Kieran Fitzgerald

Swimmer

Kieran was the most accomplished and prolific marathoner from Ireland for the n the period 1994 to 2008. He was the first to truly travel the world to swim and inspired the next marathon swimmers from Ireland to keep exploring! His solos include: English Channel 21 miles/34 km in 1994, Around Manhattan Island 28.5 mile/45.9 km in 1998 (first from Ireland), Strait of Gibraltar 8.9 miles/14.4 km in 1997, Rottnest 12.3 miles/19.75 km in 2002 (first from Ireland along with Pat Manning and Pat Nash), 3 times over and back Lough Gill 11.2 miles/18 km, 7 times Lough Erne 10.6 miles/17 km, 2 times Inisbofin 8 miles/12.8 km, Tory Island 7 miles/11.3 km, Lake Windemere 10.5 miles/16.9 km, Galway Bay 7 Miles/11.3 km, 2 times Lough Allen 8 miles,/12.9 km and Aughris to Rossespoint (9 miles/14.5 km).

Amazingly Kieran trained in the Sligo Park leisure Centre 15 meter pool during the week and on weekends would travel to the Mount Errigal Hotel 20 meter pool in Letterkenny.

He also contributed over the years as a swim organiser and volunteer. Kieran started the Lough Gill Swim, with Paul McGarry, after seven years now runs with a committee of 13, and raised over €185,000 for the North West Hospice. He crewed for Anne McAdam, Shay Dillon, Ciaran Cassidy and Feilim O'Maolain for their six hour qualification swims in Lough Gill, before they swam the English Channel. Kieran crewed for Anne-Marie Ward on her successful English Channel and North Channel swims leading up to her selection as the WOWSA female swimmer of the year. Finally, he was a mentor for Stephen Redmond on his English Channel swim – his first as he ramped up for the Ocean’s Seven campaign.