For the first time in its 102-year history, the 101st Liffey Swim in 2021 was swum upstream from the 3 Arena to the Custom House over an approx 1-mile course and took place on 23 October, the latest date ever, with the easing of Covid restrictions.

The fastest male swimmer in a wetsuit was Aidan Mullaney (Swim Ireland SC) in a time of 18:39.

The 104th Liffey Swim was held on 21 September 2024 from Rory O'More Bridge to the Custom House Quay; 158 Women and 205 men completed the course.

The race starts at Rory O'More Bridge near the Guinness Brewery and takes competitors past landmarks such as the Four Courts.

[1] For the three years 1977–79, again because of the risks to health caused by pollution, the race was moved to an upstream stretch of the river near Chapelizod, finishing at the slipway of Dublin University Boat House, at Memorial Park, Islandbridge.

The first Liffey Swim had an entry of 28 male swimmers and was won by J.J. Kennedy with Bernard Fagan himself coming in third.

However, efforts to allow participation of women date back to the early years of the Liffey Swim.

[1] In 1922 a letter was published in the Irish Independent suggesting that interest in the race would be considerably increased if ladies were permitted to compete.

[11] The views of the Most Reverend John Charles McQuaid, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland from December 1940 to February 1972, on women competing in sport, in particular at the same sports meetings as men, would inhibit the possibility of a women's race for many years.

2, pp 72–75, the Latin text of which was printed in the newspapers alongside his translation of Pope Pius X's encyclical that “the Christian modesty of girls must be, in a special way, safeguarded, for it is supremely unbecoming that they should flaunt themselves and display themselves before the eyes of all’.

announced in June 1977 that the Liffey Swim would not take place until the river water met safe quality standards.

To show that women were just as able as men in swimming distances, the race was increased from about 500―600 metres to 1000 yards in 1987 and to one mile from 1988 through 1990.

It was presented to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association by The Electricity Supply Board in 1991.

Between 1977 and 1979, when the women's Liffey Swim was staged at the Islandbridge Memorial Park stretch of the river, a trophy provided by Tommy May, winner of the Liffey Swim in 1956, designated The Tommy May Cup, was presented to the winner of the race.

[19] ‡Bull Wall to Dollymount Strand, scratch race; † Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths, handicapped race; § Liffey Swim held at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at the Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge, handicapped race; ≠Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; # Race swum against an incoming tide, accounting for slower times; ∞ Died 24 January 2009, aged 42, RIP; ¥Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m † 500 yards race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House; ‡ 500 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ≠ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; # Race swum against an incoming tide, accounting for slower times; # 1000 yards course at Islandbridge; ♣ 1-mile course at Islandbridge; ♥ First Liffey Swim for women on classic Liffey Quays under bridges course; ∞Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m A club team competition was inaugurated in 1934 on the occasion of the 15th Liffey Swim.

The team with the lowest aggregate points was deemed the winner of this subsidiary competition for a special prize.

A silver-mounted mahogany shield, sponsored by Independent Newspapers Ltd., was presented for the first time for the team competition in 1960 at the 41st Liffey Swim.

‡ Bull Wall to Dollymount Strand, scratch race; † Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths, handicapped race; § Liffey Swim held at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at the slipway of Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge, handicapped race; ≠ NP=Not published in newspaper reports; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; ∞Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m † 500 yards race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House, three to score; ‡ 500 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; # Race swum against an incoming tide, accounting for slower times; # 1000 yards course at Islandbridge; ♣ 1-mile course at Islandbridge; ♥ First Liffey Swim for women on classic Liffey Quays under bridges course; ∞Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m § He appeared as "J. Pembroke" in the results; ‡ Scratch races; # Handicapped race from Bull Wall to Clontarf Baths; † Race swum at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; ∞Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m °https://my1.raceresult.com/220232/RRPublish/data/pdf?name=Result%20Lists%7CFull%20Results&contest=2&lang=en † 500 yards race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House; ‡ 500 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House; § 600 metres race at Islandbridge Memorial Park finishing at Dublin University Boat House, Islandbridge; ♦ Butt Bridge to East Link Bridge at the 3Arena; ¶ Rory O'Moore Bridge (Watling Street) to Custom House Quay under Rosie Hackett Bridge for first time; #1000 yards course at Islandbridge Memorial Park; ♣one mile course at Islandbridge Memorial Park; ♥First Liffey Swim for women on the classic Liffey Quays under the bridges course; ∞Upstream from 3Arena to Customs House, about 1600m