PHOTOS: These brave souls took to the sea for a New Year's Day swim

Hundreds braved the cold to take their annual New Year’s Day plunge today.

WHILE MANY PEOPLE across the country were snuggled up in bed this morning, some brave souls took to the sea for a dip this New Year’s Day.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Cork South West TD Margaret Murphy O’Mahony braved the outdoors this afternoon, all in aid of Courtmacsherry RNLI.

Swimming with @MichealMartinTD @fiannafailparty in aid of #Courtmacsherry @RNLI pic.twitter.com/f4rLdYjXjW
— Margaret Murphy O’ Mahony (@MMurphyOMahony) January 1, 2020

Margaret Murphy O'M / Twitter

They weren’t the only politicians to take to the water today.

Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne joined swimmers in Ballymoney, Co Wexford.

Ballymoney New Year’s Day Swim - bracing start to 2020! pic.twitter.com/dn8eUiDQVc
— Malcolm Byrne 🇮🇪 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@malcolmbyrne) January 1, 2020

Malcolm Byrne / Twitter

Meanwhile, other brave swimmers took part in the second annual Dip in the Sea at Sandycove Harbour, Dublin for Irish mental health charity Cycle Against Suicide.

CycleAgainstSuicideSwim6 Swimmers heading into the sea at Sandycove, Dublin Colm Mahady / Fennells Colm Mahady / Fennells / Fennells

CycleAgainstSuicideSwim4 Dr. Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, with Barry O' Connor, Dun Laoghaire, Padraig Cunnane, Clontarf and Barry Mc Allister, Cabinteely Colm Mahady / Fennells Colm Mahady / Fennells / Fennells

CycleAgainstSuicideSwim8 (1) Men and women of all ages braved the icy cold waters at Sandycove Harbour, Dublin, to welcome in the New Year Colm Mahady / Fennells Colm Mahady / Fennells / Fennells

Back in Co Wicklow, dozens of swimmers from the Bray Lions Club took to the waters for local causes.

Bray New Years Swim 012 Linda Ulaman, Stephanie Veale, Pat Hannon, Deirdre Fitzgerald and Laura Stewart pictured taking a dip at the annual Bray Lions New Year's Day Sea Swim Andres Poveda Andres Poveda

Bray New Years Swim 009 Claire Harris and Councillor Aoife Flynn Kennedy pictured taking a dip in Bray Andres Poveda Andres Poveda

Bray New Years Swim 002 The Bray Lions New Year's Day Sea Swim was helping to raise funds for local charities Andres Poveda Andres Poveda

Hats off to all these brave people, and all in aid of some great causes.

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