Irish woman swims into 'triple crown' history, inspired by Cork brother's transplant journey

Maura Twomey swimming as dawn breaks in California

Irish woman Maura Twomey has become the oldest person to successfully cross California’s Catalina Channel in a sub-16-hour swim.

Her feat completes the Triple Crown of open water swimming. Having taken up open water challenges around her 50th birthday, the 70-year-old has also crossed the English Channel, and completed Manhattan's 20 Bridges Swim - two more of the world’s most prestigious open-water swims.

Dublin-born Twomey, whose family moved to Blarney in Cork when she was young, now lives in Boston. In California, she was swimming in honour of her youngest brother Martin, well known in Cork for his successful transport business, with its fleet of 30 buses.

Last year, as his health deteriorated, Martin, who lives in Douglas, was forced to step back from the family business. But he received a life-changing kidney transplant in June this year from a deceased donor after two and a half years on dialysis. Martin had declined offers of kidney donations from living relatives, including Maura, so as not to put a loved one at risk. 

He has seen both sides of the transplant picture — three years ago, following the death of his wife Catherine from a brain aneurysm, her organs and heart valves were donated, giving other families the chance to hold onto their loved ones.

“I know what it is like to be on both sides of organ donation,” Martin says. 

“When Catherine died, knowing that her organs and heart valves were donated gave our family some comfort because other families were given more time with the people they loved. I hope my donor’s family can find that same comfort. I will always be thinking of them and be grateful for the gift they have given me.” 

Maura undertook the Catalina Channel challenge in honour of her brother and also to raise funds for the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) and to highlight the extraordinary generosity of donor families.

Maura Twomey pictured before her epic swim.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Maura,” Martin says. “What she has done at 70 is incredible. Knowing that she was swimming with my story in her heart makes it even more special. I know how hard the Catalina Channel must have been for her to swim, and I know she had to dig very deep to keep going. I am very proud to call her my sister.” 

Martin’s journey became the inspiration for Maura's challenge. “My brother Martin was my inspiration,” she says. “Watching from across the Atlantic what he went through on dialysis, seeing how much his health deteriorated and then seeing the difference the transplant has made to him has been incredible. He has been given his life back.”  

Through her Catalina Channel challenge, Maura is raising funds for the Irish Kidney Association and hopes to encourage more people to talk to their families about organ donation. Her fundraising campaign remains open at idonate.ie/fundraiser/mauratwomey3 

For more information on the Irish Kidney Association, organ donation and how to obtain an organ donor card including the digital organ donor card that can be stored on your mobile phone devise visit: www.ika.ie