Record breaker brought to book

THE inspirational story of one Barefield man’s successful attempt to become the first to complete a 10km dive without surfacing has been turned into a book.
Record-breaking scuba diver Christy Healy set the record late last year with his second attempt at the dive in Lough Derg. The record was confirmed by Guinness World Records and the money raised from the dive went to the Share a Dream Foundation.
Christy is now hoping the launch of the new book The 10K Record will raise even more funds for the charity, which makes dreams come true for sick children all over Ireland.  Christy saw first-hand the amazing work of the Share a Dream Foundation when his son Stephen was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2010.
One of Stephen’s regular visitors was Christy’s cousin, Jonathan Mangan, a volunteer with Share a Dream, who got the teenager involved in helping to design the charity’s ‘dream machine’.
Stephen has since been given the all-clear and the record attempt and the subsequent book is Christy’s way of giving something back to the charity.
The 10K Record will be launched in Hughes & Hughes, Bank Place, on May 5 at 6.30pm and all are welcome to come along.
Speaking about the book, Christy said, “The book wasn’t part of the original fundraising plan at all. I have a cousin, Catherine A Connors, who lives in France and she edits books. I didn’t really know much about her, we’d only met once when I was a child. Anyway, when I was planning the dive I was putting stuff on Facebook and she got in touch. I was telling her I had written bits and pieces about the dive and she said I should do a book. I said I’m not the greatest person for writing but she said it would be a good way to make more money for Share a Dream. We’ve already raised €16,500 from the dive and collections so I decided we may as well do the book and go the whole hog. I’m really happy with how it’s turned out.”
The book recalls how the experienced diving instructor and owner of the Atlantic Diving School came up with the unique idea of attempting the record to raise money for the foundation.
He began training in March 2011 and, combined with the help and support of trusted friends and professionals, he mapped out his targets and worked towards them. In The 10K Record readers will experience the highs and lows of his quest to set a new Guinness World Record, the disappointment and physical trials of his first failed attempt in Doolin and the jubilation of his success.
As well as recollections from Christy, the book also features contributions from others involved in the dive including his support team and his wife, Trish, as well as many photographs.
“This was the first time ever that this had been attempted and we had a lot of support, there was a team of around 37 or 38, between collecting money, dealing with Guinness World Records, divers, and others. There were so many people involved. I had the easiest job of doing the dive, the support team had the hardest job and everyone put in a lot of time in helping. This book is for them as well as for making a few pounds for Share a Dream,” he said.
Now that Christy has set the record, no doubt others will try to follow his lead. “If anyone is going to try to break it then the book could give them a heads-up on how to do it. Because it had never been done before, it was a lot of trial and error. For instance, we had to figure out how we would mark going from one point to the other in a way I could see. We first thought we could put a rope under the surface but with the currents and tides, that wouldn’t work. We tried bits and pieces but in the end we had a snorkeler pulling the rope with a float and another snorkeler watching me. Because we had no communication with the surface we had to do everything with hand signals. Getting the logistics right was tough enough and we were really lucky to have dive co-ordinator Pat Cronin involved,” he added.
“The book really gives a feel for what was involved in the dive and I’m hoping people will turn up at the launch and support Share a Dream Foundation.”
He revealed there are plans for another major charity fundraiser in the future. “We have something that we’re working on, it’s still in the pipeline though. Right now, we’re looking for sponsorship so we can get things moving,” he added.