competitively but that was a long time ago)...but I find having an event in mind helps focus training!

I live in Drumcondra and swim (on my own) in the new pool at Trinity.

Leprechaun

14-02-2008, 04:19 PM

Welcome LilySue.

Thanks Limerick, have you got a link for that! We are looking for a weekend away with a few seniors/open age group and masters.

Have a look at the Kingdom Masters website
http://www.kingdomswimmingclub.ie/
Munster Masters - 12th April, Tralee.
Bet its a wild weekend

waterbucket

14-02-2008, 06:42 PM

This looks great and it fits into our fixtures list for seniors/masters so will start to see if anyone is interested. Once again many thanks!

Limerick

19-02-2008, 02:19 PM

reply to waterbuckets post - I think you are talking about the upcoming Masters Long course gala in Limerick, here is the link:
http://www.limerickmasters.com/
but if you are interested in this you would need to be very quick as its about to close off on new entries.....