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.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Aug 2016, 11:31 BST
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Maura Hickey unveiled a plaque at Paperfig Cafe in Portstewart on Tuesday morning, marking the swim from Donegal by Mercedes Gleitze in August 1929. Heather Clatworthy, (pictured centre with her daughter, Lilly) is due to make the same swim from Moville on Wednesday 27th July. Included is Mercedes daughter, Dolaranda Pember who unveiled the new panel with the mayor.Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Maura Hickey unveiled a plaque at Paperfig Cafe in Portstewart on Tuesday morning, marking the swim from Donegal by Mercedes Gleitze in August 1929. Heather Clatworthy, (pictured centre with her daughter, Lilly) is due to make the same swim from Moville on Wednesday 27th July. Included is Mercedes daughter, Dolaranda Pember who unveiled the new panel with the mayor.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Maura Hickey unveiled a plaque at Paperfig Cafe in Portstewart on Tuesday morning, marking the swim from Donegal by Mercedes Gleitze in August 1929. Heather Clatworthy, (pictured centre with her daughter, Lilly) is due to make the same swim from Moville on Wednesday 27th July. Included is Mercedes daughter, Dolaranda Pember who unveiled the new panel with the mayor.

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.

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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.

Related topics:Causeway Coast