Some 140 people gathered in Salthill to take a dip in the sea at dawn in aid of Galway Simon.
The event, organised to raise funds to support people in Galway who are facing homelessness, saw crowds meet on the beach just before 5am. Here they were welcomed the sunrise with a relaxing yoga session focused on the practice of sun salutation, led by Laragh Cunningham from The Yoga Shala, which was then followed by a refreshing dip in the sea led by Caitríona Lynch from Ebb & Flow.
Deirdre Treacy, fundraising and communications manager at Galway Simon, says it was an important event for the homeless.
“It was so special to have everyone come together in solidarity, and it was incredibly moving to see so many people down here in Salthill taking time out of their day to help others in their community.
"Across Ireland, over 10,000 people will wake up this morning facing uncertainty, not knowing how or when they will be able to leave homelessness behind them for good," she sats.
" It’s important sometimes to take a minute to reflect on this reality and consider how we can make a change together. On behalf of the thousands of people we’ve helped in Galway over the last 40 years, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to the ongoing support from our generous community, and in particular our corporate partners this morning, HPE."
Some €5,400 was raised through the event and 100 per cent of the proceeds go directly towards providing support and accommodation services to those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness in Galway city and county.
