West Kerry bids farewell to adventurer Ger Kavanagh

West Kerry bade farewell to a true hero last weekend as Ger Kavanagh (pictured right on his 80th birthday earlier this year with his wife Bridget)of Gorta Dubh, Ballyferriter was laid to rest in Dún Úrlann cemetery on Saturday, October 25th.

The Ballyferriter native became the first man to circumnavigate the Irish Coast in a man-made 'Naomhóg' leaving his home in Ballyferriter on the 29th of June 1975 with the aim of rowing 1,200 miles around the Irish Coast. Ger completed the momentous task in six weeks and six days arriving home on the 12th of August. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Ger Kavanagh on his 80th birthday earlier this year.

"From Kerry I travelled northwards facing into the Atlantic, the seas around Mayo were tough but from growing up in West Kerry I knew the seas and I knew what to expect.

I made my way around the coasts of Donegal and Antrim and down into the Irish sea towards Dublin, where I encountered busy traffic around the ports and around Rosslare where I passed the ferry that crosses the Irish sea. I had made my plans and was able to manoeuvre around any ships or trawlers. I pulled into a small harbour in Arklow, where a man from West Kerry (who had relocated to the area) was astonished to see a Naomhóg from his homeland pull into the harbour. He said he thought he'd never see such a sight, a Naomhóg from Beál Bán pulling into Arklow! The vessel which I used was over thirteen years old I had to make any necessary repairs on leaks or cracks at sea. I also studied the tides carefully as the sea doesn't give you a second chance so you had to be on the ball. Some people thought I was mad at the time, but I did it to show I wasn't and that it could be done. If you set your mind to anything it can be achieved."

The trip made national news at the time and his five children and wife Bridget, who looked after the family farm in his absence, listened to Ger's progress on the 'wireless' at home also reading about his journey in the national newspapers who looked after the family farm in his absence.

"I had my first Naomhóg when I was eight and discovered I had a love of the sea in the blood" he also recalled. "It was in me, the sea was calling and I had to answer the call."

Ger completed the amazing test of human endurance on the 12th of August when he pulled into Beál Bán near his home to a heroes welcome. During the voyage, he had suffered a perforated ulcer and had to be rushed to hospital in Tralee.

"After travelling around the coast of Ireland in a Naomhóg, it was only a small thing in comparison!" said the hardy sea-farer.

He went on the write a book about his experience, Cogarnach ar ár gCósta, which went on the become part of the Leaving Cert Syllabus and went on to publish a further three books, Bhí mo lá agam, Nár chlos ár namhaid and An Giorria san aer. It was the first and last time this amazing journey was completed.

"If something is calling to you then you must answer the call and be true to yourself" he said, "if something is in your heart, go after it full steam. There is no point in waiting because like the sea, time wait for nobody. You only have one chance in this life and you have to take it!"