A trio of self-described ‘ordinary’ women will be attempting the extraordinary later this summer when they set out to swim the length of the River Shannon for charity.
Fló Beo, which means ‘the living flow’, developed from an idea that 20-year-old Heather Maxwell discussed over tea with her mother Eileen. Soon enough they recruited Toni McGlynn, a fellow member of Lough Key Triathlon Club, to their cause.
The team comes with a solid background in open water swims including Swim Lough Rynn, the Metal Man Series, Glencar Lough Swim and Lough Mask.
But the Shannon poses a different challenge all together, and only two others have swum its full 245km length — American Dan Hall in 2018 and Patrick McDonnell last year.
If Heather, Eileen and Toni complete their challenge, they would be the first ever women to swim the length of the Shannon.
“The prospect of swimming the distance is a great challenge for us, but one we are totally relishing,” say the trio, who will be swimming from Dowra in Cavan to Arthur’s Quay in Limerick in the month of August to raise funds for mental health awareness charity A Lust for Life as well as the Irish Cancer Society.
However, the team can’t achieve their goals without support, and they are currently appealing for someone who could lend them or sponsor the hire of two support boats to accompany them on their journey for rest stops and overnight accommodation — better yet if the owners are willing to join their adventure as skippers.
For more details and to follow their journey, see the Fló Beo Facebook page as well as the trio’s GoFundMe page and additional sponsorship levels.
