The Men’s Liffey Cup was won this weekend by Derek Wilkes, a 71-year-old man from north Dublin, who first claimed victory back in 1989. This weekend, he battled through the strong current, outpacing swimmers a quarter of his age. Among the stories that stood out last weekend was the one of a 12-year-old girl, believed to be one of the youngest competitors. The men’s race was competitive, with a strong pace set early on by club swimmers in their twenties. Wilkes’s win showed that some stories really do come full circle — and that the Liffey has room for legends, old and new.