Congratulations on a successful Chris Crossing!

Tuesday, 07 June, 2016

Back in late 2015, twelve members of an Garda Siochana signed up to undertake a challenge that would see them rowing across the Irish Sea to raise funds in support of their friend and colleague, Caroline Byrne, whose husband Chris had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.  Chris Byrne had been diagnosed only four weeks after the birth of his and Caroline's first child, Harry, and Caroline struggled to care for Chris and a new baby while also holding down her job.

The challenge was dreamt up to support Caroline and to raise funds for the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital where Chris underwent two operations followed by chemo and radiotherapy.  The team trained ten hours a week to prepare for the gruelling row and Chris was very involved in the planning of the event up to this passing in March 2016.

He was passionate about helping the hospital and meeting the €50,000 target that the team set for the challenge.

Through donations and fundraising on Grafton and Henry street along with a collection at the Ireland v Holland match in the Aviva and €5,000 raised by a cake sale in Beaumont Hospital, the team had raised €52,000 by the time they set out to row from Holyhead to Dublin on Saturday, 4th June.

They left Holyhead at 3.30 in the morning and set out on a mirror-like sea. They were supported by several vessels including boats from the Garda Sub Aqua team and the Garda boat club on the journey and the team of 5 in the boat rotated each hour of the 15 hour crossing. The long hours of training paid off and they arrived in to Dublin just after 7pm that evening to a jubilant crowd of friends and family.



It was a fantastic achievement for a group that had never rowed before. Congratulations to the team and an enormous thanks to all for the support for the Neurosurgical Centre.


beaumontfundraising.ie