Documentary on Cork Dragon Boat cancer survivors to air on Monday

A TV documentary following the lives of dragon boat racers, featuring members from the Cork Dragon Boat Club, will debut this month.

Dragon Hearts showcases the emotional journey of those who participate in the sport and have a shared experience with cancer.

Featured in the documentary is one of the founding members of the Cork club, Mark O’Connor, who shares his love of, and devotion to, the sport, and highlights the importance of the dragon boat community for cancer survivors.

“People can tell you many things about living and dying but, when you are faced with it, the majority of people will say: ‘Let me live’ — and I choose to live,” said Mr O’Connor.

The documentary focuses on how ordinary people have been brought together in the worst of circumstances, but are now bonded in competitive camaraderie by this sport, with all the featured racers sharing their stories onscreen.

Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese sport, but is now one of the fastest-growing watersports worldwide. 

Wellbeing

It was trialled by researchers in Canada in the 1990s as a treatment for breast cancer survivors, as it was shown to boost upper-body strength in patients, and, as a result, improve their psychological wellbeing and overall medical outcomes.

The documentary will also feature members from other dragon boat clubs, including the Plurabelle Paddlers, who were the first club to bring the sport to Irish waters in 2010. 

Some of the clubs the Plurabelle Paddlers have supported nationally over the past decade include Carlow Warriors, Medb’s Dragon Warriors in Sligo, the Gráinne Mhaol Dragon Boat Club in Mayo, and the Donegal Dragons.

Throughout the programme, viewers will gain insight into the training undertaken for a dragon boat event, capturing moments of joy, pain, loss, and victory as they train tirelessly, compete fiercely, and support one another.

The Dragon Hearts documentary will air on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Monday from 6.30pm.