Irish Independent – March 2024
A trio of Wicklow friends whose families have been affected by cancer recently completed the extreme ‘Freezbrury’ challenge, taking an increasingly longer dip in the sea every day in February to raise almost €6,000 for Arklow Cancer Support.
Fuelled by their love for sea swimming, life-long pals Conor Byrne and Conor Dunne from Arklow and Thomas Hogan from Conary set out to test their physical and mental endurance by getting into the sea at The Cove in Arklow over the 29 days of February, adding a minute to their dip with each day that passed.
In total, the lads spent 435 minutes, or over seven hours, in the sea throughout the challenge.
Braving sea temperatures as low as seven degrees, the three friends followed the rules of the challenge to the letter, submerging themselves to their upper chests for the duration, and their heads fully at least once.