Thousands take the plunge across the country to raise funds for good causes 

Six-month-old Sonny from Kerry takes to the water with his mum and dad Aideen and Tommy McCarthy At Banna Beach, Co Kerry, for their Christmas swim in aid of Banna Sea Rescue. Picture: Domnick Walsh 

Thousands of sea swimmers togged off and braved the elements for Christmas Day swims across the country, but the fun is not over yet, with many more getting ready to take the plunge today.

Hundreds are expected to turn out for a St Stephen’s Day dip on Clonea Strand in Waterford this morning, in support of a local teenager.

Fourteen-year-old Caroline Kenny is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumour in Germany, and will be spending the holidays away from home with her mum Breda.

Caroline was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2014, when she was just five years old.

Today's #Swim4Caroline has already raised €42,570 for the Gavin Glynn Foundation.

The Wicklow-based charity has helped the Kenny family with the logistics and financial aspects of travelling overseas for specialist treatment not available in Ireland.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Caroline’s father Pat, who is taking the plunge alongside Caroline’s five sisters, says he would do anything for his daughter.

“Caroline will be getting treatment on St Stephen’s Day while we’re going for the swim.

“I’d rather go for the swim any day. It is the least I can do,” he said.

Pat says that Caroline has been “giving out” about missing the swim, but only because she won’t be there to meet everyone on the day.

There is nowhere she would prefer to be in the whole world than in the middle of all those people who love her. She is an inspiration, and a major people person.

Seeing the support and donations pour in for his daughter has made Pat very emotional.

“It’s nice to know that everyone has your back, people are so good, so generous,” he said.

Whilst Pat is missing Caroline and his wife Breda this festive season, he acknowledged that things could be worse for the Kenny family.

“It’s terrible when you get bad news, but you have to get up and get on with it.

“Life keeps going, and there’s lots of people in much worse situations.

“There was two people missing from our table this Christmas, but please God they’ll be back the end of January and they’ll be here for Christmas next year,” he said.

Caroline and Breda Kenny.

Elsewhere, eight-year-old Joe Buttimer from Innishannon has donated €22,755 to the Mercy Hospital Foundation in Cork, which he raised with the help of a Christmas Day dip last year.

The then seven-year-old braved the elements at Garrylucas beach in order to raise funds for the paediatric cancer unit in the Mercy University Hospital, where he received treatment for a kidney tumour.

Joe, who is now in remission, was treated by POONS, a service run by the hospital which allows sick children to be treated at home.

His mother Nicola told the Irish Examiner that they would have been happy if they raised €2,000 — never mind €22,000.

“The whole thing grew legs. There ended up being about 55 people going into the water on Christmas morning,” she said.

And little Joe wasn’t the youngest. “There was a girl about five who went in as well, lots of his cousins, aunts and uncles, and lots of friends,” Nicola said.

Nicola said that Joe was “terrified going in.” “He was dreading it, but he literally ran in and ran out, he didn’t stay in there too long,” she laughed.

The Christmas Day swim gave the Buttimer family “huge support” and a “bit of a boost” when they needed it most.

Sometimes when you’re going through cancer treatment, you can be consumed by it all.

She admitted that she found it hardest when Joe’s treatment stopped, and he was in recovery.

“I think everyone thinks it’s a switch of a button when someone finishes their treatment, and it certainly is not.

“It takes about two years for a child to regain their energy, their appetite, their weight, everything,” she said.

Nicola’s hope for the year ahead is for Joe to be “happy and healthy.” “That is our biggest hope in life now, everything else is quite insignificant,” she concluded.