Sawdoctors’s song creates wave power for swim to Clare Island

PIER PRESSURE Angela Biggs will be swimming from Roonagh Pier to Claire Island for charity.

Sawdoctors’s song creates wave power for charity swim to Clare Island   

Islander’s bid marks memory of her tragic father

Áine Ryan

THE Sawdoctors’ song, ‘Will you Meet me on Clare Island?’ is set to have a whole new meaning when primary school teacher, Angela Biggs, swims a grueling four miles from Roonagh Pier to the Clew Bay outpost on Saturday, June 13.

Islander, Ms Biggs has undertaken the challenge to raise funds, with five other swimmers, for two charities: the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice and Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

Originally from Dublin, Angela and her family moved to Clare Island when she was still at primary school. Her father, the late Jim Biggs, died tragically in a house fire on the island just over two years ago. A marine engineer who worked in Dublin Bay, the Dublin native, and colourful character, was fearless on sea and often sailed his own small craft, in challenging weather, to commute to and from the island family home at weekends.

The charity swim’s organiser for Team Biggs, Martina O’Malley, also an islander and teacher based in Dublin, explained to The Mayo News: “We saw a notice in the island newsletter about the event and since Angela always wanted to undertake such a challenge, we contacted the organiser, Donal Byrne, to see if we could join. He was delighted that the island, which had already committed to supporting the venture through social events on the day, was now fielding its own team.”

The initiative has a personal poignancy for Martina O’Malley too. Her much-loved mother, Kathleen Bessie, as she was known on the island, died after a brave battle with cancer in the summer of 2007. Indeed, the heart-breaking death last year of young Luke Mulchrone, who may have been a Westport resident but was an avid islander, adds to the symbolism of the quest, which is being supported on many levels by many island businesses, with the main sponsor being Clare Island Lighthouse.   

Making waves

For the busy primary school teacher in St Mary’s Ashbourne, County Meath, Angela’s training regime means swimming three to four times a week, up to six kilometres each session in both a swimming pool and the sea.

“The sea is pretty cold still! I’m also getting to the gym twice a week to work on strengthening – need the guns for all that swimming. I'm getting there with the distance but I’m a bit worried about the sea temperature. I have invested in gloves and open water socks though, hopefully they will keep me nice and cosy on the day,” Angela tells The Mayo News.

“I will have Bébhinn [O’Malley] with me as my kayak support. We have been through lots of adventures together as best friends, so this will be a great one to add to our list. I'm hoping there will be no Jaws-like incidents - I think Clew Bay is pretty safe - but you never know what’s lurking in the depths,” she continues.

She said that organiser Donal Byrne was ‘very kind to take on an island woman’.

“I am really looking forward to swimming with them on the day and raising as much funds as possible for the two charities. Martina has done amazing work as my fundraising manager'- she has really kept me motivated throughout the whole thing. There has been a fantastic response from the island community - they really look after their own. My school is also helping with the fundraising: the pupils are guessing the weight of my wetsuit and taking part in relays around the football pitch of the distance the group will be swimming,” Angela said.   

Ceol, craic, barbecue

WHILE the charity swim’s main focus is on raising much-needed funds (a target amount of €10,000) for Mayo-Roscommon Hospice  and Crumlin’s Children’s Hospital, there is also a big social dimension to the event.  

The after-party will be held in the island’s Sailors Bar where like Sean Keane and his band, as well as regular visitor, Leo Moran, of The Sawdoctors, will provide entertainment. There will also be a barbecue and a whole array of games.  

The brainchild of organiser, Donal Byrne, he came up with the idea after attending a Meet West conference in Galway some months ago where guest speaker, Steve Redmond, spoke about swimming seven sea channels all over the world.

Mr Byrne says that while the training has been tough for the six swimmers and their support teams which include kayakers, it has been a great experience. It has involved new nutritional and diet regimes , as well as training for coping with the cold water.

MORE Facebook pages: Meet me on Clare Island Fundraiser and Charity Swim - Team Biggs