Paul Rouse: Diving into the liberating (but chilly) world of wild swimming

There is a strong pull on the pool. The Shannon flows briskly through the arches of the stunning feat of 19th-century engineering that is the bridge at Banagher

THE CALL OF NATURE: The outdoor pool on the River Shannon alongside Banagher Bridge. "Stretching out into the Shannon, behind The Martello, is a basic structure of concrete platforms and steel rails, that allows you to swim in the fast-tunning river."

The best books make you look at the world in a new way. More precisely, the best books make you think differently even about things that are absolutely familiar, things that you have taken for granted.

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