KIERAN TO WALK COAST IN MEMORY OF LATE SON JACK
A Castleconnor resident is planning to walk Co. Mayo’s coastline in memory of his late son Jack, who died in a road crash at the age of just 21. Kieran O’Hora told Alan Finn about the two-month challenge
A CASTLECONNOR man is undertaking a walk of Ireland’s longest coastline in memory of his late son.
Kieran O’Hora, originally from Knockmore in Co. Mayo, is walking the length of the county’s 1,168km coast for his son Jack, who passed away in 2018 at the age of just 21.
“In November 2018, Jack was killed in a road crash,” Kieran explained. “He had nine days’ holidays and he had come home on a Friday morning from England and was dead by Monday night. He had played football for Castleconnor in a semi-final down in Scarden the day before.”
Jack’s untimely passing was one of three deaths to befall the O’Hora family in a short space of time, which Kieran admits led him towards a dangerous habit to cope with the grief, which he knew he had to nip in the bud.
“My mother had died in July, then Jack died in November and a nephew of mine committed suicide the following March. I had lost all three of them inside eight months and I was drinking quite heavily, far too heaily for the people around me. It got out of hand. I stopped drinking and I said I am going to do this, and now here I am.”
This task of completing the walk began life as a larger dream of walking the entire coast of Ireland.
The idea began many years ago. Taking on that sizeable task proved too difficult, but Kieran needed a positive outlet for the healing process and felt walking the country’s longest county coastline made for the perfect challenge.
“I had it in my head some time before Jack passed away that I would walk the coastline of Ireland. Maybe I will. I am starting with Mayo and that is the longest county coastline in Ireland when you include Achill Island and the Belmullet peninsula. This all started with pub talk and I decided it was time to stop talking about it and get walking.”
Kieran has been preparing by visiting as much of the coast as possible where many different challenges will await him in June.
The challenge could take upwards of two months to complete as he explained how the terrain is likely to vary on a day-to-day basis.
“There is very different terrain to expect every day. I haven’t covered it all yet, I am doing as much as I can to have an idea of what’s ahead of me. “This will likely take between eight to 10 weeks. I am looking at doing between 19 and 21 kilometres per day depending on the terrain. I was in Achill last Sunday climbing the highest sea cliff in Europe and I only covered 12 kilometres, but I climed 174 floors, so a lot of Achill is a lot of hillwalking on seriously elevated terrain.”
“I am feeling confident,” he continued. “I have committed to doing it, I won’t just attempt it, I will carry it out. “I will have to watch the weather, watch the tides and watch myself because I am 59 years of age. This isn’t about finishing within a certain time – it is just about finishing it full stop.” While Kieran has been questioned on whether he is certain about undertaking this challenge, he has been steadfast in his commitment to seeing it through.
“Everybody is wondering am I sure about this. If they know I am doing something like this as opposed to drinking, they’ll be happy. I am not ashamed to say I was drinking too much, I was, and that is behind me now. A woman asked me one day about how I handle grief and I said with focus. My focus is walking 1,168 kilometres. That is a challenge but I am up for it.”
Across the months-long walk, Kieran has confirmed he will keep family and friends updated with daily videos and messages.
“I will be doing daily bits and pieces which will be covered on Facebook. I will be telling people about what kind of day is ahead of me, how I am getting on. The coverage might not always be a lot, but everyone will be kept informed.” In addition to walking in memory of his late son, Kieran is also raising money for some worthy charities. “Cancercare West was chosen because I had a brother who availed of their services when he was frequenting the hospital in Galway and he spoke very highly of them. Roscommon Hospice do wonderful things for people in a time of need.”
He also said that money will be going to an amenity for children with sensory issues – a cause close to his heart, having helped raise money in the past for schools with specialised teaching for pupils with autism.
“I am also raising money for the sensory park in Ballina. I am doing this as we previously held a charity match in Jack’s memory and in one afternoon we raised more than €10,000 for schools for students with autism in Ballina – St Dympna’s and St Nicholas.”
To follow Kieran’s journey towards covering the entire coast of Mayo, you can track his progress on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/onthewatersedgeofmayo.
If you wish to make a donation which will benefit Kieran’s nominated causes, you can do so by visiting www.gofundme.com/f/on-the-watersedge-of-mayo/.