Ted Keenan

Ted Keenan, an inductee (Honour Swimmer) in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

Ted Keenan is an inductee of the Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

Ted Keenan, an Honour Swimmer inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame after his Bristol Channel marathon swim in 1975

Ted Keenan, at ISHOF in 1989

Ted Keenan (passed away 24 September 2013) was an Irish open water swimmer from Fermanagh. He had been a joiner by trade and looked after various major contracts in his profession as a site agent. He was a site agent on the old Erne Hospital. In ensuing years, he was Area Superintendent for Enterprise Ulster. He retired in ground maintenance with the Western Education and Library Board for Fermanagh and West Tyrone.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• He is a Silver Patron of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
• He was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer in 1984.
• In addition to his channel swims, he also completed several charity swims in the Aid of Cancer Research, and the physically and mentally handicapped.
• His son Brian Keenan (known as Robbo) crewed on many of Ted's swims and his daughter Chanele was named after his English Channel swim.
• 13 August 1972 - English Channel in 18 hours 11 minutes on a spring tide, the first swimmer born in Ireland to complete the crossing
  
• 11 August 1973 - North Channel in 18 hours 27 minutes, in 8.8-11°C (48-52°F) waters
  
• 17 July 1975 - Bristol Channel in 14 hours 26 minutes - from Glen Cove in England to Coney Beach at Porthcawl, Wales, its widest point
  
• Keenan and Kevin Murphy were the only individuals to successfully cross the North Channel, English Channel, and Bristol Channel for more than 40 years. These three swims together are known as THE ORIGINAL TRIPLE CROWN.
• 1967 Lough Erne - with widest point Magho Point to Kesh
  
• 1968 Lough Erne, 9 miles in 5 hours and 20 minutes
  
• 1968 Mullaghmore to Bundoran, 9 miles in 6 hours 15 minutes
  
• 1970 Lough Erne, 9 miles in 6 hours 15 minutes
  
• 1971 Lough Erne, 9 miles in 5 hours 42 minutes
  
• 1976 Donegal Bay, St. Johns Point over to Bundoran in around 8 hours 30 minutes
  
• 1982 Mullaghmore to Bundoran (Donegal Bay) in 6 hours 53 minutes
  
• He had two unsuccessful English Channel attempts: in 1970 from France ended 19 hours 48 minutes at Goodwin Sanmds in tretcherous conditions and in 1993 after having a triple bypass.

Irish Long Distance Swimming Association

Keenan is the namesake for the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association Ted Keenan Ulster Open Water Swimmer of the Year given annually to the swimmer from Ulster who has best represented open water swimming.

External links

• The Original Triple Crowners More Than Doubled In 2022
• Remembering Pat Conway
• Bristol Channel Swimming Association Is Taking Off
• Bristol Channel Swimming Association
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Patrons
• John Earls Honored By The Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• Kamil Resa Alsaran Completes Very Rare Triple Crown Of Open Water Swimming
• Presenting The Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame On WOWSA Live
• Brian Keenan On His Father Ted Keenan On WOWSA Live
• The Death of Swimming Legend Ted Keenan
• Ted Keenan, Doing Great With Much
• Billy Wallace Recalls North Channel History On WOWSA Live
• The Heart Of Lions
• Ted Keenan
• Alison Cardwell Receives Ted Keenan Shield
• History of North Channel Crossings
• North Channel Information
• Google Earth Flyover of Oceans Seven
• The History Of The North Channel - Between Scotland And Ireland
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• Irish Long Distance Swimming Association on Ted Keenan
• 2013 Irish Long Distance Swimming Award Nominations
• ILDSA Awards 2013 Voting
• The Admiral of The Channel
• Top 25 Organizations And Groups In Openwaterpedia
• Everyday Hero Duels Mother Nature In Triple Crown