He did it! On Friday last, August 16th, Fermoy long-distance swimmer Owen O'Keefe fulfilled a long-held ambition, to be the first person to swim the Blackwater river non-stop from Fermoy to Youghal. He swam the 61 kilometres within his estimated time of 12 hours, having entered the water outside Fermoy Rowing Club's premises just after 7am and going ashore at Nealon's Quay, near Youghal town centre, a couple of minutes after 7pm the same day.

A crowd gathered at Barnane in Fermoy to see him off. Crowds also gathered at various vantage points along the route including bridges in Ballyduff, Lismore, Cappoquin and Youghal, Villierstown pier and Ballynaclash quay, to clap and cheer him on, shouting words of encouragement, .

"I was amazed at how many people turned out at seven o'clock at Barnane," Owen said. They and the people who gathered at the various different points along the way were a big help in keeping him buoyed up, he said. He was anxious to convey his thanks to all who did, especially as times were vague and people had to wait to see him.

Pausing only briefly every 20 minutes to take on special high energy food and drinks, Owen's swim took him past well known landmarks along the river such as Dromana House, Camphire House, Templemichael Castle, Ballynatray House, Strancally Tower and Molana Abbey, before reaching Youghal bridge where a crowd had also gathered to watch him pass. He was conscious of the various landmarks as he went by, he said, and used them to keep his mind occupied.

A hero's welcome awaited him in Youghal and he left the water and walked up the slipway to rapturous applause from the gathered wellwishers. His father George, mum Breda, sister Amy, brother George and grandfather Tommy Baker were the first to welcome him ashore and give him a congratulatory hug. Various aunts, uncles and other relatives were also there.

Exhausted by his marathon swim but ecstatic to have done it, Owen told The Avondhu" "I'm relieved and delighted everything had worked out because it was a complicated swim." He was relieved too, the modest young man said, "because I didn't want to let anyone down."

SUPPORT CREW

The river was quite low in the upper section from Fermoy to Cappoquin, he revealed. He considered the stretch from Fermoy to Cappoquin to be the swim to the real starting point because of the conditions. He was glad to have that section of the river over with, he explained, because it was difficult for the kayakers supporting him to circumnavigate. He felt more at ease once he'd reached Cappoquin and the support boat, Tony Gallagher's Maeve Óg, was there to keep pace with him the rest of the way.

The water was warm, Owen reported and visibility was quite good. He saw loads of fish as he swam. After the first six to seven hours he lost track of time. He was aware though of family, friends and wellwishers assembled at various points along the way and they spurred him on, he said.

Puffy eyes and a bluish skintone were the only signs of the massive undertaking Owen had just completed on emerging from the water. Draped in a blue towel he accepted congratulations, hugs and handshakes and smiled happily for dozens of photographs before being whisked away for a shower followed by a very welcome steak dinner, courtesy of The Quays pub in Youghal.

Afterwards it was back to a pub in Fermoy to celebrate his achievement though Owen confesses to being 'wrecked' at that stage, so he left for home, and bed, after an extraordinary day.

As well as extending thanks to all family, friends and wellwishers who had turned out to support him, Owen paid tribute to his back-up team of Donal Buckley, Roisin Lewis and local man Paul Noonan who oversaw his swim and looked after his feeding and drinking schedule. He also thanked Tony Gallagher, skipper of the Maeve Óg, for his assistance.

"I had no doubt he'd do it. When he sets a goal for himself he does it. He's a wonderful young man," Owen's swimming pool coach at Fermoy Leisure Centre, Jackie Power said, as she watched from the quay as he made his way towards shore. The champion swimmer, who, at the age of 16, became the youngest Irish person to swim the Channel, and who did a 55Km swim around Jersey in July along with being part of a six-person relay team that set an Irish record for swimming the Channel also during July, had just recorded another remarkable first.

A more detailed report along with more photographs, is featured on page 42.

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