
Swim Ireland's new look 2024 Irish Youth and Senior Summer National Championships took place at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 27th July 2024 at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, Dublin. The five-day event saw 1125 swimmers from over 120 clubs compete from all over Ireland to as far afield as Dubai. The path to nationals is paved by hundreds of hours of pool and land training so to qualify for this prestigious competition is a huge achievement for all swimmers. There was high excitement and some nerves among the five Enniskillen Lakelanders who had qualified. Nonetheless in the experienced hands of Head Coach Ben Wiffen, the team brought home several medals, certificates and PBs back to their club.
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club were well represented on the National stage at the 2024 Irish Age Group National Championships at the University of Limerick Sports Arena last week. Five young Lakelanders’ swimmers joined almost 700 swimmers from 100 clubs competing over four days of exciting competition.
With the 2023/2024 swimming season coming to an end, the finale for the competitive swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders is the Irish Summer National competitions. These competitions will take place across two meets in July with Age Group Championships will take place in Limerick, followed by Irish Summer National Youth & Senior Championships in Dublin. There is great excitement among the 11 local swimmers who have qualified to compete at these events.
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their annual End of Season Gala last Saturday 22nd June. This marks the end of the club's 10 month season for many of the younger swimmers and is an opportunity for swimmers across all groups to compete side by side with exhibition and fun events followed by annual presentations and the coveted Coaches' Cups.
Banbridge Open Long Course Meet took place in Craigavon’s South Lakes Leisure Centre on Saturday the 8th of June. A squad of 17 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers, along with Head Coach Ben Wiffen, made their way to the fabulous South Lakes Leisure Centre long course (50m) swimming pool for the final club meet of the season. This meet provided the final opportunity for competitive swimmers to qualify for Swim Ireland's Irish Summer National competitions. As a bonus Banbridge swimming club had extended their invitation to clubs from all over Ireland. The chance to achieve qualifying times and compete against the best in Ireland was too good to miss.
Aquasprinters secure silver at Craigavon Finals night
A squad of 6 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club attended the Bangor Summer Sizzler at the Bangor Aurora Leisure Complex on the 1st and 2nd of June.
The last round of the Forest Feast Aquasprint League of the year for the Enniskillen Lakelanders took place on Saturday evening at the Lakeland Forum against joint table toppers Larne Swim Club . 50 of their younger swimmers born between 2016 and 2011 took to the pool. There was a mixture of excitement and nerves to meet Larne who travelled along with their Olympian and Irish record holding coach Danielle Hill.
A squad of 11 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club attended the Ulster Age Group and Senior LC Championships at the Bangor Aurora Leisure Complex on 3rd, 4th & 5th May. Competitors from across 32 clubs in Ulster met the tough qualification standards to take part in this key meet over three days, targeting Ulster podium spots, and those important Summer National qualification times.
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their Spring Junior Gala on Sunday 28th April, an event aimed at younger swimmers. Right off the back of their recent Aquasprint victory in Magherafelt a fortnight ago the junior swimmers were eager to race individually at their home pool. Joining competitors from the local club were 10 visiting clubs from all over Ulster. For many of the 8-13 year-old competitors, this would be one their first experiences of individual competition, that all important first step for every sportsperson. Swim Ireland referee Lars Beheme oversaw almost 700 entries from the 190 excited swimmers in attendance. Lars was supported by a strong group of over 50 parents and older swimmers volunteering from the Lakelanders club which helped ensure that the busy gala ran smoothly. It was a very successful event for the Lakelanders, raising much needed club funds and giving swimmers the chance to put their training into practise and show off their talents with a large haul of medals and an abundance of PBs on the day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.