SPONSORS

No record - No regrets

Hello to all

Well! What a week that was. Having ran out of wind, and ran foul of the tide, at Rathlin Island last Wedesday night, it took until Friday nigth 24th June at 23.30 approx to reach the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. So no record, but absolutely no regrets. A brilliant week (barring Monday's long night of the soul - hallucinations, paranoia, exhaustion, nausea - not a lot of fun) with a lot of experiences to take away with me.

I am grateful to everyone for the support and encouragement I got throughout - if I didn't return your texts it was because I was too busy enjoying myself.

While I'm loathe to thank individuals, for fear of forgetting someone, I can't not express my thanks, so here goes:
Jamie & Mary Young and family, for the use of Killary Flyer, and for a home away from home so many times over the years. I have to thank Jamie in particular, for every time this project looked like it was going to hit the wall, he found a way of keeping it going, or keeping my enthusiasm fired up.
Larry Hynes & Mary Donnellan for their patience and wise counsel
Ide Deloughry for support and looking the other way when I'm scheming
Vincent Jordan for the best weather info in the world ever
Dermot Tynan for the web updates and good humour when it was needed
The committee and members of Galway Bay Sailing Club
Michael and Margaret Donogue and Roisin Clarke for being the welcoming committee, Chris Moore and the team at the National Yacht Club for all the help - who else could rustle up a huge roast beef dinner at 11.30 at night???
Niall Quinn, Colm Moriarty, Conor Baynes and Jamie Young for showing me how it's done
Brian Brady, James McCormack, Ulrich Arling, Deirdre Spelman, Mary Dooley and all the graduates of the Finesse school of sailing for the damn fine fun we've had
Kenny McTigue for doing the books
Anna Downes for helping with publicity
John Reed, WSSRC
Kevin "Geo" O'Callaghan, Breandan O Callarain and Pauline Jordan for the Rockall adventure (and thanks for sewing the cockpit cover also Pauline - a brilliant job in less than ideal conditions)
Pat Neary and Joe Kelly for the Town Hall gig
Seán Varden Kenny & family for photos and Rathfee hospitality
The Solstice posse
Michael Craig and everyone in Galway Hospice Foundation
Áine Kilgallon and everyone in Galway Simon Community
Keith Finnegan, Galway Bay FM
Ciaran Tierney & Joe Shaughnessy, Connacht Tribune

SPONSORS:
The Killary Group
Medtronic
Oyster Homes
A&D
Knock International Airport
Aquabroker
Snap Printing
Charlie Byrne's Bookshop
and everyone who donated money.

I should be quiet for a while now.
Larry

On Friday, June 17th 2005, Larry Hynes left to attempt to sail around Ireland single-handed, non-stop.

One objective of this ambitious project was to raise money for Galway Hospice Foundation and Galway Simon Community. The other objective is to set a new world record for sailing around Ireland solo.

Since 2000 Larry Hynes and friends have raised over €16,000 for Galway Hospice and Galway Simon, through their Solstice parties, and through the annual Galway Bay Sailing Club Solstice Round Aran race. The Round Aran race is a night race run by GBSC, leaving Galway Harbour at 9pm, sailing around the 3 Aran Islands, and finishing in Kilronan on Inis Mor sometime the following day.

On this site you can read more about the project, the boat and the charities involved. You can also get involved, through fundraising and sponsorship.