The dream comes true | July 15, 2013

In 1996, a teenage boy in the West of Ireland first harboured a dream to embark on a sailing adventure. It would take him and his wife across seas and oceans, in good conditions and bad, and culminate with the return to the bay of his home in Co. Mayo, Ireland. On 14 July 2013, that dream came true. 

At 7pm we took a right turn at Roonah Head and pointed Ashling's bow to Old Head. For the past four miles we had been flanked by four speedboats with local friends and family bearing Louisburgh, Mayo and Irish flags. We saw smoke on land and realised that it was bonfires burning in our honour. We saw car headlights flashing and almost reached for the Morse code handbook before we copped it was a signal to welcome us home. 

Then we rounded the final corner and faced a mirage of colours at the pier, a crowd that went on and on and on. After ten months of writing about our trip, we find ourselves lost for words as we try to describe how we felt - as it was, we just about held it together enough to motor up to the pier and greet everybody. 

It was like Christmas, a wedding and a school reunion all rolled into one. Thank you, thank you, thank you for such an outstanding reception that went far beyond our wildest homecoming dreams. What a perfect ending to the adventure of a lifetime. My God it's so good to be home! 










9 comments:

  1. "Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey" (Pat Conroy)

    You did it guys, huge achievement x

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  2. hi guys just missed you be 3 hours well done .davey and jean bailie from belfast

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  3. So amazed and impressed - you did it!! Myles owes you big time :) Enjoy yourself over the next few weeks. xx

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  4. The New Hampshire HeneghansJuly 15, 2013 at 4:40 PM

    Welcome home Myles and Eithne - what and adventure, but oh, what a crew.

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  5. FANTASTIC NEWS!!! Well done Myles and Eithne!!! Such an amazing adventure!!!

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  6. Magic! Love it! An epic journey with a very happy ending. Congratulations to you both. Craig (Fonterra)

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  7. What a beautiful Irish homecoming. XXX

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  8. Hi Guys finally managed to read the latest blog entry. Awesome effort and an amazing end to one journey. Enjoy being back at home and hopefully we can catch up sometime once your back over this way or if I happen to make my way back to Ireland again. Cheers Steve

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  9. How wonderful Eithne, happy homecoming :)

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