Julia Galvin

“Bog snorkelling saved my life” begins Julia Galvin as she reflects on a time in her life when she was left with serious spinal injuries after a car accident. An accident which interrupted the life of this teacher at the age of 27. 

“I love to teach and I was taught how to do that brilliantly” Julia says, recalling her time at UL studying for a degree in General and Rural Science. “I started off in Thomond College and by the time I graduated in 1994, it had become part of UL” she recalls. She also remembers witnessing the construction of the University’s Concert Hall (UCH) and the Glucksman Library at the time. “Everywhere else was just green fields” she says “I had a wonderful time in college. I wasn't the best student, but with good friends, I got through it.” 

Spinal injuries 

When Julia was in her 20's and enjoying life, misfortune came her way. “I was in a couple of small accidents,” she says “but rather than get better, my health deteriorated”. With serious spinal injuries, Julia was on a lot of medication and needed the use of a Zimmer frame as she re-learned how to walk. 

“I couldn't see any improvement coming my way and my usual carefree self was becoming a distant memory” she reveals. Eventually, she was hospitalised for pain management and intensive physiotherapy. It was suggested that her spine should be fused, but the night before the proposed procedure in a Cork hospital, a nurse informed her that because she was on too much medication for the operation to go ahead. 

Guinness Book of Records 

As she waited for her Dad to drive her home, she passed the time browsing through the Guinness Book of Records. There, she saw a man emerging from a bog, he was the bog snorkelling champion! “I thought it was the weirdest thing” she says “I live near a bog and we were always warned never to go near the water.” While amazed and amused by what she had seen, Julia quickly forgot about it until the following week when she saw bog snorkelling on TV. “I then announced to my Dad, if I ever walk again, I'm doing that!” 

Sink or swim 

Already at rock bottom, Julia told herself that from there anything is possible and she must never give up. There was another major obstacle though to overcome. “First I had to learn how to swim” she says, an effort that also included the 20 minutes “just to hobble in on crutches from the car park to the swimming pool” she recalls. Julia says she was lucky to have a marvellous swimming instructor, Ger McDonnell and within 6 lessons, she could swim the length of a pool. 

Within four months, it was Christmas time and Julia was off all medication and no longer needed crutches. Fast forward 8 months later and she was in a bog representing Ireland at the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells. 

“I came second in the Ladies' Race” she smiles “Second to a lifeguard!” 

World Champion 

Following this triumph, Julia truly had caught the sports bug. She adds “But being as big as I am, most sports aren't suitable for me… that’s why I went down the alternative, novelty sports route”. 

And she hasn’t looked back! Julia has since travelled the world to pursue her unconventional and fun interests while raising money for children's charities in the process. 

“I've bog snorkelled in Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Australia” she says “I have also done Wife Carrying at the World Championships in Ireland, Finland, Estonia, Australia, Wales and China.” 

Not stopping there, Julia has also competed in Stone Throwing, Stone Skimming, Cow Pat Throwing, Welly Throwing, Stiletto Racing and Christmas Tree Throwing. “My biggest achievement” she announces “was becoming Ladies World Champion Mountain Bike Bog Snorkeller 2004!”