A small poem from James Norton about John's swim. Congratulations to John, who has been training for this swim for months.
John Tierney swims the Hellespont
Equidistant from Istanbul and Edirne
Lie the Dardanelles which John Tierney,
Ears plugged against the song of the siren
And in emulation of Lord Byron,
Has swum in only trunks and hat,
The route to Çannakale from Eceabat.
The channel between these two towns,
Whose mythical darkness Leander drowns,
The Hellespont as was, separates
Europe and Asia. As this sonnet celebrates
In just under an hour did complete
This legendary intercontinental feat
In water twenty five degrees above zero
Our very own Hibernian Hero!
JCW Norton (with apologies to Christopher Marlowe and poetry lovers everywhere)