UNSINKABLE

A tireless outdoorsman conquers grief with a series of adventure challenges in this memoir.

Corcoran’s daring athletic odyssey doesn’t begin with his decision to swim the 500 km length of Ireland’s coastline. It began when his beloved father, Milo, suffered a stroke in 2011, inspiring the author, at 20, to run 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days around Ireland’s coast. Six years later, Corcoran, an avid motorcyclist and outdoor enthusiast, upped his game, and, in another tribute to his father—who died of cancer in 2016—the author embarked on an intrepid swimming feat: “I needed to do something,” he confesses. “I needed to move and express myself.” His memoir is fast-paced and exhilarating, vividly detailing his grueling, rigorous training schedule under the tutelage of marathon swimmer Chris Bryan, which was critical, as Corcoran had only trained as a runner before. However, Corcoran’s charity swim wasn’t corporate sponsored, and he had to manage the event’s logistics independently while concurrently training and manning a desk job to stay afloat financially. The swim itself had a bevy of obstacles, including the frigid cold and high waves of the Irish Sea, requiring months of tolerance training. Hours of rigorous pool laps were no match for braving actual seawater as “one hundred metres of icy blackness flowed beneath me.” The candid, conversational author details the heartbreak of his decision to cut short his initial swim after just 210 km when his support boat sank. The book becomes a journal of resilience when, in 2019, the author mapped out yet another challenge to complete the original venture.    

This companion memoir fittingly accompanies a feature-length Irish documentary film, also titled Unsinkable, which chronicles Corcoran’s marathon and swimming challenges. The author puts into words what the film shows to be a true journey of the heart, inspired by familial love, grief, and a dedication to pushing his mind and body to their limits. His personal challenges became fundraising opportunities, amassing hefty donations for stroke and cancer charities: “it wasn’t merely swimming but doing my utmost to help others and soften disaster’s blow,” the author writes. The book is decorated with a full-colorphotographic diary by the author featuring action shots as well as images of family members and support crew; it also features line drawings and informative maps. Corcoran’s writing talents are similarly impressive—particularly his keen eye for natural details, as when he describes terrifying rip currents or being out to sea during a storm when “sharp spears of rain punctured the water like bullets.” On more personal terms, the memoir not only details the athleticism necessary to accomplish his ambitious goals, but also defines Corcoran’s endeavors as affecting, determined efforts to work through grief and to channel his anger and negativity surrounding the loss of his father into a physical challenge. Suffused with breathless athleticism, relentless resolve, and immense catharsis, this is a poignant portrayal of a man “trying to process life.” A bold, uplifting testament to the tenacity of the human spirit.

Review Posted Online: today