Karen O'Sullivan

Karen O'Sullivan training for a 27 km circumnavigation swim around Great Island, Cobh

Karen O'Sullivan (née Gunn) is an Irish open water swimmer from Carrigtwohill, coached by Eilis Burns. She trains with the Sandycove Island Swimming Club in Kinsale.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

On 23 September 2023, she become the first woman and second person overall to complete a 23 km circumnavigation swim around Great Island, Cobh, starting and finishing at Cuskinny in 9 hours 9 minutes. Her charity swim raised money and awareness for mental health services in Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre.
She completed 5.3 km swim around Spike Island from Cobh, Ireland in 2008.
She completed 16 km swim from Cork to Cobh in 2009.
She completed 26.4 km Lake Zurich race in 2010.
She completed 12 km Belvelly Castle to Glenmore in Cobh in 2023
She completed 10.2 km Clock Tower to Belvelly Castle in Cobh in 2023
She was the first woman to swim around Great Cobh Island (26 km) in Ireland in 2023 (in a wetsuit)