The history of Strip and Dip goes back over the last sevn years and last year we broke the Guinness World Record for the Largest Skinny Dip. Its lovely to look back and see just how far we have come and what we have achieved. From 50 people in 2013 to 2,505 in 2018, 1,800 in 2019
It was all started by and is organised every year by Deirdre Featherstone who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2012. After her mastectomy in April 2013 she decided to do something to cheer her up and maybe raise a few quid for Childhood Cancer…. €780,000 later ……..
Together we have funded a respite home for families with children going through cancer and have helped realise Aoibheann’s Pink Tie dreams.
We welcome all women to the dip as long as they are over 18. Many people who dip might have been through cancer or other issues, or may just want to do it for the fun of it.
The wonderful Wayne Jones is the only man on the beach on the day and he organises everything for us every year to ensure our safety on the beach.
Being surrounded by naked women all ages, all shapes & all sizes, each of us with our own story, touched by cancer directly or indirectly or whether it was something else going on in our lives, there most definitely was a judgement made by me .....and it was how flippin amazing each & every one of those women were. Ladies with messages written on their bodies that brought tears to my eyes. How brave to bear all amongst people they’ve never met, how exposed we all felt!! But that exposure made us feel comforted in a juxtaposition way. Taking part in the dip, along with some of my best friends was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life! We were anxious, nervous, giddy, didn’t know what to expect. The sense of liberation and support I felt was indescribable .... Deirdre Featherstone - if we could bottle that feeling & sell it, there would be hundreds of Aoibheann’s Lighthouses built!!
Anita, Wicklow