Tipperary solicitor to extend his Hospice swim initiative to other counties

A Clonmel solicitor who took on a sea swim challenge to raise funds for South Tipperary Hospice is hoping his endeavours will assist similar services in other counties.

Kieran Cleary, who raised €6,600 for South Tipperary Hospice by doing the Leinster to Munster charity swim in July, is hoping people in other counties will take up the challenge.
“I have a firm commitment from swimmers in 10 counties that they will participate in the swim next July with the Hospice in their areas benefiting,” said Kieran Cleary.
brendan daly

Kieran will do the swim himself again next year to raise funds for South Tipperary Hospice and he wants similar services located in other parts of the country to benefit as well.
“I have 10 signed up already from other counties and I hope over the next few months to extend that even further,” said Kieran Cleary.

He said that the Hospice participants from the different counties that he signs up will be doing the swim in memory of his great friend, the late Brendan Daly and it will be known as the Brendan Daly Memorial Swim.
Kieran hopes to have more swimmers signed up for the event before the preparation for the event starts in March next year.
The July swim is organised each year by the Passage East GAA club with participants swimming from Leinster, (Ballyhack) to Munster, (Passage East).
The swim raises funds for Passage East GAA Club and they allow 200 participants in the event on the day, each paying €25.
SUPERVISED
“The actual event itself is brilliantly supervised by volunteers from the club and other people in the area in that there are a number of RIB's (Rigid Inflatable Boat's) in the water.
They also have a number of people in kayaks and perhaps more importantly, the Waterford Coast Guards who have their own boats in the water during the course of the swim so that all of the swimmers are protected against any eventuality,” said Kieran.
The swim is organised on the same principle as the Dublin City Marathon in that approximately 5% of the competitors are elite swimmers and the rest do it for charity and the swim is referred to as Beat the Ferryman.

SUPPORT
Kieran said swim was approximately 1,200 metres depending on the tides and was achievable with a good deal of proper training.
“I managed to raise €6,600 for the Hospice here in South Tipperary and I really appreciate the support from all members of the public because Hospice is a charity that is very much appreciated by people as it affects all families at some point in time,” said Kieran.

FOCUS
“I have been advised by the Hospice that they have slightly changed their focus in that they now provide a counselling service for those who have serious illnesses and they also provide the counselling service for the families. They have a respite service in place to allow families of the ill person to have a break. In South Tipperary there is only one full time staff member so there is no excess money paid on administration and 98% of the contributions go to the Hospice services.