Irish coast is clear for super swimmer Henry
57-yr-old set to be first person to make it around entire island
A FATHER-OF-SIX is on course to make history by becoming the first person ever to swim around the entire coast of Ireland.
Henry O’donnell, a former elite soldier, is now just 50km away from achieving the epic 1,500km solo swim.
The 57-year-old ex-army Ranger, who has been covering up to 15km a day with the aid of fins, a wetsuit and a 10-person support team, first set off on the gruelling challenge in September 2020.
However, it was suspended for nearly seven months last year due to the impact of Covid-related restrictions.
In September the seasoned swimmer returned to the choppy waters to resume the marathon challenge, which has since followed a clockwise course round the coast of the island of Ireland.
Despite starting the quest more than 19 months ago, O’donnell and his team have been landlocked for a significant number of days due to poor weather conditions and other logistical hurdles.
However, after more than 90 days in total at sea and dozens of jellyfish stings along the way, the determined security consultant can now look forward to a hero’s welcome early next month when he crosses the finishing line at Carrickfin – the same Donegal beach he first set out on the challenge from.
He said: “I’m now off the south Donegal coast, which is home terrain. But I’m certainly not taking anything for granted.
“I know the waters round here, but I need to remain on my guard, and psychologically strong to finish the swim. The swim has taken a toll on my body and I’ve had my fair share of jellyfish stings, but it’s the mental aspect which has been most difficult.
“It’s been very challenging, not least a few weeks ago on the stretch between the Aran Islands and Erris Head, which was difficult due to the exposed coast and the Wild Atlantic swell.
“But safety has always been the primary concern on this challenge, and we always thought very, very carefully before deciding whether to swim or not.”
Playing down his achievement, the modest native Irish speaker added: “I couldn’t have done this without my brilliant team, and the wonderful support and knowledgeable communities I’ve met along the coast. I’m just a player in a big team.”
O’donnell is no stranger to backbreaking challenges, having previously become the first Irishman to swim the 14km around Tory Island.
At one stage he suffered a horrific cycling injury that left him in a coma for a lengthy period, and temporarily paralysed from the neck down.
For his latest challenge he trained for four years on both land and sea, including undergoing punishing sleep deprivation exercises.
To track the final stretch of his challenge or to donate to his two charities, check out www.finswim2020.com.