Place of Birth: Dublin
Current City: Dublin
Swimming Biography
Shane began swimming as a young boy at Presentation College and Trojan Swimming Club. He plays water polo for Half Moon Club and he was the captain for the Irish International Water Polo Team.
Shane did his first sea swim in 1979 at the Bull Wall on Dollymount Strand. He has since become a regular participant in the Dublin area sea swims and train for his Channel attempt by swimming each day from Naylor's Cove in Bray to the local harbour.
Swimmer's Report – English Channel
Following an anxious five day wait for weather conditions to improve, Shane finally entered the water on the 7th August 1999 at 8.40am from Shakespeare Beach, Dover.
After one and a half hours Shane hit a squall which lasted for two hours. The sea was very rough and swirling winds increased for Force 5 to 6. This difficult period pushed Shane's endurance and commitment to the limit.
Around midday conditions improved. Water temperature was 62 degrees F (16 degrees C). As he neared France, the sun appeared. His course was plotted so that he would land at Cape Gris Nez, but this was not to be. The tides carried him past the point and he eventually landed on French soil, at the beach between Wissant and Cape Gris Nez.
Shane completed the swim in 10 hours and 23 minutes. In addition to his outstanding effort in the water, Shane raised £12,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, in memory of his brother, Roy, who died from the disease at the age of four.
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