Dan the Merman on Connecting with his Gaelic Heritage through Swimming

Episode 50: Dan the Merman on Connecting with his Gaelic Heritage through Swimming

Join me for a conversation with Dan Coyle aka. Dan the Merman, an open-water swim coach in Argyll. We talk about his journey as a swimmer, how swimming helps him to connect with his Gaelic heritage and much more.

Dan the Merman is a professional open-water swim coach who lives and works on the west coast of Scotland. From his home in the Heart of Argyll, he takes locals and visitors out into the open waters of Scotland. In-person and digitally he fosters a community of considerate swimmers who want to immerse themselves not just in the deep, dark cold of the sea, but also in the culture and language of the Gaelic people.

Tune in for my conversation with Dan in which we cover…

• Dan’s journey as a swimmer and path to become a professional swim coach
• How swimming helps Dan to connect with his Gaelic heritage
• How Gaelic language and culture can help us to foster a better understanding of the marine environment
• Biophobia and why so many people are afraid of the ocean
• Some interesting Gaelic lore about water and much more!

Connect with Dan the Merman on Instagram: @swim_danthemerman_argyll.

Watch Dan’s “Spirit of the Highlands” video.

Join our email list for weekly glimpses behind the scenes and links to further reading, videos to watch and more.

Resources

Join Dan on his 2024 “Coast of the Gaels” sailing cruise with Stravaigin Scotland.

Listen to my interview about outdoor swimming and learning Gaelic with Calum Mclean.

Blog post: How to engage with Scottish Gaelic as a Tourist

Learn Gaelic with SpeakGaelic or LearnGaelic – two free resources to learn Scottish Gaelic.

Read more about the Gaelic concept of dùthchas.

What is biophobia?

The worrying consequences of biophobia.

Scottish businesses! Use the Gaelic Toolkit by VisitScotland to make Gaelic an integral part of your business.

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Credits

Written and hosted by Kathi Kamleitner.
Produced, edited and sound design by Fran Turauskis.
Transcript by Kathi Kamleitner & Michelle Payne.
Social media support by Kirsty Spain & Michelle Payne.
Cover Art illustrated by Lizzie Vaughan-Knight.
All original music composed by Bruce Wallace.