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An Irish civil servant has turned an extraordinary personal challenge into a record-breaking trek that began in Istanbul and now approaches its final stretch in western Ireland.
Eamonn Keaveney is walking barefoot from Türkiye to his hometown of Claremorris in County Mayo in an effort to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest barefoot walk.
The 33-year-old began his journey after flying to Istanbul in February 2025. He started walking on March 4. After 185 days on the road, he broke the existing world record on Sept. 4 at the border of Hungary and Austria. He continues toward Ireland with a target distance of more than 6,000 kilometers (3,728.23 miles). He hopes to reach Mayo in February.
Keaveney previously held the same world record in 2016 after walking more than 2,000 kilometers around Ireland. The record later passed to Polish athlete Pawel Durakiewicz who completed 3,410 kilometres barefoot. Keaveney now aims to extend the record far beyond that mark.
He has taken a career break from his job as a civil servant to complete the trek.
Eamonn Keaveney says his feet have adapted to the strain.
“People are expecting to see these horribly mangled feet but the skin on the bottom of the foot toughens up over time,” he said to the Irish Times, adding that he walks an average of 25 kilometers per day.
He describes thorns as one of the most difficult obstacles. He avoids grass when possible to limit injuries. Gravel has proven the most painful terrain. He calls it “easily the worst possible thing” to walk on. Cold and wet weather increases sensitivity in his feet. He has managed to stay mostly free of blisters.
His route across Europe has included extreme weather. He encountered snow, sub zero temperatures, heat waves, and thunderstorms. In Türkiye, a dog bite forced him to seek rabies vaccines. He said the bite itself was minor but the medical process delayed him by about a week.
Locals across several countries have reacted with surprise. He says he receives strange looks but also kindness. People have offered shoes and lifts, which he declined. Others provided water and food.
He admitted that he sometimes questioned his decision. “I had days where I questioned my life decisions,” he said. He continues by taking the journey one day at a time.
Keaveney first became interested in barefoot walking during university after hearing about reported health benefits.
He trained for a year by walking barefoot outside of work, including trips to shops. A security guard once asked him to stop.
His girlfriend Ellie O’Fegan accompanied him during the first half of the journey, wearing shoes. His family and friends expressed concern at the start but now follow his progress through daily contact.
Alongside the record attempt, Keaveney is raising funds for Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy organisation, and Jigsaw, a mental health support service for young people in Ireland. The fundraising campaign has already passed its €10,000 ($11,739.1) target.
He recently returned to Ireland for what he calls the home stretch. He has not planned his arrival celebrations but says he looks forward to resting after months on the road.
The final kilometers will bring an unusual journey that began on the streets of Istanbul to a close in rural Mayo, marking one of the longest barefoot walks ever attempted.
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