Deaf News: Emotional scenes as seven Irish Deaf women complete charity swim across the English Channel

There were emotional scenes in Calais, France yesterday as seven Irish Deaf women celebrated completing their swim across the English Channel for charity.

The women, Deirdre Byrne, Patricia Heffernan, Nora Duggan, Bridie Power, Michelle McLaughlin, Lisa Finn Carroll and Bernadette White, were raising money for the Irish Deaf Women Group.

The group is a Voluntary non profit organisation that aims to provide information, events, workshops and services in Irish sign language to empower Deaf women across Ireland.

The women’s efforts, which began at 6am yesterday morning, were followed by 1500 people via their Facebook page, with regular updates of photos and videos informing everyone of their progress.

At several points, the women were approached by seals while on their swim, and one of the woman had to bravely swim over a jellyfish in the water. The women each took it in turns to swim, completing their swim in 14 hours, 10 minutes and 44 seconds.

Everyone here at the Limping Chicken sends our congratulations to them – and hopes they are warming up again after their epic swim!

You can find out all about the women’s challenge at their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/idcs2014 and find out more about the Irish Deaf Women’s Group here:  www.deafwomen.ie