The club was founded in July 1996.
Our home pool is Monaghan Leisure Complex. We also availed of the St. Davnett’s Hospital Pool for teaching beginners and improving swimmers. This pool is presently closed. We had a child and adult element to our swim teaching program. However, since Coral Leisure, the Monaghan Leisure Complex operators brought in a no swimming classes policy in 2010 we have been deprived providing this element to our members. Master competitive swimmers are very welcome.
Our regular club night is designated as Saturday night each week. On this night all the squads swim and the information desk is manned for the passage of information to club members. Members of the executive are normally present on this night should you have a query. All other sessions held in the Leisure Complex are utilising up to a maximum 3 lanes. This is the decision of the pool management as they have a membership and they cannot deny pool space to their members during opening hours. We also train on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 0630 to 0800 and on Sunday morning from 0800 to 0900. A full schedule of training times is displayed below.
We have club assessment nights for new members. These are designed to assess the stroke and stamina of new members and to decide at what level the applicant should commence swimming with the club, or otherwise. These assessment nights are held prior to the club commencing our activity on the second week of September. Requests to join the club outside this period will be subject to lane /class space and ability.
Between 1996 and 2002 we travelled a long way in the swimming game. In this time we developed our swimmer base to a level that we are able to compete effectively at local, Provincial and National level. We also expanded our lifeguard, teacher and coaching staff. This area was assisted by funding we obtained from the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. We also networked with other clubs in the Southwest Region, Ulster Branch and the Ulster Region Development Officer. (During the closure of the town pool our activity level was greatly reduced but since September 2007 we began again building the base with the aim of climbing to the previous levels of achievement described in the paragraph above). This will take time, patience, commitment, excellence and support. It is up to all members to have this ambition for the club and its members.
In the past we have encouraged parents to assist us in the efficient running of the club. Support and assistance has always been forthcoming and is appreciated. We request all members to support our activity and not just ‘drop off and collect.’ We also have had positive support from local business when we approached them for sponsorship.
In 1998 the club took 30 swimmers to Gheel, Belgium, where we were hosted by the local clubs, trained with the local clubs and concluded our trip with a gala involving swimming clubs from Belgium, Germany and ourselves. This trip was not all swimming, we included in our itinerary trips to places of historical, commercial and other sporting and social interests. In 2000 we took club swimmers to training camp in Club La Santa, Lanzarotte. Despite the closure of the Monaghan Pool we took swimmers to overseas training camps in Cyprus in 2002 and 2004. These proved to be excellent in all aspects of club and swimmer development.
Since the closure of the Monaghan Town Pool in January 2000 the club continued teaching and coaching swimmers in St. Davnett’s Pool and Fivemiletown High School Pool. During that time we succeeded in competing successfully with the best clubs in Ulster and Ireland until January 2004. After that it proved difficult to get and maintain fitness due the heating difficulties the pool in Fivemiletown had during the Winter months.
In October 2005 the pool in Fivemiletown High School was closed for major structural building to the school and the pool is completed. From then to September 2007 we were non-competitive and our core of top class swimmers moved on to college, work etc.
Our club is very fortunate to have an outstanding team of teachers and coaches who have the ability and knowledge to implement sound training plans in order that we maintain and improve our developing status within Ulster swimming and further afield. Despite the pool closure sagas described above our club continued to provide swimming classes to the entire catchment area from the St. Davnett’s pool. This was an invaluable service to the people of the area, especially those who were unable to avail of private classes. Our classes were reliable, constant, inexpensive, child friendly and we attempted to deliver a good product.
At local level our success is reflected in the level of success local swimmers have when attending the Annual County Community Games Finals. Last Summer 4 of our swimmers competed in the Irish Division 2 Age Group Championships in Limerick. In 2010 more of our swimmers qualified for the competition but due to family and school matters we again had 4 attending the Division 2 Finals. On this occasion we collected medals, certificates, PB’s and top eight positions. In 2011 we would hope to improve on this progress and possibly get Division 1 qualification times.
Our Novice swimmers compete in the Belfast Teletot League and all development squad swimmers and senior swimmers seeking qualification time swim in Ulster Development galas, schools galas end open events.
Our younger swimmers have been brought each year to either the Lisburn Leisureplex or the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin for a fun day out.