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sport · Sunday 19 July 2026 · 10:00am 
Clew Bay Sea Swim Challenge
At Clew Bay (Clare Island) · Westport, Co. Mayo
At Clew Bay (Clare Island) · Westport, Co. Mayo
On a July morning in Clew Bay, the water temperature sits somewhere around 15 or 16 degrees Celsius - cold enough to take your breath away, warm enough (just about) to make you glad you went in. The Clew Bay Sea Swim Challenge is an organised open water swimming event held in one of the most spectacular stretches of Atlantic water in Ireland, with Clare Island standing sentinel at the mouth of the bay. It suits swimmers who want the buzz of a proper sea swim without having to go it alone, and the multi-distance format means complete beginners and seasoned open water regulars can take part on the same day.
The event offers distance options that cater to different abilities - shorter courses for those newer to open water and longer stretches for swimmers who want a real challenge. Wetsuits are recommended (Atlantic water in July is bracing, whatever the calendar says), and safety cover is provided throughout, so you are not swimming unsupported. Entry includes timing, which gives the day a race feel if you want it, and refreshments are laid on afterwards - something to look forward to when you haul yourself out.
Clew Bay itself is a remarkable setting. The bay holds more than a hundred small drumlin islands - a landscape shaped by the last Ice Age - and is overlooked by Croagh Patrick to the south. The bay has been a place of activity on the water since the era of Grace O’Malley, the Connacht chieftain who controlled these waters in the sixteenth century. Swimming in it feels a long way from a pool lane.
Westport is well served by road and rail. From Dublin, the N4 to Castlebar then the N5 west is the most direct drive - roughly three hours. Irish Rail runs direct services from Dublin Heuston to Westport, taking about three and a half hours. The town itself is compact and easy to park in; for events near the pier or the bay foreshore, on-street parking is usually available, and the town’s main car parks are a short walk from the water.
Westport is one of the few planned Georgian towns in Ireland, with tree-lined malls along the Carrowbeg River and a lively quayside. A swim event gives you a natural reason to stay the afternoon or overnight. There is more to see in Westport and across Co. Mayo.
Heading to Clew Bay (Clare Island) in Westport? Mayo has plenty more to see. Read the Westport area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.