BY AILEENMURPHY

Retired Mount Lourdes teacher, Frank Rogers is now celebrating after he successfully canoed his way around Ireland in record time, all for charity.

Frank departed from the Marble Arch Caves on 26 June, with the intention of spending the next 32 days canoeing in every county in Ireland. However, some favourable weather, a lot of help from generous people along the way, and a wee bit of muscle power, saw Frank finish his mammoth paddle at Lough Derg on Monday of this week, an amazing three weeks after he started.

"I was able to finish up in three weeks as some days I was able to canoe three or four lakes a day. If I'd been more organised, I'd probably have been able to get round even quicker," Frank said.

Some days proved more strenuously challenging that others, as he explained: "Lough Neagh was one of the most difficult as it was quite stormy and breezy that day, and also a lake in Wexford, Lady's Island Lake, where the weather wasn't too great either."

However, despite some set-backs, Frank admits overall he was very fortunate with the weather, and this certainly added to his speed at completing the challenge, which he said "was about as difficult as I anticipated."

Frank also said, while care and caution also helped him along the way in the water, he found his most difficult task often to be travelling, by car, from one lough to another: "The traffic and the roads were dreadful. That was definitely the most dangerous part."

So far, Frank's efforts have secured over £2,000 in donations for the Share Centre at Lisnaskea, although he admits he hasn't had time to count up all the money and hopes the final total will be even more. People can still donate, directly through the Share Centre, or get in touch with Frank, through his website www.frankrogers.org.uk. where they can also check out pictures from his trip.

However, despite all the generous financial donations he accumulated on his trip, Frank is quick to explain it was people's generosity of spirit which will be his lasting memory: "The generosity of people, complete strangers, was outstanding. I couldn't believe how helpful everyone was, from helping me with the canoe, to making me meals, and some even helping me with washing facilities. It certainly made the trip easier."

It was also a good chance for Frank to meet up with some old faces: "I fell in with some old footballing friends on the way. From Lisnaskea Emmet's, I stayed with Danny Boyle in Malahide, and some of my friends from Glenavy football club turned up at the shore of Lough Neagh, and Bellaghy Historical Society came out to meet me at Church Island at Lough Beg.

"I also have a huge thank you to Harry Hume, who turned up at a number of different places along the way, arranged most of the photographs and looked after putting them on the web. He also arranged a very welcome stay in his daughter's hotel in Birr.

"My wife and family were also tremendously supportive, and came to meet up with me in Rosslare."

For now an obviously excited, but very tired Frank, is glad to have his feet very firmly planted on terra firma, and, when asked if he'd do the trip again, he quickly replied, laughing, "I never want to see water again."