Irish Amateur Swimming Association

The Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA), is the former national governing body of swimming in Ireland. The organisation was founded in 1893 and held responsibility for the various aquatic disciplines until it was dissolved in January 1999 following a series of sexual abuse scandals.

Following the winding up of the IASA, it was replaced as a national governing body of aquatic sports in Ireland by Swim Ireland.

The Irish Amateur Swimming Association was created after a meeting between the Leinster Swimming Association and Ulster Swimming Association in Fisher's Restaurant, Donegall Place, Belfast on Saturday 25 November 1893. Prior to this meeting the two associations had been founded and developed in tandem since 1890 when the British Amateur Swimming Association had suggested that the number of clubs in Ireland now warranted an independent association.

On 4 August 1894, J. McDermid of Templemore A.S.C. became the first Irish Champion under the new Association's rules when he annexed the 100 yards Championship of Ireland at the Belfast Waterworks ornamental pond. While Leinster Swimmers had some success at Irish Championships in these early years their progress was impeded by a lack of indoor facilities in the region at this time and it was not surprising that some of the organisations first international sides were dominated by Ulster swimmers. Likewise in water polo early inter provincial matches were dominated by Ulster. The side chosen for the organisation's very first international was made up of all Ulster men with the exception of R.A. Andrews from Blackrock WPC. This first international was held in Westminister Baths, Great Smith Street, London on Monday 23 September 1895.

In 1904 three clubs from Cork had formed themselves into the Cork Swimming Council and had applied for membership of the IASA as the Munster Branch of the IASA.

Ireland were among the founding members of the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) being represented at the meeting on 19 July 1908 during the London 1908 Olympiad by Dr. WJ Dockrell and HM Dockrell.

During the period 1893 to 1914 Leinster swimmers dominated Irish Championships. Of the 80 Championships swum, Leinster won 66. Of these 54 were won by just five swimmers, namely HM Dockrell (6), Oscar Conway (9), Jim Beckett (10) and George Dockrell (20).

Diving also began to develop in Ireland over this period. 1900 had seen the first National Diving Competition was held at Highgate Baths, London and was won by EG Coldwell representing Sandycove SC. Influenced by this early success the sport of diving began to take root in Leinster and the Leinster High Diving Championship was introduced.

There were only three Irish Championships held in 1914. No further championships or AGMs were held until 1919. Swimming continued at a local level in all three affiliated provinces. WV Edwards, 220 yards champion in 1912 like many others was killed in action in 1917 and others like Trevor Chute would return again and swim but as an amputee.

...
Wikipedia