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07th Dec 2019

Swimmers should head to Bull Island for the annual Christmas Day swim this year

Sarah Finnan

The lads at Happy Out will make sure you’re very happy out.

The tradition of going for a dip on Christmas Day has been around for decades, surging in popularity in recent years with more and more people braving the cold for a sea swim on December 25th.

Quite the social event, it gives swimmers and supporters the chance to catch up and debrief on the holiday madness so far.

Who got who in Secret Santa? What time will the dinner be ready at? Was such and such at midnight Mass?

So many questions.

Typically done in aid of charity, there are events organised all around the Irish coast, each supporting their own cause.

Anyone bold (or should I say crazy?) enough to go for a festive dip should definitely consider making the trip out to Bull Island, home to Happy Out café.

There you’ll find not only some seriously stunning views but some seriously good coffee and toasties too.

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Pretty nice! ? #HappyOut #Sunset #Dublin #lovely

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Opening their doors for the annual event, the guys at Happy Out choose to fundraise for St. Francis Hospice in Raheny. Providing specialist palliative care to people around North Dublin City and county, the charity is a voluntary organisation that supported 1,600 patients and their families in 2017.

Speaking to Brian Hanratty of Happy Out, he told Lovin: “we actually decided to raise for them as they are very local and a lot of our regular customers would have family members in the hospice.

It felt right to do something for the local hospice and give back locally to those who have been so good to us since we opened”.

With high tide forecasted to be around 11am this year you’ll be able to get your good deed done and dusted early on.

A toastie and a cup of joe are absolutely necessary to bring some warmth back into your bones post-Christmas Day swim.

Serving shivering participants (and bystanders) with a smile, all proceeds from the day will go directly to the charity.

 

READ NEXT: Irish Rail launch late-night Christmas services this weekend

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