Tipperary man honours late daughter after completing The World's Toughest Row
John O'Driscoll paid tribute to Saoirse O'Driscoll (13) who died in April last year from congenital heart disease
Tipperary man John O'Driscoll was one of five men who took on The World's Toughest Row competition in honour of his daughter Saoirse who died last year from congenital heart disease.
The Clonmel native and his team finished in third place after 39 days of rowing across the Atlantic. Team Power of One raced into English Harbour in Antigua in the Caribbean on Sunday night to a blaze of flares and honking from yachts in the bay.
Mr O’Driscoll teamed up with Conor McCarthy, Daragh Kelly, Enda McNicholas and Roger McMorrow to cross in the Atlantic in 37 days and had planned the row while his daughter was still alive.
The team, with little to no rowing experience between them, decided to raise money for two charities, Children’s Heart Centre, Crumlin and Heart Children Ireland.
Speaking on the fundraising efforts by the team and what drove them, O'Driscoll said: "To do this in her name, to make a difference to others’ lives is their way of honouring Saoirse."
The team's idonate page description reads: "Despite the daily struggles that came with her condition, she embraced life with a vibrant spirit, always showing kindness, selflessness, and creativity.
"Her ability to find joy in even the smallest moments left a lasting impression on everyone she met."
Saoirse O’Driscoll died in April 2024 at the age of 13, not long after being added to the list for a heart transplant.