By Sean Moriarty

Killarney people could be among the first people to see a documentary on local adventurer Kevin Leahy’s exploits in the Arctic.

Kevin, who runs the Blacksheep Hostel on New St, has finished his second arctic ultra-marathon since February.

On Sunday last he completed the 500km Lapland Arctic Ultra in Sweden after five and half days in the frozen wilderness.

Last month he finished the 500km Yukon Ultra in Canada.

Alongside him for both journeys was local filmmaker and director Adrian McCarthy.

His Grandview Media production company is now in the process of editing footage from both races and footage of Kevin’s preparations over the last two years.

It will be turned into a documentary called ‘1000kms of Chaos’ and Adrian is hopeful it will be screened at the local film festival later this year.

“We start 20 weeks of editing this week and hope to launch it in September, so hopefully we can show it at the Kerry International Film Festival,” Adrian told the Killarney Advertiser.

“That’s a story for another day. Right now Kevin is the story. He is an amazing man. People that know this sport said finishing two Ultra races like this could not be done in such a short space of time. These athletes usually do one event every six months. The idea itself may have been crazy but the execution was meticulous. Everything he said he was going to do over the last two years – he did it. No one knew if this could even be done but he has done it. What’s next – Everest would be too small for this man. He is the kind of fellow who would want to walk across Greenland or the South Pole but he would take a canoe to get there.”

Kevin enjoyed an extended holiday in Sweden this week but he will be home in time to give a talk on his achievements at next weekend’s Wander Wild Festival.