“Swimming in Ballycroy”

Ballycroy is one of Ireland’s largest and last remaining blanket bogs, the bogs contain 90% water. I set out to see if there was any history or community of open water swimming in such a wild and wet bogland.

Seamus from Bellacragher Boat Club took me under his wing showing me the watery sights of the area and telling different aquatic stories. I went on a psychoswimographic journey exploring the area by swimming through the water spaces. I found no other swimmers. I put pool lanes across a blanket bog and made my own swimming pool, still no swimmers joined me.

There is a short film of the project on my vimeo: https://vimeo.com/63722055

A PDF of the small book Image to accompany the project.PDF of the book: Swimming in Ballycroy

Press on the title to read the book.

The project was part of ‘I Could Read The Sky’ a Mayo County Arts Office project in collaboration with the Mayo Art Squad, John and Sue Fox from Dead Good Guides and selected artists.