Leo kayaks from Ireland to Scotland for charity

A Roscommon man has helped raised thousands of euro for charity by kayaking from Ireland to Scotland.

The journey of almost 40kms took six hours and 50 minutes on Saturday, June 15th. The party took off at half eight in the morning in fifteen-foot sea kayaks, after many hours of practice on Lough Ree for the impressive event.

Leo Kiernan, who lives in Taughmaconnell and is originally from Monksland, was among four kayakers, Louise Hurley, Padraig Minnock, and Bob Lacey who braved the North Channel from Larne in County Antrim to Stranraer in Scotland. They raised more than €6,000 for the Mater Foundation and Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland.

“It was such a privilege to do it,” he told the Herald. “When we arrived in Scotland, we let out a couple of cheers and people on the shoreline came over. When they found out what we had done they put their hands in their pockets and donated.” Leo, who is a well-known community volunteer, said he only sat in a sea kayak for the first time at the start of this year.

“On Friday, we could see Scotland on the other side, it’s about 38kms away. But with the tide and other factors, you could actually be paddling and not moving, so it could be up to 40kms,” he said. “We thought it would take us between eight and 12 hours.” In terms of the experience, it was “unreal”, said Leo, but not without its challenges.

“Even when you had two or three or even ten kilometres done, you couldn’t get excited you were going to do it, because you still had a long way to go. It is the biggest endurance event I have ever done. During a marathon, you can stop have a drink or stop and go to the portaloo but not during this,” he said with a laugh.

Furthermore, given the fickleness of the weather, they were not completely certain they could attempt the feat on the day until they were standing on the shore.

As well as thanking his fellow kayakers, he praised the members of their support team, Liam Sherringham, Derry McMahon, Jude Kilmartin, and Robbie West, who accompanied the kayaks in two rescue boats.

“They are all members of Athlone Sub Aqua Club, and we were blessed to have them. They did risk assessments, calculated where the tide would be, they had everything we needed. For the first hour, the tide was pushing us off to the left, forcing us north. That was our first obstacle,” he said. Then there was hydration and nutrition.

“If you put your hand in the water, the salt water will start drying you out. We stopped paddling for about 15 minutes during the whole seven hours. We held each other’s kayaks, and we had a bite to eat. I think we went a kilometre the wrong way because the tide had taken us.” As well as the tide, there were significant swells and waves in the narrow channel. “It’s like there are hills in the sea, the water just rises and drops,” he said.

After hours on the water, understandably the group did not paddle home.

“Bob’s wife drove a van to Scotland; she went over on the ferry. We could actually see the ferry going past. She was only over there an hour and a half on the shoreline when we arrived behind her,” Leo said.

The group stayed the night in Scotland and “we were in bed by 11 o’clock”.

“It was the best sleep I had in years,” he joked.

The group said they were delighted to raise money for the charities.

“I have fundraised for Autism Assistance Dogs before and I was so impressed by what they do,” Leo said. “They change people’s lives by supplying a dog to a family, and everyone knows the fabulous work the Mater Foundation does. When it got hard on the water, you just had to remember who you were doing it for. We knew the challenge was going to end but there are people in the Mater Hospital and for them the struggle is just starting.” The group’s GoFundMe page, ‘Charity Kayak from Ireland to Scotland’, will be open for a few days more and all donations are very welcome.