08-06-2025
From car crash to champion: Meet the Kerry woman with a passion for bog-snorkelling
'We were always told to keep away from the bogs. They were dangerous places and the quickest route to China and Australia.'
Even in adulthood, these words of caution still reverberate through Julia Galvin's mind. However, her parent's warnings failed to stop the powerful draw of the wetlands.
And, after a chance reading about bog-snorkelling in the Guinness Book of Records — a sport that originated in Wales in 1976 — the Kerry woman developed a passion so deep, she can now lay claim to being one of Ireland's champion bog-snorkellers.
The Irish Examiner was lucky enough to join the athlete at one of her favourite training locations, where Julia weaves her way through the Cummeragh bog like a thread through fabric.
As a little girl, she never imagined the feat might be possible. Remarkably, it was not until her 20s that the Listowel woman learned to swim — part of her rehabilitation following a car accident.
Julia Galvin: 'That same week I spotted bog-snorkelling on the television. I had never heard of it previous to that and now I was seeing it twice in one week. I knew it had to be a sign.'
'I had lived in boglands for most of my life,' she said. 'I had led a very normal life until a small car accident left me for three years either lying down or with a Zimmer frame. I was on 16 tablets a day and in a lot of pain. All of my friends were getting married. They were buying houses and having children. Meanwhile, I was wondering what I should do with myself.'
The turning point came for Julia during her stint in hospital.
'I had been in hospital for 27 days before I was sent to Cork for a laminectomy. However, the doctors told me I was on too many tablets to have the operation. While I was waiting for my father to come and collect me I opened up a copy of the Guinness Book of Records.
"That was when I spotted a picture of a guy coming out of a bog with snorkelling gear. The people around him were cheering him on. I was a bit woozy from the drugs, but I promised myself that if I was ever well enough again I would go bog-snorkelling.
"At this point, I couldn't walk. I couldn't swim and I couldn't snorkel. The man in the Guinness Book of Records sparked something in me that I didn't know would ever become a reality.
"That same week I spotted bog-snorkelling on the television. I had never heard of it previous to that and now I was seeing it twice in one week. I knew it had to be a sign.'
The Kerry woman describes the activity as like 'jumping in front of a bus.'
We were always told to keep away from bogs as children so the thought of it was a bit like jumping in front of a bus. It's just not what you do. You are trained to keep away from the bog and not to go there alone.
'I grew up around bogs. I could recognise sphagnum moss and the plants to walk around that indicated wet spots. Our fun was getting the cousins to walk in and then realise they were six inches down seconds later. I never went near the water so it was strange to see a man in the Guinness Book of Records coming out of the bog in a wetsuit.'
But before she could take up bog-snorkelling, Julia first had to learn how to swim.
'A man named Ger McDonnell taught me how to swim in Tralee sports complex. After six lessons, I had learned to swim the length of the pool. I did 16 lessons altogether. Before I knew it, I was off my crutches. I had put the snorkelling out of my mind until Ger encouraged me to give it a go, reminding me that it was what I had trained for. He encouraged me to give it a go and that's what I did.'
Julia was back walking within a year and began training for bog-snorkelling competitions with the help of a friend.
'I had never been in a bog hole before. A friend of mine came with me and he had a rope around my waist. We didn't know what this was going to be like. It's scary because you are immersed in darkness. There is no light.'
Julia, who works as substitute biology teacher, often encounters challenges while snorkelling.
You're coming up against all kinds of creatures like tadpoles, newts and water scorpions. The one good thing about bog snorkelling is that you can't see anything. I like to be away from buildings because that's where the rats are.
"I'll normally find a place that's up a mountain and away from people. There is less of a likelihood of rats there. I went bog-snorkelling in Queensland in Australia and that was an amazing trip. I've been there four times but the only thing I can't deal with is the cane toads. They are these big black toads that swim alongside you. Any time I've seen them I haven't been able to get out of the water fast enough.'
Julia Galvin in the remote bogs of the Iveragh Peninsula as she trains for another season of competitive bog-snorkelling.
And since diving, quite literally, into the sport, Julia has amassed numerous awards. They include gold and silver medals from the Swedish World Championships. She also earned a silver medal when the event was held in Wales, and came first in the Mountain Bike Bog-Snorkelling Championships, among other accomplishments.
The athlete says she is glad to have found her passion in life.
'My father was a cross country runner and my brothers were excellent sports people. I got the dirty end of the stick in that I inherited the competitive streak but not the body for sports.
"I was really happy when I found something I could finally do. The best thing about this is it's easy to do once you know what you're doing. There's also no risk to life.'
Julia is no stranger to other so-called 'weird' sports and has participated in past events such as the World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland. The competition saw her carried a distance of 200m by a male athlete.
'I love trying new things,' she says. 'I heard of an event in Bavaria where you slide down a mountain in lederhosen. It's something I'd really like to try.'
She hopes her passion for bog-snorkelling can inspire others.
'If it wasn't for the guy coming out of the bog on the Guinness Book of Records I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today. I'd like to inspire somebody else in the same way. I hope that people can look at me and say 'look at her, she's wearing a wetsuit in a bog. If she can do this then maybe I can achieve my goals too.'
"It doesn't have to be bog-snorkelling. Even if I can motivate someone to walk from one end of the room to the other then it will be worthwhile. I want people to realise that their life isn't over and they can achieve their dreams just like I did.'
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