Transfer Rules

Members MUST request a transfer where they have had an active membership within the previous 24 months; except where the member’s original Club does not re-affiliate with Swim Ireland in the relevant year or is dissolved. In this instance a transfer is not required by the member joining another Club – all they require is their Swim Ireland ID number. In this case, the member is free to take part in relay events immediately

Clubs are required to complete the transfer request within 7 days of receipt; unless the transferring member owes fees to Swim Ireland or the Club or holds Club property and/or has had a complaint made against them which is in process or pending or in relation to which a sanction has been issued but not yet served. In this instance, the Club may withhold the transfer until the matter is reasonably resolved

For the purpose of Relay Events, a swimmer may not compete for the Club to which they have transferred within three calendar months of the completion of the transfer in accordance with the procedure set out below.

Water Polo transfers must be submitted to both the Swim Ireland office and Ireland Water Polo to be effective.

​Transfer Process

Where a member of a Club wishes to leave one club and join another Club (new or existing):

Step 1

(a) in the same membership year, they must contact their club secretary to request the transfer, copying the relevant Regional Support Officer on the email (contact details for these can be found at the bottom of the page);

(b) within 24 months of the date of leaving the original Club, they must contact their most recent club secretary to request the transfer, copying the relevant Regional Support Officer on the email (contact details for these can be found at the bottom of the page);

(c) After 24 months or more has passed since the date of leaving the original Club, no transfer is required, the member must give their existing Swim Ireland ID to the new club

Step 2

Upon receipt of a transfer request, the Club Administrator should process this transfer through their club database (click HERE for information on how to do this)

If a new member applies to join your Club having previously been a member of another Club, they should not be added as a new member. The new member should provide the new club with their Swim Ireland ID number which can then be used to add them to your club. Please contact the Swim Ireland Membership Administrator for assistance in adding an existing member to your Club.

Transfers are automatically in force within 7 clear days of their confirmed receipt by the Swim Ireland Membership Administrator. Responsibility for obtaining confirmation of receipt rests with the Club or the relevant transferee.

First Claim

A Member may be a member of more than one Club. But a Member who is a member of more than one Club can only compete in open competition for the Club with whom they first registered as a member of Swim Ireland. If they wish to compete in open competition for any other Club they must transfer to that Club in accordance with the

Transfer Rule above save for clause 6.10.4 below.

A Member may take part in swimming competitions for one Club and in another discipline’s events (e.g. water polo) for another Club. However Swim Ireland must first be informed of the Member’s membership of the other Club(s) before the Member competes in a second discipline’s events.

Members who are members of a Club and enrolled in a university or school swimming club as well must compete in priority for their university or school against their Club except when a swimmer’s university or school and Club are competing in the same Regional or National competition in which case the Member can only compete in open competition for the Club with whom they first registered as a member of Swim Ireland.

When Masters Swimmers are competing in Open Masters Competitions in Ireland they must compete for their first claim club. However, when competing in Open Masters Competitions abroad they may compete for their other club(s) if not required by their first claim club.