Plaque unveiled to German swimmer who completed historic 1929 swim
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, alderman Maura Hickey has unveiled a plaque at Paperfig Cafe in Portstewart to mark the swim from Donegal by Mercedes Gleitze in August 1929.
The ceremony was attended by Heather Clatworthy and her daughter, Lilly and Mercedes daughter, Dolaranda Pember.
The following day Heather repeated the feat - to become only the second ever person to traverse the waves between the idyllic Stroove beach on Co Donegal’s Inishowen peninsula and the seaside resort of Portstewart.
Mercedes completed the Donegal to Portstewart swim in eight hours.
She had hot coffee and milk at regular intervals throughout the swim, and a gramophone was takenonboardthe rowing boat to “break the monotony”.
On her eighth attempt, she became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. Mercedesmarried Patrick Carey in Dover in 1930 and they had three children together.
She passed away onFebruary 9, 1981 in London.