Enniskillen Lakelanders swimming club have been largely absent from the local press in 2020/21 as together with many sports, they've battled to stay active during the severe restrictions on indoor sports activity.
This is now changing as restrictions are gradually lifted, a process that has started with national level, elite swimmers. And so it was that the local club were well represented in Dublin last week as 16-year old’s Cora Rooney & Ellie McCartney flew the Fermanagh colours in Ireland’s biggest swim event in history - The Irish National Team Trials, which saw Ireland hosting their first ever Olympic Trials at the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin.
First up to start the trials for Enniskillen Lakelander’s SC was Ballyshannon girl, Cora Rooney racing 100m Backstroke alongside Olympic hopeful Danielle Hill, with Cora completing the final with a great personal best of 1.05.47. Cora’s technical skill approach really shone through later in her 200m Backstroke with RTE’s commentator Nick O’Hare complimenting her stroke and efficiency plus stating Cora will be ‘one of the stars of the future’ and she has ‘textbook backstroke finish’ as well as compliments on her turns. Cora raced all three 200m back races by herself which is difficult, but she and her coach were incredibly pleased as she was just 1.32s outside her personal best.
Enniskillen Lakelanders swimming club have been largely absent from the local press in 2020/21 as together with many sports, they've battled to stay active during the severe restrictions on indoor sports activity.
This is now changing as restrictions are gradually lifted, a process that has started with national level, elite swimmers. And so it was that the local club were well represented in Dublin last week as 16-year old’s Cora Rooney & Ellie McCartney flew the Fermanagh colours in Ireland’s biggest swim event in history - The Irish National Team Trials, which saw Ireland hosting their first ever Olympic Trials at the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin.
First up to start the trials for Enniskillen Lakelander’s SC was Ballyshannon girl, Cora Rooney racing 100m Backstroke alongside Olympic hopeful Danielle Hill, with Cora completing the final with a great personal best of 1.05.47. Cora’s technical skill approach really shone through later in her 200m Backstroke with RTE’s commentator Nick O’Hare complimenting her stroke and efficiency plus stating Cora will be ‘one of the stars of the future’ and she has ‘textbook backstroke finish’ as well as compliments on her turns. Cora raced all three 200m back races by herself which is difficult, but she and her coach were incredibly pleased as she was just 1.32s outside her personal best.
Ellie Mc Cartney, no stranger to the local press begun her event with the 100m Breaststroke where she competed alongside current Champion Mona Mc Sharry to finish with a quaification for the 100m Breaststroke final on Wednesday evening with a great time of 1.12.70, just outside her current personal best time. This was a fantastic achievement for 16yr old Ellie, when consideration is given to the major disruption in her normal schedule in the past year. Next up for Ellie was the 200m Individual Medley (IM), in which she swam the heats, semi-finals and finals finishing on this year’s personal best of 2.23.77. RTE’s Nick O’Hare was again full of praise for Ellie’s IM race on Thursday morning’s heats, stating it was a ‘super swim’ with particularly good Breaststroke and ‘beautiful breathing technique on front crawl’.
The lakelanders can be proud that both ladies raced their respective heats and qualified for semi final and finals in all their events, again a remarkable achievement after such a year of training disruption. The National Team Trials were held for all the top Junior & Senior swimmers in Ireland who qualified to do so with senior swimmers aiming to qualify for Tokyo Olympics 2021, and the Junior swimmers hopeful for European Junior Qualifying times. The experience the Junior swimmers received from this meet was great preparation for Olympic Time Trials in 3 years’ time as Paris 2024 hopefuls.
Lakelanders Coach accompanying both swimmers Sinead Donagher praised their efforts saying, 'both girls approached this meet with great positivity and support towards each other and took away excellent experience in preparation for their careers in swimming'. Whilst Lakelanders Chair Sara lannon welcomed their success at national level stating, 'Ellie and Cora's efforts and performances will be a great inspiration to all our club members who cannot wait to get back to the water soon to resume their training', no stranger to the local press begun her event with the 100m Breaststroke where she competed alongside current Champion Mona Mc Sharry to finish with a quaification for the 100m Breaststroke final on Wednesday evening with a great time of 1.12.70, just outside her current personal best time. This was a fantastic achievement for 16yr old Ellie, when consideration is given to the major disruption in her normal schedule in the past year. Next up for Ellie was the 200m Individual Medley (IM), in which she swam the heats, semi-finals and finals finishing on this year’s personal best of 2.23.77. RTE’s Nick O’Hare was again full of praise for Ellie’s IM race on Thursday morning’s heats, stating it was a ‘super swim’ with particularly good Breaststroke and ‘beautiful breathing technique on front crawl’.
The lakelanders can be proud that both ladies raced their respective heats and qualified for semi final and finals in all their events, again a remarkable achievement after such a year of training disruption. The National Team Trials were held for all the top Junior & Senior swimmers in Ireland who qualified to do so with senior swimmers aiming to qualify for Tokyo Olympics 2021, and the Junior swimmers hopeful for European Junior Qualifying times. The experience the Junior swimmers received from this meet was great preparation for Olympic Time Trials in 3 years’ time as Paris 2024 hopefuls.
Lakelanders Coach accompanying both swimmers Sinead Donagher praised their efforts saying, 'both girls approached this meet with great positivity and support towards each other and took away excellent experience in preparation for their careers in swimming'. Whilst Lakelanders Chair Sara lannon welcomed their success at national level stating, 'Ellie and Cora's efforts and performances will be a great inspiration to all our club members who cannot wait to get back to the water soon to resume their training'
- 16 Feb 2026Lakelanders take the Lead in Lisburn
A squad of 33 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers attended the Swim Belfast Open Meet on Sunday the 15th of February in Lagan Valley Leisureplex, Lisburn. The gala was a great success for the Fermanagh swimmers who relished the opportunity to compete against swimmers from clubs across Ulster, Leinster & Connacht, returned home with numerous medals and personal best times. - 12 Feb 2026Past & Present Lakelanders lead the way for Fermanagh at Swim Ulster’s Senior Sc
Local Swimmers Sparkle for their Schools as Past & Present Lakelanders lead the way for Fermanagh at Swim Ulster’s Senior Schools’ Cup & Championships in Bangor
The Swim Ulster Schools Cup & Championships 2026 took place on Friday 6th February at Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex Bangor. Over 1000 swimmers from more than 130 schools across the province of Ulster took part in the one day event. Three local schools were part of the action with 22 local swimmers taking part. - 01 Feb 2026Young Lakelanders Swim to Success in Belfast
On Saturday 31st January, 13 young swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club competed in Round 3 of the Swim Ulster Future Challengers Series at Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre, Belfast. The meet attracted over 450 swimmers aged 10–14 from across Ulster, all taking on the more challenging events of Individual Medley (IM), Backstroke and Butterfly.
The Lakelanders squad rose to the occasion, relishing the opportunity to race against strong provincial competition while aiming for personal best performances. - 26 Jan 2026Lakelanders Secure Medals & PBs at Swim Ulster Open Meet in Bangor
6 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers competed at Swim Ulster’s Open Long Course Meet at the Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex in Bangor on the 24 & 25th January. Swimmers from clubs all over Ireland attended this exciting start to the Long Course season and the Lakelanders were eager to race their fellow athletes in the fabulous 10 lane 50m pool at the Aurora. - 07 Dec 2025Lakelanders’ future challengers deliver strong swims in Omagh
A strong squad of Lakelanders junior swimmers took part in Swim Ulster Future Challengers Meet 2 at Omagh Leisure Centre on Saturday.
Coach Chelsey Weir was there to support the young swimmers who brought home a substantial haul of medal award pins and a raft of new personal times. - 07 Dec 2025Success for Lakelanders at Sliabh Beagh Winter Gala
6 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers made the journey to the Coral Leisure Centre Monaghan for Sliabh Beagh Swimming Club’s Winter Cluster Meet on 6th & 7th December. - 30 Nov 2025Lakelanders Swimmers Shine for their schools at Ulster Schools Championships
Swim Ulster Primary Schools Cup and Championship was held at the Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex, Bangor on Saturday 29th November 2025. Excited for this opportunity to represent their schools, 22 swimmers across 10 local schools headed to Bangor determined to do the South-West proud and qualify for the All-Ireland Championships held in Dublin in March. Although a school competition, all the students attending are committed members of the Enniskillen Lakelanders swimming club and mustered all their skills and training in competing against the best swimmers from schools across Ulster. A successful day saw 4 podium finishes and an amazing number of swimmers qualify for the All-Ireland primary school championship to be held at the National Aquatic Centre Dublin next year. - 10 Nov 2025Lakelanders push for top performances at Dungannon’s 40th Anniversary Gala
A squad of 10 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers attended Dungannon Swimming Club’s 40th Anniversary Gala on Sunday the 9th November at Dungannon Leisure Centre. The gala was a great success for the young swimmers who returned home with numerous personal bests. - 27 Oct 2025Lakelanders Host First Home Gala in Omagh
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their Autumn Junior Gala on Sunday 26th October, an event aimed at younger swimmers. This was the club’s first Gala in their new temporary base at Omagh Leisure Centre and there was much excitement among the swimmers from the outset with 37 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders taking part. They were joined by competitors from nine other Ulster swimming clubs. For many of the 8-14 year-old competitors, this would be one their first experiences of individual competition, that all important first step for every sportsperson. - 19 Oct 2025Lakelanders secure awards and new PBs at Belfast Aspiring Champions Gala
11 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders swimming club made their way to the Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre in Belfast to compete at Swim Ulster's Aspiring Champions Meet; the first Gala of the season for swimmers aged 13 and over. The event was held over two days, 18th & 19th October. Coaches across Ulster use this gala to assess and monitor swimmers' skills, providing the scaffolding for the building blocks for success in the coming season.
All the work so far on skills and technique resulted in a slew of Swim Ulster Awards, personal bests and many top ten finishes for the Enniskillen Lakelanders.
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