Life’s a beach for Limerick rower Dylan

SUN, sea, sand and lifesaving - Limerick rower Dylan Grace is living a teenage dream by starring in RTÉ’s Mission Beach tv series, which began last Friday night and runs for the next seven weeks.

Dylan, from Ashbrook on the Ennis Road, is one of eight 16 year olds who took part in the show, which was filmed over three weeks in Florida in July. He was selected from a total of 5,500 applicants to take part in the show.

The show sees the fifth year Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh student and his teenage contemporaries take on a challenge to train in “America’s toughest lifeguard school” for three weeks. It follows the group as they train at the Fort Lauderdale Junior Lifeguard Programme and tackle “sun, sea and survival” on the Florida coastline.

Billed as a “cheeky chap and charmer” Dylan is an enthusiastic rower with Shannon Rowing Club, training at least four times a week.

The teenagers are put through their paces by lifeguard veteran Coach Chris and, although “pushed to their physical and mental limits”, they do manage to taste “as much of the Florida life as possible”.

“For most, it is their first experience of living away from home and amongst people their own age. For all, it is a truly unforgettable experience,” said a spokesperson for the show.

See Mission Beach every Friday at 5.30pm on RTÉ Two.