{"id":241598,"date":"2026-01-12T21:21:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/241598\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T21:21:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:21:10","slug":"a-swim-at-every-one-of-irelands-blue-flag-beaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/241598\/","title":{"rendered":"A swim at every one of Ireland’s Blue Flag beaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even tiny ripples can turn into waves \u2014 and for firm friends Biddy Hughes, 51, and Orla Leahy, 50, a single thought grew into a sea-swimming project that has taken the self-christened Sea Fillies on a 4,000km journey around all of Ireland\u2019s Blue Flag beaches.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve raised a whopping \u20ac23,948 (and counting) for charity, and created a community of like-minded folks who thrive on connection and cold water.<\/p>\n

Hughes and Leahy, whose day jobs are in the tourism industry, met for the first time at a Tourism Ireland event in San Francisco last March.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the off, the duo got on like a house on fire, which Leahy attributes to them both being \u201cequal measures of craic and madness combined\u201d.<\/p>\n

At the event, Leahy made a speech in which she referenced the many fabulous free things to do in Ireland, listing among them sea swimming at any of our island\u2019s gorgeous Blue Flag beaches.<\/p>\n

\"BiddyBiddy Hughes and Orla Leahy walk arm in arm towards the ocean at Inchydoney beach for their final Sea Fillies swim. Pictures: Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

Then, afterwards, in the course of a casual chat, a question was put to her: How many Blue Flag beaches had she swum? The answer was a somewhat underwhelming total of one, but it got her thinking…<\/p>\n

Why not swim them all?<\/p>\n

Leahy and Hughes snatched some time from their hectic San Francisco schedule to indulge their passion for sea swimming at the city\u2019s Dolphin Club.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was there, in the elegant shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, that the idea for their epic adventure began to properly hatch.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had such fun and such a buzz,\u201d recalls Hughes of their invigorating swim in San Francisco Bay\u2019s chilly waters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat swim really fed the whole idea of the Blue Flag beaches.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their project needed a name.<\/p>\n

\u201cInitially we were the Thalasso Fillies,\u201d explains Leahy \u2014 thalasso is Greek for \u2018sea\u2019 \u2014 \u201cbut nobody could pronounce it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Having settled on the simpler Sea Fillies, the duo committed to the mammoth task of swimming Ireland\u2019s 98 Blue Flag beaches \u2014 of which four are at inland lakes, and nine are in the North \u2014 and just went for it.<\/p>\n

Huge commitment of time and travel\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLiterally, within a month we had swum our first beach, had a donation page set up and we were out the gap,\u201d recalls Hughes, admitting that the pair were perhaps a little naive as to the sheer amount of time and travel they\u2019d signed themselves up for.<\/p>\n

\"OrlaOrla Leahy and Biddy Hughes share an emotional embrace on Inchydoney beach. Picture: Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

They snatched evenings here, days there, and countless weekends driving up and down the country, ticking off one blue flag beach after another, raising funds and slowly building their tribe as they went.<\/p>\n

For logistical reasons, the pair regularly completed multiple swims in a day, committing to spending a minimum of eight minutes in the water at each one, which Hughes timed on her smartwatch.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re getting into the sea for eight minutes, getting out, disrobing, trying to warm up, driving to your next location,\u201d explains Leahy.<\/p>\n

\n You\u2019d be extremely cold by the end of the day, which was the only downside to the whole thing. That was quite challenging.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

The cold didn\u2019t deter them, though, nor did 30-hour weekend drives, sore throats or a foot fracture.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The sea and the salty air and the chats with those who came to swim alongside them proved to be an unbeatable tonic that always made the effort worth it<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter how far we\u2019d driven or how tired we were, as soon as we hit the sea, we were buzzing, invigorated, laughing, and joking,\u201d Leahy says.<\/p>\n

She said that the summer of 2025 was her first ever free from hay fever, and her psoriasis subsided too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a game-changer for me. I could clearly see the health benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

A worthy volunteer-led charity<\/p>\n

They weren\u2019t swimming for the good of their health \u2014 although that was a bonus \u2014 but rather were doing it to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a largely volunteer-led charity that saves lives at sea<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a no-brainer for us because they\u2019ve touched so many lives across the country,\u201d says Hughes.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut my God, the closer we got to them, the more meaningful it became.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hughes and Leahy connected with the \u201cphenomenal\u201d Irish branch of the RNLI to ensure that any funds raised would directly support the RNLI\u2019s local services in Ireland. They\u2019ve met many RNLI volunteers on Sea Fillies swim days.<\/p>\n

\"Well-wishersWell-wishers and swimmers gather to cheer on the Sea Fillies as they finish their final swim in support of the RNLI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re the most incredible, selfless people. They work tirelessly to protect the coast,\u201d says Leahy.<\/p>\n

When I speak to the two women over Zoom \u2014 Leahy is at home in Cashel, Co Tipperary, while Hughes, who lives in Westport, Co Mayo, calls in from a London hotel room \u2014 it\u2019s the first time they\u2019ve laid eyes on each other since completing the final swim of the inaugural Sea Fillies project, and the easy rapport they have is instantly evident: Biddy has nicknamed Orla \u2018Giddy\u2019.<\/p>\n

Both come across as can-do, positive people, and they certainly needed a fair measure of resilience and optimism to complete all 98 swims in the timescale they\u2019d set themselves: \u201cWe wanted to be finished before winter really kicked in. Our timeline was to be wrapped up by October.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their briny odyssey\u2019s debut dip was at Co Clare\u2019s Fanore beach in April last year and concluded at West Cork\u2019s Inchydoney beach on a gloriously sunny day at the end of October.<\/p>\n

They had supporters and swimmers from near and far that last day, which in itself was a measure of how far they\u2019d come.<\/p>\n

Harking back to one of their first Sea Fillies swims, Leahy recalls the turnout wasn\u2019t quite so impressive. She and Hughes were in Killarney for Meitheal, the annual gathering of Ireland\u2019s tourism industry.<\/p>\n

\"SmilesSmiles and hugs on the shore as friends reunite to celebrate the Sea Fillies\u2019 achievement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember us thinking we were going to drum up a massive crowd and have loads of people swimming with us,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of us arrived on Derrynane beach and looked around. There was one stray dog on the beach and the two of us. That particular day, we had two followers on our Sea Fillies Instagram page, and I think it was both of our mothers!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were laughing, saying, \u2018oh my God, what are we doing, the two of us!\u2019\u201d interjects Hughes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened afterwards was quite remarkable,\u201d continues Leahy. \u201cIt became this whole community of amazing people who joined us on different occasions, wherever they could, whatever region we were in.<\/p>\n

\n It\u2019s been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It\u2019s been just fantastic.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

Through their Sea Fillies pilgrimage, they rediscovered places they loved and found plenty of new ones.<\/p>\n

From Dunmore East\u2019s \u201ccute village\u201d and Derrynane\u2019s \u201cmind-blowing\u201d strand to Ballycotton\u2019s \u201cbeach as far as the eye could see\u201d and \u201cstunning\u201d Barleycove, they have too many favourites to mention.<\/p>\n

Mixed emotions after 97 swims<\/p>\n

After 97 swims, the last hurrah at Inchydoney had mixed emotions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a great crowd there as well as family and loads of friends,\u201d recalls Hughes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a little cry going into the sea, we were bawling. That was washed away fairly quickly, because there were so many lovely people there braving it with us. It was definitely a happy-sad moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their beach-hopping journey has been \u201clife-changing”, Leahy says: \u201cNot only for the two of us, but definitely for a few of the people that joined us along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Sea Fillies?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"OrlaOrla Leahy and Biddy Hughes with supporter Trisha Gallagher, who created a quilted flag to commemorate the Sea Fillies\u2019 incredible achievement.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re not sure yet. They\u2019re passionate about continuing to support the work of the RNLI and love the \u201cbeautiful community\u201d that has organically evolved around Sea Fillies \u2014 many of whom wear the sold-out Sea Fillies T-shirt listing the 98 swim spots.<\/p>\n

Their movement has the potential to go global, and a contact in South Africa has already expressed an interest in doing something similar there.<\/p>\n

They definitely want to keep their Instagram page alive to continue to showcase everything they love about their favourite beaches, including some of the incredible facilities and food that\u2019s now available in their vicinity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were some beaches where we got into the sauna [afterwards],\u201d Hughes says.<\/p>\n

The two had a new-year reunion recently on Silver Strand and chatted about what 2026 might hold for Sea Fillies.<\/p>\n

\"SilhouettedSilhouetted against the bright October sun, swimmers take to the waves at Inchydoney Beach to join Orla Leahy and Biddy Hughes for their final Sea Fillies swim in aid of the RNLI. Picture Chani Anderson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch this space!\u201d Orla says.<\/p>\n

Tourism is in the duo\u2019s blood, and their Sea Fillies mission has made them even more passionate about showcasing Ireland, its beautiful coastline and its Blue Flag beaches.<\/p>\n

Hughes and Leahy are now \u201cfriends for life\u201d and, just like the sea they love so much, they are forces of nature, too \u2014 you get the feeling the Sea Fillies are only getting started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Even tiny ripples can turn into waves \u2014 and for firm friends Biddy Hughes, 51, and Orla Leahy,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":241599,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[122294,61,60,43,122299,122298,87558,122296,122297,122295,13675],"class_list":["post-241598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-blue-flag-beaches","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news","tag-organisation-rnli","tag-place-ballycotton","tag-place-barleycove","tag-place-derrynane","tag-place-dunmore-east","tag-place-inchydoney","tag-swimming"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}