Celebrating Elaine Burrows Dillane – An inspirational pioneer of marathon swimming.

On International Women’s day 2025 and in keeping with our Inspire, Recognise and Celebrate strategy we take this opportunity to shine a light on swimming pioneer Elaine Burrows Dillane, and her amazing achievement in 2024 of being the first Irish Female and first Female to swim a two way Fasnet swim (43km). 

THE DREAM

A two-way Fastnet (Baltimore-Fastnet-Baltimore) is a swim I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. The Fastnet Lighthouse is just breathtaking and so iconic, the water around it is so vast and cold with notorious currents. There is always the air of danger and excitement about it! 

MY PASSION

My passion for The Fastnet Rock/Lighthouse started back in 2018, when I was introduced to Fionnuala Walsh. We swam together in sub 10 degrees for 6.5 hours but we were pulled due to the cold, I was so disappointed we didn’t finish that swim, but Fionnoula reminded me  ”there’s no such thing as a bad swim and you’ll look back on this as a massive learning curve” She was so right. I always remember her words, so obviously it was unfinished business!  In 2020 I went back myself and swam a solo Fasnet Swim, well a solo accompanied by a minky whale and dolphins!!!  Stephen M. Redmond (whom I’m in awe of) was on my boat that day and was talking about a 2 way Fastnet, so that got me thinking, “I’m not finished with this place yet, I’m going to be back!”  I thought I’d be back sooner than I was, but due to injury it prolonged that a bit. I was adamant that I was going to get myself right and injury wasn’t going to beat me, so I worked really hard and myself and Kevin put a plan together. The boys in Cork (Noel Browne, Nathan Timmins and Pilot: Kieran Collins) were well aware of my dream so once I was ready it was full steam ahead.

WHEN DREAMS BECOME REALITY

In June 2024 we spoke to the lads at Fasnet Swim  and waited for a suitable day, for a 2 way it’s so hard to get everything correct, Kieran had been watching the weather and we thought there might be a small opportunity, so we took it. Kevin, John and I headed down to Baltimore I started my swim out at Fastnet in 11 deg and strong currents, the temp did go up to 13 deg but I suppose early into the swim we knew the odds were stacked against us, we got to Baltimore and started the return leg, we got to the end of Sherkin when the weather closed in and I had missed the push due to early currents, so we called it a day, disappointed an all that I was I knew I got a 10 hour swim done and another one way Fastnet swim under my belt.  It was a case of going back to the drawing board, train and wait and lots of patience.  On Monday July 29th I got a call from Kieran Collins, my pilot,  to be ready,  I could be going Wednesday!!! There was a lot of planning on both sides. We got the call and headed down to Baltimore Tuesday night for a 2.20am start. We all met on the pier and Kieran went through the safety rules. I was in the water for 2.20am and we made our way to Fastnet. It was dark for most of this leg which was really nice and calming, once we got out towards the Fastnet we were met with a current which was expected, and the decision was made that I would swim round the lighthouse which was the icing on the cake! It was quite choppy around the Fastnet lighthouse and on the way back for a while so my stroke needed adjusting, it calmed after a while, there was a beautiful roll to the water due to a swell. Temperatures were a balmy 17 degrees celcius all day but they did drop in patches on the way back to 14 degrees. I love that you could meet anything out there, I was swimming away when some dolphins joined me and a humpback whale, I mean how good does it get!!!  About half way back on the second leg I got frightful motion sickness which the team had to deal with by adjusting my feeds and monitoring me, but we got through it. At last the end was in sight. We could see ‘The Beacon’, it was time to push on and finish this, we arrived into the marina and through all the boats to get to the pier and arrive safely on the slip. I was so delighted to see my husband and dad there waiting for me.  We did it!  We had made a plan and we got the job done. To me Fastnet is a very special place, one of these iconic swims and should be a must on anyone’s bucket list.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SOLO SWIM

Thanks to the lads…Kieran, Nathan and Noel who were exceptional in their organisation and planning and had everything researched so well, I had 100% faith in them I knew they would get me there.

Thanks to Marie Watson, my observer on the day who was always there smiling and encouraging me.  And where would I be without my two right hand men, my coach Kevin Williams and my husband John who are a priceless part of the team I am eternally grateful to them both. 

As the saying goes there’s no “I” in team, and this would not have been possible without any of these guys. I am so grateful for all the support I get from my friends, family, the swimming community and everyone that takes an interest in this beautiful sport.