Carrigaline native Liam Cotter is embarking on a trip of a lifetime alongside his friend and Galway man, Johnny Coyne. The adventurous pair are kayaking from Dublin to Istanbul to raise money for Daisy Lodge in Co. Mayo, a therapeutic short-break centre for children across the island of Ireland diagnosed with cancer and their families.
The quest will take five months to complete. The pair will start on the River Liffey at St Patrick's Rowing Club, Dublin, before kayaking through 16 countries to reach the Turkish city- and will be the first pair to complete the trip. They will kayak rivers and canals throughout Europe and hope to raise €30,000 for charity.
The first leg of the trip took them from Dublin to Rosslare before venturing to the UK. Roughly a month into their expedition, Tara Maher caught up with them while they made their way through the River Thames.
The pair first met while completing an Outdoor Leadership Course in Kinsale. "We weren't that close during the course, but we and two others spent a summer working in Valentia Island, and that's where we really bonded," they said.
When COVID-19 hit, Johnny returned home. When restrictions eased, he established Lough Corrib Adventures, an outdoor adventure centre for sailing and kayaking amongst the hidden hills of Connemara.
He asked Liam to help him, and the subsequent two summers were spent galavanting on the stunning Galway lough.
Just before last summer, Johnny rang Liam and told him about the trip. He asked if he would come along. "How could I say no?" Liam told The Carrigdhoun.
Johnny is no stranger to the world of adventure. In the past, he has cycled to Portugal with the cheapest bike he could find and three days of preparation walked the entire length of Nepal through the tiger-infested jungle, and most recently cycled from Canada to Costa Rica.
Liam revealed he always found himself happiest outside and in nature and explained the positive effects it had on his mind, how it relieved him of stress and anxiety, and always gave him a sense of confidence.
He had been working in a factory in West Cork and found himself in a rut, stuck in a cycle of going to work and coming home. It was an opportunity of a lifetime he couldn't give up on while also doing something good for the wider community.
They spent the summer training, which involved rigorous physical conditioning and learning survival skills. Now, they are averaging 30km a day, traversing the waterways of Europe with kayaks, carrying all of their belongings on board. Freeze-dried food, litres of water, tents, and a change of socks will be their world for the next few months.
Liam and Johnny are sharing their journey on Instagram, providing location and weather updates, daily musings on their thoughts and feelings, and heart-warming anecdotes.
In one reel, Johnny recalls kayaking through a canal near Reading. They met a man who knew Johnny's family from living in Reading a few years back, and he treated the boys to breakfast.
The videos have blown up among the English kayaking and canal circles, and people are coming out to support them and fuel them along the way. Both are overwhelmed by the generosity and support they've received so far and by how kind people can be.
Partaking in such a vigorous challenge can be tough physically and mentally. When Liam was asked, "When it gets extremely challenging, what is it that makes you persevere?" He said the choice of the word "persevere" was interesting because it was a word that had been stuck in his mind, and he had been using it as a source of motivation and inspiration.
"We've had a couple of tough days; every day will be tough, but the last few days especially, it's funny you use that word because I have had it stuck in my head. I read Bear Grylls's book and remember him repeatedly using the word persevere. There've been times when we've been really cold, wet, and hungry, and I've just been repeating the word persevere in my head. So I'm like, right, let's do this. Let's persevere, persevere, persevere."
They are both overwhelmed with the support they have received at home in Carrigaline, Clonburd, and beyond. The unity and support from their family, friends, and the Cancer Fund for Children charity have fuelled their desire to complete the challenge, making them feel part of a larger cause.
When it was first announced that they were going to undertake this mammoth challenge, Liam revealed that many people also doubted them and believed they wouldn't be able to complete the trip.
"There are people who will doubt you until it's popular to support you," Liam has found. This lack of faith has only fueled their determination, as they are committed to proving those doubters wrong, inspiring the audience with their resilience and determination.
Since their interview with The Carrigdhoun, Liam and Johnny have successfully navigated the waters from England to France, and at the time of writing, they were passing through Cambrai in France. Their journey has been marked by freezing temperatures, treacherous currents, and winds that have blown them off course. Yet, these challenges have only strengthened their resolve, as seen in their daily vlogs shared on Instagram. To date, they have raised over €5,000.
As they near the halfway mark of the expedition, Liam says he has learned a lot about himself and admits he's far more capable than he once thought. His newfound 'I can do whatever I put my mind to' mindset will get him to Istanbul and whatever life throws at him once the trip is over.
Liam and Johnny are now gearing up for the next leg of their journey into the heart of Europe. They look ahead with determination and gratitude, ready to conquer whatever the rivers throw at them, knowing that every stroke brings them closer to their final destination and their goal of making a difference. With the support of their community and the drive to succeed, they remain unwavering in their mission, eager to see what lies ahead in their remarkable adventure from Dublin to Istanbul.
Keep up to date with their adventures on Instagram; @liamcotcot and @johnnyvegood.1
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