Multi-Day:
Circumnavigation - Ireland

Route Distance: ~755 nm / 1398.3 km
Prevailing direction: CW
Record: 2015 - 23
Solo: 29
Team: 24

Records

Mick O'Meara
K1M232015
Jeff Allen
Harry Whelan
Team252011
Dermot Blount
Brian Fanning
Karl Heery
Mick O'Meara
Team331990
Andy Fleck
K1M401984
Robert Henshall
K1M661981
Tom Daly
K1M?1979
Franco Ferrero
Derek Hairon
John Bouteloup
Team?1978
Mick O'Meara crosses the line
Image: Mick O'Meara crosses the line

Back in 1990 Dermot Blount, Brian Fanning, Karl Heery and Mick O'Meara set the record for the fastest circumnavigation of Ireland, the record was to stand for over 20 years. The distance may not be as great as for the UK Circumnavigation but the remote coastline and exposure to the full force of Atlantic swells means that this is no easy trip to complete - and especially so in a record time.

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Multi-Day: Circumnavigation - Ireland

Solo

Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartBoatNoteLink1Dir
1K1MMick O'Meara2303-Jul-15Garrarus Beach
Tramore		Rockpool Taran 18
BlogCW
2K1MTom Thorpe2623-Aug-19PortpatrickSKUK Quantum
CCW
3K1MJoe Leach3421-Jun-15Bray
Co.Wicklow		Rockpool Taran 18
BlogCW
3K1MJonny Eldridge3426-Aug-17Bulloch HarbourRockpool GT
MapCW
5(1)K1WEila Wilkinson3824-Jul-10Bulloch HarbourSKUK Pilgrim Expedition
BlogCW
5K1MJim Swift3827-Jul-19TramorePaddleboard
RTECW
7K1MAndy Fleck4023-Aug-84Dun LaoghaireValley Nordkapp
ArticleCW
7K1MMike Jones40?2012DublinSipre Murano Evo
CW
9K1MMarcus Demuth42?2007?Valley Nordkapp
WebsiteCW
9K1MRob Coffey42?06-Aug-14P+H Scorpio
CW
11(2)K1WFreya Hoffmeister4314-Aug-16Graigue LittleLettmann Speedliner
fbCW
12K1MPetr Major4514-Jul-18Bulloch HarbourSKUK Quantum
BlogCW
13(3)K1WNiamh Grimmer5316-Aug-16Dunmanus?CW
14(4)K1WEileen Murphy5508-Aug-05HowthSKUK Explorer HV
WebsiteCW
15K1MJulian Haines5904-Jul-17Bulloch Harbour
Dublin		Valley Nordkapp Forti
BlogCW
16K1MPaul Alexander62?2014Kilmore QuayDagger Charleston
CW
17K1MRobert Henshall6626-Sep-81Whiteabbey
Belfast		Valley Nordkapp HM
CCW
18K1MPat Rodgers6821-Aug-97Toe HeadValley Nordkapp
CW
19K1MHamish Wilkinson7005-Sep-14PortrushValkyrie Craft Selkie
BlogCW
20K1MMichael O'Farrell7110-Jul-17Bulloch Harbour
Dublin		NDK Explorer
fbCCW
21(5)K1WElaine Alexander72?13-Jul-11Whitehead
Co. Antrim		Valley Etain
WebsiteCW
22K1MMike Conroy7414-Aug-23Copleand IslandsTiderace Pace 17 Tour
CW
23K1MSam Crowley8220-Aug-07Coliemore HarborNDK Explorer
WebsiteCW
24K1MChris Duff90?1996DublinValley Nordkapp
CW
25K1MJasper Winn9713-Sep-07??
BlogCW
26K1MKevin O Sullivan91510-Dec-19Skerries Co DublinRockpool Taran 18
CW
27K1MTom Daly?1979Kerry?
TNAD 29CW
27K1MTom O'Neill?1991?
27K1MSean Pierce?1999??
CW

29 solo paddlers

Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateStartBoatNoteLink1Dir
1TeamJeff Allen
Harry Whelan		2516-May-11ArdmoreRockpool Taran 18

Blog CW
2TeamDermot Blount
Brian Fanning
Karl Heery
Mick O'Meara		33Jun-90Valley Nordkapp
Valley Nordkapp
Valley Nordkapp

CW
3TeamDan McGonigle
Steve Miles		3425-Sep-15Dun LaoghaireSKUK Explorer

BlogCW
4TeamDanny Egan
Paddy McGovern		3601-Jul-11Howth
nr Dublin		North_Shore Polar HV

BlogCW
5TeamGadi Goldfab
Misha Hoichman
Alon Ohad		3705-Aug-06Dun LaoghaireSKUK Explorer
SKUK Explorer

BlogCW
5TeamBrian Fahy
Derek Lyons
Tony O'Mahony		37?2007Kirton C-Trek


7TeamMike Barton
Stephen Campbell
Bobby Graham		3807-Aug-99KilkeelNordkapp Jubilee
Nordkapp Jubilee

8TeamSean Cahill
Jon Hynes		3924-Jul-15Old Head of KinsaleRockpool Taran 18

WebsiteCW
9TeamGeoff Cater
Andy Mullins		4012-Jul-15Rosslare HarbourKirton C-Trek

BlogCW
10TeamJohn Bolton
Diane Cooper		4202-Aug-14KinsaleValley Aleut II

ArticleCW
11TeamPaul De Haas
Marian Makelaar		43?2009SKUK Romany

11TeamRoger Chandler
Justine Curgenven
Barry Shaw		43???
?

CW
13TeamSonja Ewen
Sue Honan		4622-Jul-15WexfordSKUK Pilgrim Expedition

PressCW
13TeamTavi Murray
Elan Winter		4624-May-17Baltimore HarbourValley Etain 17.1

CCW
15TeamEoin FitzGibbon
Lee Taylor		51 tbc25-Jul-17Garretstown Beach
Kinsale?

CCW
16TeamRob Burgess
Ritchie Diaper
David Simpson		5211-Jun-19Larne


BlogCW
17TeamChristian Dingenotto
Mirco Goldhausen		5425-Jun-15Wicklow

TrackerCW
18TeamLindsey Harris
Natalie Maderova
Zoe Robinson		5528-Jul-19HowthTiderace Pace 17
Tiderace Pace 17

BlogCCW
19TeamLeon Harris
Cathal McCosker		67??

20TeamFranco Ferrero
Derek Hairon
John Bouteloup		?1978Valley Nordkapp


CW
20TeamDonal Dowd
Tim Flavin		?1989

ArticleCW
20TeamEugene Burns
Mick Murphy		?1990

20TeamSuzanne Kennedy
Suzanne Weekes		?1991

20TeamRuairi Leddy
Pearse O'Toole		?2015


24 Teams -- 57 Paddlers

Notes

Jeff Allen / Harry Whelan (16-May-11)
Harry and Jeff worked against poor weather most of the way and with some incredible daily distances to finally break the long standing record.
Dermot Blount / Brian Fanning / Karl Heery / Mick O'Meara (Jun-90)
From Mick O'Meara: "I’m sure this time is well beatable but it depends on how hard you want to push and how long you want to stay on the water each day. One regret I have is that I didn’t take longer to go round and explore the coast a little more. When you’re setting fast times you only tend to see headland after headland etc..." This impressive time for such an extensive journey stood for over 20 years but as Mick hints, it is often difficult to set the balance between mileage and exploring.
Tom Daly (1979)
Understood to be the first solo circumnavigation of Ireland. Tom's exploits were published in the Irish Sea Kayaking Association Newsletter, Treasna na dTonnta - Issue 29.
Christian Dingenotto / Mirco Goldhausen (25-Jun-15)
From Mirco: "54 days on the trip, 44 days traveled, 7 full days off, weather bound, 1 rest day because we could, 2 rest days because we were to early, 1 day with an extra 14k, being lost in an estuary. 1 day of 10k extra, but turning around cause of wind"
Danny Egan / Paddy McGovern (01-Jul-11)
Danny and Paddy point out that neither come from a sea paddling background, before the Ireland Circumnavigation their previous longest trip away was over 2 nights. As part of the trip, their fundraising efforts have raised over €4000 for the Irish Hospice. They were supported by Kokatat, North Shore Kayaks and I-Canoe.
Eoin FitzGibbon / Lee Taylor (25-Jul-17)
Originally a 4-man team: Nick Blowfield, Eoin FitzGibbon, Lee Taylor,Gudni Pall Viktorsson. Nick retired 26-June, Gudni Pall retired 10-July.
Lindsey Harris / Natalie Maderova / Zoe Robinson (28-Jul-19)
Zoe returned to the UK for 36 hrs for an urgent medical appointment. She continued her journey with the team on her return.
Robert Henshall (26-Sep-81)
Rob's claim to fame involves a total of 4 Irish Circumnavigations - including: 1990 Laser dinghy, 1992 Windsurfer and 2005 Drascombe sailboat.
Eileen Murphy (08-Aug-05)
Eileen paddled to complete the first "jacuzzi tour of Ireland", also claiming the first female solo circumnavigation.
Michael O'Farrell (10-Jul-17)
From Michael: "Solo circumnavigation with a pause of 16 days off to take (pre-booked holidays in Portugal)." Start: Bulloch Harbour, Dublin, Finish: Dun Laoghaire Harbour, Dublin
Pat Rodgers (21-Aug-97)
From Pat: "Just thought I'd help correct your records. I paddled around Ireland in 1997. It took me 68 days from start to finish but 38 days on the water. It was a clockwise trip, starting at Toe Head, West Cork. I was with Jimmy O'Toole from my start to Killary Harbour so not entirely solo. Also had company across Donegal Bay and a couple of other days. Jimmy could also be added to your list as he completed the circumnavigation over two summers... had started summer 96. My Kayak was a copy of a Nordkap built by Mark Downey.
Eila Wilkinson (24-Jul-10)
Initially Eila set out to undertake the circumnavigation with Sonja Ewen; unfortunately Sonja became ill during the trip and so Eila completed the journey solo.

Summary:

Multi-Day: Circumnavigation - Ireland

Solo paddlers: 29
Team paddlers: 57
Teams: 24

Recorded Start Points:
    • ?? (4)
    • Ardmore (1)
    • Baltimore Harbour (1)
    • Bray, Co.Wicklow (1)
    • Bulloch Harbour (3)
    • Bulloch Harbour, Dublin (2)
    • Coliemore Harbor (1)
    • Copleand Islands (1)
    • Dublin (2)
    • Dun Laoghaire (3)
    • Dunmanus? (1)
    • Garrarus Beach, Tramore (1)
    • Garretstown Beach, Kinsale? (1)
    • Graigue Little (1)
    • Howth (2)
    • Howth, nr Dublin (1)
    • Kerry (1)
    • Kilkeel (1)
    • Kilmore Quay (1)
    • Kinsale (1)
    • Larne (1)
    • Old Head of Kinsale (1)
    • Portpatrick (1)
    • Portrush (1)
    • Rosslare Harbour (1)
    • Skerries Co Dublin (1)
    • Toe Head (1)
    • Tramore (1)
    • Wexford (1)
    • Whiteabbey, Belfast (1)
    • Whitehead, Co. Antrim (1)
    • Wicklow (1)

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