Castlebar Swimming Club raises €28,741.59 for Sunflower Children’s Hospice
The club took on the impressive challenge of swimming the length of the River Shannon .
Castlebar Swimming Club has donated an incredible €28,741.59 to the Sunflower Children’s Hospice following a fundraising Swimathon and raffle held in June.
The club took on the impressive challenge of swimming the length of the River Shannon (360 KM), bringing 43 members together for a day of determination, teamwork and fundraising in support of a worthy cause.
Developed by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, the Sunflower Children’s Hospice will be the first children’s hospice to be built outside Dublin, providing dedicated specialist support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across the western seaboard.
With planning permission recently granted, construction is expected to begin in January 2027, with the hospice scheduled to open to patients in 2029.
Since the plans were first unveiled in November 2025, Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation has raised €9 million towards the €20 million development through community and corporate fundraising, donor support and local initiatives. Fundraising is continuing to secure the remaining €11 million needed to bring the project to completion.
The hospice’s design has been shaped by workshops with families who will use the service, alongside clinicians, to ensure the facility reflects the needs of children and their families.
Feedback has informed practical and therapeutic features, including a canopy over the front entrance, a shower immediately inside the front door and a hydrotherapy pool.
Trevor Rennick, Chairperson of Castlebar Swimming Club, said: “When we first set ourselves the challenge of swimming the length of the River Shannon, we wondered if the 360km distance might be a little too ambitious.
"However, once our young swimmers got started, they quickly set about taking on the Shannon and smashed the target on the day.
"Their achievement was a testament to their dedication, ability and the tremendous work put in by our coaches throughout the year. We are incredibly proud of every swimmer who took part."
"To raise €28,741.59 for the Sunflower Children’s Hospice on top of completing the challenge makes the achievement even more special. It is a fantastic cause, and we are delighted to have played a part in supporting the vital work that the hospice will provide for children and families across the region.”
Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Castlebar Swimming Club for their extraordinary generosity in donating €28,741.59 raised through their Swimathon and raffle to the Sunflower Children’s Hospice.
"Swimming the length of the Shannon is a fantastic challenge in itself, and to combine that with such a successful fundraising effort is truly remarkable.
"Every euro raised brings us closer to making the Sunflower Children’s Hospice a reality and helping us provide much-needed care and support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
"We extend our heartfelt thanks to the club, its members and everyone in the community who contributed to this wonderful achievement.”
