A documentary on Sean Crowley, the youngest man to have rowed the Atlantic, received a rapturous reception at its premiere in Clifden, Co. Galway last week. Sean Crowley’s Story – a film celebrating the life and legacy of Sean Crowley – charts his remarkable journey and extraordinary life. Peter Vine produced the film, and Barry Ryan directed, filmed, and edited it.
Crowley was only 25 when he came ashore in Mannin Bay in 1988 after 96 days at sea, including nine capsizes.
Atlantic track — Sean Crowley’s chart records the progress of his 1988 crossing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Connemara, a voyage that included nine capsizes. Photo: Barry Ryan
Not only was he the youngest person at the time to complete the crossing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Connemara, but he was also the second person, after Don Allum, to row the Atlantic both ways. He had lost his mother at the age of 11 and had survived cancer. He had no GPS, and his only communication was a transistor on which he picked up the BBC World Service.
Home waters — Errislannan harbour, where Sean Crowley came ashore in September 1988 after rowing solo across the Atlantic from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Photo: Barry Ryan
Along with supplies of food and water, he had Earl Grey tea and a copy of Proust's 'Remembrance of Things Past: Volume Two'.
He had completed an Atlantic crossing with Mike Nestor two years before, in 1986, when they rowed from the Canaries to South America.
Sadly, Crowley was killed at the age of 58 after a driver struck him on Regent Street, Sheffield, on August 22nd, 2021, and failed to stop. Fortunately, he had given Peter Vine permission to use his logs as the basis for the documentary, which Barry Ryan made.
A plaque in his memory was unveiled at Churhownagh pier, Errislannan, several years ago.
Journey remembered — A plaque commemorates Sean Crowley’s 1988 single-handed Atlantic crossing in his self-built rowing boat Finn Again, completed after 96 days at sea. Photo: Barry Ryan
Deirdre Crowley, Sean’s sister, travelled to Clifden for the viewing and said it was “very moving, very emotional”. “Nearly everyone was in tears leaving the theatre. It was incredible what they did,” she said.
She also paid tribute to the community who had helped Sean after his landing, and noted that there was “a real special energy there at the premiere”. “I didn't doubt that he would do it, because you know he was very determined, focused, and if he put his mind to anything he could do that,” she said.
Family memories — Deirdre Crowley, Sean’s sister, travelled to Clifden for the documentary premiere and described the screening as “very moving, very emotional”. Photo: Barry Ryan
She recalled that before the first attempt with Mike Nestor, Sean thought he should get a health check.
“He'd had this lump since he was 14. And they said, “Well, that's a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and you need to have treatment”...”
“So he had chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and lost all his hair. What kept him going, he said, was the fact that they were going on this trip, and that was never in doubt. So that's what saw him through…”
Atlantic exposure — Heavy seas on Ireland’s western seaboard evoke the conditions faced by Sean Crowley during his 96-day solo Atlantic crossing in 1988. Photo: Barry Ryan
She was in her early twenties when her brother and Nestor undertook their first trip in 1986.
“He built the boat in the driveway from a library book,” she recalled. “He contacted a boat builder who very kindly said that “there's a book, but it's not in print anymore, but you can get it from the library”, and so he went to the library, got this book…”
“It's hard to grasp these days when you have Google, and you can look everything up in an instant, but you had to spend a lot of time to find things out in those days…”
Another screening of the documentary takes place on Friday, October 23rd at the Clifden Station House Theatre. For further information or bookings, please contact Clifden Station House on 095 21699 or email [email protected]
