Christmas Swim at Emy Lake

Back in the late 1950’s the young Murphy and Morrough boys could never have imagined that what they were doing on Christmas Day would become an annual event attracting hundreds to the Emy Lake shore. On Christmas Day the boys headed for Emy and to dive into the water was their challenge and they all showed their courage. Hail, rain or frost they fulfilled the challenge though there was a report that on one occasion the ice was too thick and they were unable to break through it and so had to return home dejected.

Year after year they completed their visit to Emy and indeed attracted others to join them. They also attracted the attention of the late Bennie McKenna, who saw the event as an opportunity to raise money for charity. He was the local Scout Master and so he decided that half of the money raised would go to the Scouts and the other half to Monaghan General Hospital to assist them to purchase equipment, which would help patients. On occasions Bennie decided that some of the funds should be given to other needy causes and all would agree that it was a worthy cause. Bennie passed to his eternal reward and his role was taken by Dan Rogan, who continued to organise ‘The Christmas Day Swim’ as it was now called.

One of the recipients was a group in Monaghan, which was developing as a support unit for the Handicapped and when Dan passed away the Parents and Friends of the Handicapped took over the running of the Christmas Day Swim and used the…