Going ‘Off the Grid’ for St Christopher’s Hospice

On a wet and windy launch day by Cavan Canoe Centre, John Magee said “it hasn’t sunk in just yet” that he will go out into the waters of Cavan’s Lough Oughter and stay on an island alone.

‘Off the Grid: Lone Survivor’ will take place in early November, when John and another volunteer Sean O’Flaherty, aka the Condor Team will be dropped off at an island and left there for 48 hours to raise funds for St Christopher’s Hospice serving Cavan and Monaghan.

“It’ll be okay on the day, I’ll be in the zone,” John predicted, looking out the door from the shelter provided by Cavan Canoe Centre.

“I’m okay at doing solo stuff, I’m okay at doing group stuff.

“We are ready to meet the weather and that’s an integral part of the challenge.

“If the weather is inclement it makes it more worthy in my eyes.”

John will undertake the challenge with Granard man Sean O’Flaherty, however the pair will go out alone on two separate weekends.

John will begin on Friday November 8 at 3pm and will finish the challenge at 3pm that Sunday; while Sean has committed to do the same the following weekend. Last year, a group of three men comprising John, Michael ‘Bricker’ Wall and Brian McCormack went out in mid-November to raise funds for the same cause.

“We said we’d have another go at it with a difference this time,” he explained.

Going into the woods “lone survivor” with an additional six hours on last year’s challenge the pair will have no communication devices, no heat source, no timekeeping devices and will bring basic rations to eat. This time, they won’t have company either.

“Obviously a little bit nervous, I don’t know what to expect,” is how Sean described undertaking the challenge.

“But I’ll get through it,” he added quickly.

“Like everything else that’s new you’ll always be that little bit nervous.”

He predicted that “it’s going to be cold.”

“Hopefully it doesn’t snow,” he said.

With a background playing football for Granard, on the stamina end of things Sean is confident.

“I’d be well used to them conditions playing football in the winter months.”

The effort raised over €7000 last year. This year, the target is doubled to €14000.

Donations to the cause can be made through iDonate using this link https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/OfftheGrid-LoneSurvivor