The American ex-patriate has taken on some of the most challenging swims in the world and his love for the sport brought him to Kinsale to be close to his favourite swim around Sandycove Island, which he has lapped over 3,000 times! 

Ned was named 12th onthe World’s 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men in 2019 by the World Open Water Swimming Association. He has an impressive track record including The English Channel, The Manhatten Island Marathon Swim and The Cold Half in Hong Kong which he completed in record time in 2014 and then broke his own record in 2017. Ned has completed 55 marathons and was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Contributor. In Irish waters, his accomplishments include an unprecedented 8 km circumnavigation swim around Cork City on 3 June 2019 and being the first person recorded to swim around Valentia and Cobh Islands.

Ned moved to Kinsale to be closer to his beloved swim around Sandycove Island – on some days you’ll see him there 2 and even 3 times. He likes walking into the town, the community, buying from small local shops and knowing 10+ people on every stroll. Ned has created his own unique community in Kinsale in the shape of The Sandycove Island Swimmers, a club of dedicated open water swimmers to whom Ned is a coach.

Ned leads the Sandycove Swimmers Facebook group of 2,200 eager members with postings to encourage all to participate safely. Swimming at the island ranges from “a quick dip” to “out and back” to “an inside triangle” to “a lap” and “MORE”. Ned personally inspires swimmers to complete their first lap and pushes them to achieve incredible goals. Ned started regularly lapping the island (a distance of 1 mile/1,600 meters) when he moved to Cork in 2001 and eventually to Kinsale in 2013. He facilitated the Cork long distance swimming explosion in 2004 by inspiring 13 others to join him for English Channel solo and relay swims in the summer of 2005.  All were successful and most continue to swim and mentor new groups of swimmers every year with big marathon swimming goals. Unbelievably, 22 local swimmers have now completed the Channel!

Further afield, Ned has helped swimmers take on (in most cases with Ned swimming ahead) the biggest marathon swims in the world:

Channels:  Bocaina, Catalina, Gibraltar, Ile du Levant to Hyéres, Jersey to France, Formentera to Ibiza, Messina [4 way] Robben (South Africa), Rottnest (Australia) & Santa Barbara

Around the Islands: Jersey, Valentia, Manhattan, Robben, Anacapa, Cork City and Cobh

Lakes: Zurich, Memphremagog, Ijsselmeer (Netherlands), Windermere, Champlain, Apache, Saguaro, Canyon and Roosevelt

Across: False and Galway Bays, Boston Light, Kalamata, Batella de Rande, Cape Point, Devil’s Island (French Guiana), Dharmatar to Gateway to India, Aquarium (Mexico) and Cold Half (Hong Kong)

Ned’s next step was to host a Champion of Champions event in 2008 with an international field of swimmers. It was a simple concept: 5 laps, rest, 3 laps, rest and 1 lap sprint (about 5 miles, 3 miles then 1 mile). The winner is determined by the lowest combined time for the three swims.  

The final step was the introduction in 2009 of the Cork Distance Week. This draws about 90 swimmers annually from around the world for one of the toughest training experiences imaginable. Swimmers can complete as much as 100 km of swimming in the sea – with temperatures below that of the English Channel. The “week” is 9 days because: “Your planned big swim always takes longer than you think”. 

With large doses of enthusiasm, competitive spirit, inspiration and organisational effort; Ned has cemented Sandycove Island’s reputation as one of the world’s premiere marathon training locations. County Cork now boasts nearly 200 marathon swimmers and nearly 200 swimmers who have completed both an English Channel solo swim and a lap of our island. They are included on an annual towel print which looks to become a towel large enough to cover a car in a few years!

Ned has retired from work – but not the water.  As of 2023, Ned has completed 55 marathon swims and logged over 3,000 laps of the island – 12 months a year and never in a wetsuit. Two other swimmers have logged about 2,500 laps – but Ned is steadily increasing his lead and plans on completing his 100th marathon!