Hurricane Ophelia: 'Idiotic' swimmers blasted for bathing off coast of Ireland as Storm Ophelia hits

Francesca Gillett16 October 2017

Two swimmers have been branded “idiots” after recklessly ignoring severe weather warnings to go bathing off the coast of Ireland as the eye of Storm Ophelia approached.

Pensioner Timmy Flaherty and bather Emer Cannon defied advice urging people to stay indoors as experts warned the storm would bring flooding, violent, destructive winds and a danger to life.

Ophelia, which was a category three hurricane before being downgraded to a storm, hit the south-west tip of Ireland on Monday morning and moved northwards throughout the day.

Timmy Flaherty, 72, who goes swimming every day, said he expected a backlash for his exploits after taking a dip in Salthill, near Galway city – although he only stayed in the water for about a minute.

Two swimmers entered the water shortly before the eye of the storm passed overhead.
PA

Unimpressed social media users said they "cannot believe idiots were swimming in Salthill Galway" while one man called it "madness".

"I can't understand the stupidity of the people who are going swimming inb Galway," wrote Simona O'Leary.

Mr Flaherty walked in off a flight of steps on the Blackrock diving boards and was almost immediately pushed towards the rocky shoreline and another set of steps where he steadily climbed out.

While he took a dip, dozens of baffled onlookers and amateur photographers tried to capture the scene.

Local gardai – the national police service of Ireland - sounded sirens from patrol cars and urged the public off the promenade.

Timmy Flaherty and Emer Cannon went swimming in Blackrock, Salthill in Galway.
PA

The eye of Ophelia hit further west in Co Galway a short while after Mr Flaherty swam with another bather who extolled the benefits of getting into the north Atlantic.

Emer Cannon, from Kiltullagh, Co Galway, took the relatively safer option of walking in about waist high from the adjoining beach.

"I like to play in the ocean," she said.

Hurricane Ophelia - In pictures

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"I didn't really swim in the water I was just on the beach and just rolling with the wind."

There had been repeated warnings from emergency services, including the Irish Coast Guard, ahead of Ophelia for people to stay away from exposed shorelines.

There was spot flooding along the promenade as the storm coincided with high tides.

Mr Flaherty accepted a significant risk of being injured trying to climb the steps out of the water.

"There's nothing wrong with the water. It's getting back into the tower, that's the trouble," he said.

"You're safe enough in the water - if you don't panic. The secret of the whole thing is not to panic.

"But I stay calm in the water. Once I'm able to do that, I don't care. I'm in my mid-70s now."

The pensioner said he had experience of swimming in rough and stormy seas before.

"As I said when you are in the water, don't panic, stay calm," he said.

"If you are the kind of a person who panics don't go in.

"If you panic in the water you are in trouble, deep trouble. You are finished. You could be a great swimmer, the best swimmer in the world and that's not going to save you if you panic.

"The secret is to stay calm in the water."

The pair also claimed that Ophelia had brought a bonus for them with the water temperature up a number of degrees.

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