What an achievement.
A Dublin swimmer has become the oldest Irish man to swim the English Channel.
Barry Murphy, aged 55, got into the sea at Samphire Hoe, Abbots Cliffs in Dover just after 12.30am on Friday, 5 July, and landed on the beach in Normandy 11 hours and 52 minutes later.
According to RTÉ, Murphy wore only a pair of togs, goggles and a hat with a light strapped to his head.
He swam in the darkness, following a light on the pilot boat named The Optimist. A suitable name if you ask us.
His wife, brother, son and two friends were on board.
To successfully complete this task, swimmers cannot touch the boat, and only stop to feed on a high carbohydrate drink every 30 minutes for just 15 seconds.
In total, his 26 feed stops put more than a half a kilometre extra on to his swim.
Swimming a total of 58 kilometres, Murphy spoke to RTÉ afterwards about how it all felt.
“The tide had turned and even though I could see it I just couldn’t get to the shore,” he said.
“It took me about 45 minutes battling the waves before I finally got through and by that stage I was exhausted.”
What a man.
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