Weather permitting, world master-class champion canoeist Eileen Murphy is due to become the first Irish woman to paddle solo around the island of Ireland this weekend.
Ms Murphy hopes to reach Howth harbour tomorrow, just over seven weeks after she set off from Howth on her circumnavigation. She was due to reach the Co Louth coast last night for the final leg of her voyage down the Irish Sea by sea kayak.
Ms Murphy, from Lucan, Co Dublin, is one of Ireland's most distinguished canoeists. She has three sons with her husband, Peter McIlwaine - Neill (23), Eoghan (22) and Thomas (15), and teaches in Oldbawn Community School in Tallaght.
Ms Murphy's attempt received no advance publicity, and she preferred to keep it "low key", according to Mr McIlwaine.
"She was weatherbound on very few occasions, and received marvellous hospitality from all sorts of people," he said. "She paddled an average of four to five land miles an hour, and was only accompanied by inflatable vessels on very short stages."
Estimates of the coastline length vary, but Ms Murphy will have paddled all of 850 to 900 miles by the time she reaches Howth.
Even as Ms Murphy treats her aching muscles, Air Corps single-handed yachtsman Michael Liddy is preparing for his attempt to break the solo circumnavigation record of Ireland by sail.
The current Round Ireland single-handed speed record is held by Britain's Peter Keig, at seven days and 10 hours. Mr Liddy hopes for average speeds of seven to eight knots in his Beneteau.
