81-Year-Old Arranmore Swimmer Returns Home to Hero’s Welcome After Taking 300 Dips Around the Island of Ireland

13th February 2022

Paddy Conaghan turned 81 during his epic charity challenge from 3 December to 12 February, which raised over €100,000

A Donegal octogenarian has completed his marathon effort to swim at as many spots around the Irish coast as possible — raising more than €100,000 for charity in the process.

As the Sunday World reports, Paddy Conaghan skipped Christmas and even his own 81st birthday bash to round the island of Ireland in his van for the ‘Ducking & Driving Around Ireland’.

Paddy set out at the start of December, working his way anti-clockwise from his home on Arranmore, as previously noted on Afloat.ie.

Despite some hiccups along the way — including a change of van after an unfortunate breakdown in Kerry — he returned home to a hero’s welcome yesterday (Saturday 12 February) having raised a six-figure sum for local counselling service Gemma's Legacy of Hope.

The Sunday World has more on the story HERE.

Published in Sea Swim, Coastal Notes

Published in Sea Swim

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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