Author: admin

This is the sixth year of Freezbrury in Kilkenny and it is growing each year as Claire Hynes explains.

“Freezbrury which is in its seventh year involves dipping in cold water whether it be river, sea or ice tub for every day in February but the date decides how long we spend in the water. So it’s one minute on February 1 and 29 minutes on February 29, thanks to this being a Leap Year.

“Alongside the daily dips we are also organising a monster raffle which is being supported by many local businesses so we can really push to raise as much funds as possible for Amber Women’s Refuge,” she said.

It’s 6.50am on a cold, dark Thursday as a crowd of swimmers swap their woolly hats and coats for swimming togs at the Forty Foot in Dublin.
Many of them are there to support Robert Young (24) as he jumps into the sea for his latest dip as part of a “Freezbrury” challenge to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

Participants in the annual challenge, dreamed up by Galway adventurer Damian Brown, go for a swim in the sea, a lake or a river every day in February, adding one minute each day. On day one, they submerge themselves for one minute, the next day it is two, and so on.

On Thursday, Robert spent 22 minutes in the water after leaping off the rocks. He was joined by 15 of his friends, many of whom also work at accounting firm EY.

Some jumped in and stayed the course, while others lowered themselves gingerly into the sea and managed to remain there for just a few minutes.

Robert, who grew up in south Dublin, is a regular sea swimmer, but he would not normally go for a daily dip in the winter.

A group from Bray participated in ‘Freezebury’ for Pieta House last month, spending an extra minute in the sea on each day of the month. The initiative was the brainchild of former rugby player Damien Browne, as a way of getting people out of their comfort zones for the month of February.

Damien paid a visit to the group on Bray seafront last Thursday, the 27th day of their challenge.

Participants all over the country committed to getting into an open water source ever day, with some opting for the more extreme version of adding a minute each day. They did one minute on February 1, two minutes on February 2, and so on, until they reached day 29 and 29 minutes last Saturday.

According to participant Paul Neiland, a small Bray group completed the challenge last year. ‘With it being partnered with Pieta House from the start this year it really has grown legs,’ he said, adding that people could also choose to do it for other causes such as Crumlin Hospital and the Alzheimer’s Society.

PLUMMETING temperatures and icy waters proved no match for a hardy bunch of Carlow lads who bravely took on the bracing ‘Freezbrury Challenge’!Every day for the entire month of February, the group of seven twentysomethings fearlessly took the plunge into the river, staying in one minute on the first day of the month, then adding an extra minute every day to finish the month on Sunday with a truly Baltic 28 minutes in the water.

EVERYBODY is looking forward to February being over but especially two chilled-out Limerick lads.

Mike Ryan, from Castletroy, and Jack Henchy, Ballyneety, are taking part in Freezbrury. The challenge was created by former professional rugby player turned adventurer, Damien Browne.

Mike explains that from February 1 to February 28 they have to get into the sea every day, adding a minute each day. Therefore, day one equals one minute, day two is two minutes, all the way to day 28, which will be a whopping 28 minutes.