Liam’s swim from Fastnet raises €6k for heart charity

LOCAL man Liam Nolan took on and completed the Fastnet to Baltimore swim last week, in what turned out to be challenging conditions. 

Onboard the support boat Radiance was pilot Kieran Collins, while the feeder and support crew were Billy Nolan (Liam’s father) and observer Nathan Timmins. 

After being dropped at the Fastnet to commence his swim, Liam was back at the pier in Baltimore in eight hours and 51 minutes, to be greeted by a large welcoming crowd on the slipway.

The swim raised over €4,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation from Liam’s friends and family, with another €2,000 donated by Liam’s employer, Cork and Dublin-based IT company Version 1.

Liam making his way from the Fastnet to Baltimore. (Photo: Kieran Collins)

The Fastnet to Baltimore (or vice versa) swim is being promoted as one of the world’s finest swims to be completed as part of a series of world-class swims.

The challenge is also the subject of the latest episode of The Southern Star’s swimming podcast, From A to Sea, presented by editor Siobhán Cronin (see southernstar.ie/podcasts.)

The swim is organised by the first man to complete the Oceans Seven challenge – the seven most difficult sea crossings in the world – Ballydehob-based swimmer Steve Redmond, along with endurance swimmers Nathan Timmins and Noel Browne, with skipper Kieran Collins guiding the support boat Radiance.