Swim Ulster and Swim Ireland welcomed over 500 swimmers from 100 clubs to the Bangor Aurora Swimming Complex in Co. Down for an action-packed three days of racing at the 2025 McCullagh International. Held from Friday, February 21st to Sunday, February 23rd, the meet provided top-class competition and a vital opportunity for Irish swimmers to fine-tune their form ahead of the Irish Open Championships in April—an event that serves as a qualification meet for Summer Internationals, including the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
Day 1 – Friday, February 21st
The opening night featured a stellar line-up of Irish and British Olympians, as well as emerging talent making their mark.
One of the standout races was the Male & Open 100m Freestyle, where Paris Olympic 4x200m Freestyle Relay gold medallists Duncan Scott and Jack McMillan delivered a thrilling battle. Scott (49.47) edged out McMillan (49.48) in a nail-biting finish, with Ireland’s Evan Bailey (National Centre Limerick) securing third in 49.71.
In the Female 100m Freestyle Final, Lucy Hope (University of Stirling) took gold in 55.74, with Paris Olympian Grace Davison (Ards) claiming silver in 56.53 and Drew McKenzie (Edinburgh University) touching third in 56.68.
Paris 2024 finalist Ellen Walshe dominated the Female 400m IM, winning gold in 4:43.33. She was followed by Suzie McNair (University of Stirling) in 4:53.47, with Georgina Walker (Drogheda) taking bronze in 5:04.52.
The Female 1500m Freestyle saw an intense contest between Aoife Harkin (Club Wolverine) and Rebekah Friel (Dundalk), with Harkin pulling away on the final lap to win in 17:49.01. Friel took silver (17:52.00) and Anna Nikishkina (Aer Lingus) claimed bronze in 18:06.14.
Edinburgh University’s Luke Hornsey secured gold in the Male & Open 800m Freestyle with an impressive 8:08.75. Daragh Horgan (National Centre Limerick) finished second (8:31.09), while Tobias Birrer (Swim Regio Solothurn) completed the podium.
The backstroke ledges entered the pool with the Male & Open 50m Backstroke entering the water first. Edinburgh’s Scott Gibson touched the wall first to claim gold in 25.75. Charlie Cassidy (National Centre Limerick) was next home, Jack Simpson-Docherty (City of Glasgow) won bronze. Rebecca Sutton (Swansea University) stopped the clock in 29.15 to win gold in the Female 50m Backstroke. Mollie Garratt (City of Aquatics Manchester) and Cora Rooney (National Centre Limerick) joined Sutton on the podium.
Butterfly specialist Jack Cassin (National Centre Limerick) claimed gold in the Male & Open 200m Butterfly (2:00.21), with Swansea University’s Antonio Rodriguez and Rhys Edwards taking silver and bronze, respectively. In the Female 200m Butterfly, Swansea’s Catherine Roberts triumphed in 2:19.33, ahead of Alana Burns-Atkin (National Centre Ulster) in 2:21.32 and Eva Bayley (New Ross) in 2:24.05.
The Male & Open 100m Breaststroke was the penultimate event of the evening. Eoin Corby of National Centre Limerick claimed the gold in the Men’s Final in 1:02.82. Lewis Fraser (Swansea University) stopped the clock in 1:03.58 for second, with bronze going to Banbridge swimmer Jacob Armon in 1:04.25.
The Female 100m Breaststroke was worth the wait for the full house as Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh University) and Ellie McCartney (National Centre Limerick) went stroke for stroke. Hanlon was the eventual winner in1:07.45 ahead of an impressive McCartney (1:07.77), McCartney swimming a personal best and under 68 seconds for the first time. National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne claimed bronze in 1:10.83.
National relay championships were also on the line, with Aer Lingus winning gold in the Female 4x200m Freestyle Relay (8:55.85). Dolphin secured gold in the Open 4x200m Freestyle Relay (8:10.31), and Banbridge claimed Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay gold (4:12.12).
Day 2 – Saturday, February 22nd
Racing resumed with intensity on the second day. In the 50m Butterfly Walshe won gold in 26.66, just outside Danielle Hill’s Irish Senior Record of 26.45. Jessica Calderbank (City of Manchester) and Emma Coulter (Ards) were next home for silver and bronze. The Male & Open 50m Butterfly gold went to Lewis Fraser of Swansea University.
Walshe also added the 200m Freestyle title to her collection. In an event the Templeogue swimmer has not competed in since 2022, her winning time of 2:00.39 saw her knock over five seconds off her previous best time. Stirling’s Lucy Hope was just behind for silver in 2:00.56 with Ards’ Grace Davison completing the podium in 2:02.39.
There was another hotly contested race between Stirling swimmers Jack McMillan, Duncan Scott and National Centre Limerick’s Evan Bailey, this time in the Male & Open 200m Freestyle. It was the local man McMillan who got his hand on the wall first in a time of 1:47.58, Scott would have to settle for silver (1:47.99) with Bailey joining the two Olympic gold medallists on the podium in 1:49.22.
Ellie McCartney upgraded to gold in the Female 200m Breaststroke (2:26.07), outpacing Kara Hanlon of Edinburgh (2:27.50) and Niamh Connery from the Shark club (2:32.68). Eoin Corby (National Centre Limerick) delivered another dominant swim in the Male & Open 200m Breaststroke, touching first in 2:15.81 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:21.02) and Liam O’Connor of the National Centre Dublin (2:22.76).
The long-distance races saw Luke Hornsey (Edinburgh University) take gold in the Male & Open 1500m Freestyle (15:42.83), while Michaella Glenister (University of Stirling) won the Female 800m Freestyle (8:56.04).
The University of Stirling produced a one-two finish in the Male and Open 400m IM as Pierce Greening (4:35.52) and Angus Allison (4:43.31) finished first and second, respectively, while bronze went to Cody Lau of Ballymena in 4:52.81.
The Female 100m Backstroke was the penultimate event on Saturday evening with Rebecca Sutton (Swansea) touching the wall first to win gold in 1:02.71. City of Manchester’s Mollie Garratt (1:03.63) and Sophie Shaw (1:03.89) claimed the final podium spots while National Centre Limerick’s Cora Rooney was the quickest of the Irish competitors in 1:04.50.
The Male & Open 100m Backstroke gold went to Edinburgh’s Scott Gibson in a time of 57.30, National Centre (Limerick) swimmer Charlie Cassidy was next home in 57.97 with bronze going to City of Glasgow’s Jack Docherty-Simpson (58.11).
Earlier on Saturday, An Ards quartet of Daniel Harvey, Ryan McDowell, Cody Dunnion and Ben Wilson clocked a combined 3:37.98 to win the 4x100m Freestyle relay national championship. The national silver went to Longford (3:40.52), while Kilkenny (3:44.52) came home next to pick up bronze.
Cork club Dolphin doubled up on relay golds, this time winning the Female 4x100m Freestyle national title, as Shauna Murphy, Shonagh Ferriss, Orna Higgins and Lexi Dunne stopped the clock on 4:05.27. Limerick (4:07.20) were next home in second, Trojan (4:10.27) picked up bronze.
Ireland’s Mona McSharry, competing at the SEC Championships in the USA, continued to impress, winning her fourth consecutive 100-yard Breaststroke title and adding a relay silver to her haul.
Day 3 – Sunday, February 23rd
The final day of the McCullagh International saw Team Ireland Olympians shine, with Ellen Walshe, Grace Davison, Danielle Hill, and Tom Fannon all securing gold medals.
Tom Fannon (National Centre Dublin) dominated the Male & Open 50m Freestyle, winning in 22.43, out reaching NCL’s Evan Bailey (22.98) and Thomas Leggett of Larne (23.25). Sprint specialist Danielle Hill claimed the Female 50m Freestyle title in 25.28 after returning to the water from injury, touching the wall before the Scottish duo of Lucy Hope (Stirling) and Drew McKenzie (Edinburgh).
Two-time Olympian Ellen Walshe capped off an impressive meet with a fourth gold medal, this time in the Female 100m Butterfly, Walshe was the only swimmer under one minute in 58 seconds. Jessica Calderbank (City of Manchester) was home just .03 of a second ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Alana Burns-Atkin (NCU) in 1:01.04 and 1:01.07, respectively.
Lewis Fraser caused an upset in the Male & Open 100m Butterfly, winning gold in a time of 53.09 ahead of Duncan Scott (53.70) of Stirling, bronze went to Jamie Ingram of City of Manchester in 53.83. National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin was the fastest Irishman for fourth in 54.02.
Jack McMillan rounded off his weekend with a gold in the Male & Open 400m Freestyle (3:52.96), holding off the challenge from Luke Hornsey of Edinburgh (3:55.64) and Cormac Rynn (3:59.87) from the National Centre Limerick. The Female 400m gold went to University of Stirling’s Michaella Glenister after she posted 4:22.70. Eve Leleux of Swim Belfast was second in 4:25.57 with Manchester’s Mollie Fisher third in 4:31.38.
100m and 200m Gold medallist Eoin Corby (NCL), and Lewis Fraser (Swansea University) battled it out for the gold medal in the Male and Open 50m Breaststroke Final, it was Fraser who got his hand on the wall first in 28.23 with Corby in second (28.55). Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh) topped the Female 50m Breaststroke podium with a time of 31.26 followed by Portmarnock’s Ava Jones in 32.54 and Templeogue’s Abril Allende in 32.76.
The University of Stirling ensured a one-two finish in the Male & Open 200m IM with Duncan Scott (2:00.25) coming home first, followed by teammate John Press (2:06.22), while bronze went to Banbridge man Jacob Armon (2:06.54). The crowd were treated to another Paris Olympian topping this podium as local girl Grace Davison (Ards) posted 2:17.16 to win gold in the Female 200m IM final in 2:17.16.
The last individual event of the competition, the 200m Backstroke, saw New Ross’ Emmet Cousins claim gold (2:05.31), while Sophie Shaw (City of Manchester) took the Female title in 2:18.03.
Relay action wrapped up the morning heats with Dolphin winning the Open 4x100m Medley Relay, while Coolmine took gold in the Female 4x100m Medley Relay.
The Dave McCullagh Memorial Trophy was awarded to local club Ards as the top club for the 3 day meet.
Looking Ahead
With the McCullagh International concluded, Irish swimmers now turn their focus to the 2025 Irish Open Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre from April 12th–16th, where qualification spots for summer international meets, including the World Aquatics Championships, will be on the line. Before that, Ireland’s senior team will compete at the Edinburgh International from March 14th–16th.
Meanwhile, in the USA, Mona McSharry continued her stellar form, securing her third consecutive SEC Championships Breaststroke sweep. Next up for McSharry is the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championships from March 19th–22nd, where she will aim to add more medals to her collection.
The 2025 McCullagh International once again showcased the best of Irish and international swimming, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.