Head Coaches
Gavin Doran
Head Coach
Lead Coach: Performance Squad; Pathway Squad
Swim Ireland Level 3 Teacher & Coach
Gavin has been teaching swimming for 15 years and currently coaches the Performance Squad after joining Portmarnock Swim Club in 2023. He is also a coach for the Portmarnock Triathalon Club. He swam competitively and raced internationally as a triathlete with open water swimming as his specialty. Gavin works with our other coaches to oversee the continuous development of all the squads in the Portmarnock Swim Team.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develops an annual training and competition program.
- Supports the preparation of training across all squads.
- Devises and implements suitable squad criteria.
- Ensures that the appropriate level of coaching is available for all training sessions including land training.
- Provides a swimmer/parent education programme focusing on a variety of swimming related topics and lifestyles issues.
- Provides suitable and relevant feedback on progress to both parents and athletes as required.
- Ensures accurate attendance records are maintained for every swim and squad training session.
Development of an annual training and competition program; Supports the preparation of training across all squads; Devises and implements suitable squad criteria; Ensures that the appropriate level of coaching is available for all training sessions including land training; Provides a swimmer/parent education programme focusing on a variety of swimming related topics and lifestyles issues; Provide suitable and relevant feedback on progress to both parents and athletes as required; Ensures accurate attendance records are maintained for every swim and squad training session.
Former Head Coach
Swim Ireland Level 3 Coach
In 2000, Anne was appointed assistant coach to Peter O’Brien who was Head Coach. Since then, Anne has trained and studied with Swim Ireland and is now a qualified Level 3 coach. Anne also became a Swim Ireland National Team Manager in 2000 and has taken swim teams of all ages to every level of competition worldwide as a Team Manager. In 2014, Anne was appointed the Lead Coach for the Senior Leinster Squad and has been the Leinster Representative for the Swim Ireland High Performance Committee since 2013. Anne was also awarded Swim Ireland’s prestigious Club Coach of the Year award for the 2015/16 season and was the first woman to win the prestigious award, in what was considered a very male dominated sport having coached Fiona Doyle of the Portmarnock Swim Team to the 2016 Rio Olympics. She stepped down as our Head Coach over the course of the 2023-24 season and retired at the end of 2025-26 season.
Manuela Scaringella
Lead Coach: Transition Squad; Skills Squad; Development Squad; Learning & Improvement Squad.
Swim Ireland Level 2 Coach
After 13 years as a competitive swimmer, Manuela went on to teach swimming for over 5 years in Italy, before joining the Portmarnock Swim Team in 2020. Manuela has obtained both Levels 1 and 2 swim teacher and coaching qualifications. She also enjoys competing as a Master in her age group.
Key Responsibilities: Lead coach for the Transition, Skills, Development, Improvement & Learning Squads.
Ava Jones
Support Coach: Skills Squad; Development Squad; Learning & Improvement Squad.
Swim Ireland Level 1 Coach