River Blackwater
The River Blackwater or Munster Blackwater River (Irish: An Abhainn Mhór or Abha Mhór na Mumhan (Munster dialect), the "Great River") is the third longest river in Ireland. It rises in the Mullaghareirk Mountains on the Cork/Kerry border and flows through the County Cork towns of Mallow and Fermoy as well as the County Waterford towns of Lismore and Cappoquin before emptying into the Celtic Sea at Youghal, Co. Cork. The river is 170 km in length and is suitable for swimming at many locations along its length.
Continent: Europe
Country: Ireland
Province: Munster
Counties: Kerry, Cork, Waterford
Source: Mullaghareirk Mountains, Co. Kerry
Mouth: Youghal Harbour, Co. Cork
Well known open water swimmers associated with the river include Tom Baker, Dave Mulcahy and Owen O'Keefe.
Martin Duggan Memorial Swim
The Martin Duggan Memorial Swim (Irish: Snámh Cuimhneacháin Martin Duggan) is held in the River Blackwater at Fermoy Rowing Club in County Cork. This is a 2 km race in which participants swim upstream (against a minimal current) for the first 1 km and then downstream for the second 1 km. The race is held annually in memory of Martin Duggan, a local schoolboy who drowned accidentally in the river on 12 July 2007, aged 14 years. In memory of Martin Duggan, the Martin Duggan Memorial Shield for the Youngest Swimmer has been awarded each year since 2009.
Long Distance Swims
A number of individuals have completed long distance swims on the River Blackwater. These swims include:
| Course | Distance | Swimmers |
|---|---|---|
| Ballyhooly to Fermoy | 9.2 km | Owen O'Keefe and Ned Denison (2010) |
| Fermoy to Ballyduff | 18.6 km | Owen O'Keefe (2012) |
| Ballyduff to Cappoquin | 15.0 km | Owen O'Keefe (2012) |
| Cappoquin to Youghal | 26.4 km | Owen O'Keefe (2012) |
| Fermoy to Youghal | 60.0 km | Owen O'Keefe (2013) |
