After 10 hours and 55 minutes in the water, Fermoy’s Owen O’Keefe has become the first person to complete the 36km swim from Baltimore to Mizen Head via Fastnet Rock.
The swim was the brainchild of Irish marathon swimmer Stephen Redmond, who had previously attempted the swim but not completed it.
Fermoy’s Owen O’Keefe has completed several long-distance swims over the years and was the first person to swim around Sherkin Island and Cape Clear, both off the coast of Baltimore some years ago.
Speaking with The Avondhu, Mr O’Keefe said that completing the swim had been on his mind for some time and noted that no one had attempted the swim since Stephen Redmond had.
“Nobody has tried it since then and it was in the back of my mind all along. I said, ‘I’m in good condition this year’, I said I’d have a go at it,” he said.
An online fundraiser was also set up, in line with the significant challenge, in a bid to raise funds for the RNLI.
Coverage in this week’s Print & Digital Edition.
