Mick Meaney, an Irish labourer, captivated the world in 1968 when he embarked on an unprecedented challenge: to remain buried in a coffin for 61 days. With barely a pound to his name, Meaney’s aim was not only to test his own limits but to capture the public’s attention and perhaps change the course of his life.
The magnificent superhuman feat was started on February 21st, 1968. That’s when Meaney was dropped into a hole at a contractor’s depot in Kilburn, north London. Her coffin, which was 6ft 3in long and 2ft 6in wide, was lined with thick foam to maximise her comfort. Meaney’s manager, Michael ‘Butty’ Sugrue, planned the event to perfection. He went so far as to organize a funeral at the Admiral Nelson pub while Meaney remained buried under the ground.
While spending his time in the coffin, Meaney established an intense regimen that allowed him to keep the reclusive setup at bay. He would wake at 7 a.m., perform exercises, apply ointment to his body, eat meals, read books, and communicate with the outside world through a telephone rigged inside his casket. This careful calendar was his way of protecting an air of regularity in an otherwise extraordinary life.
Meaney’s time as an organizer was marked by a relentlessness and fierce commitment to community. He is said to have declared, “I’d like to go for a hundred days farther.” This illustrates his willingness and desire to go deeper than just meeting the original challenge. Finally, on the morning of April 22, 1968, he did it. He opened the coffin to an adoring audience, and after a few opening remarks got a very warm introduction from Sugrue.
Mick’s daughter Mary Meaney, looking back on her father’s remarkable vision, my father a real proud Tipperary man, she said. In her words, her father never stopped wanting to live an amazing life. This ambition ultimately led him to attempt an extraordinary achievement. An injury soon crushed his youthful dreams of becoming a champion boxer. Instead, as it turned out, he was tunneling under London.
In the decades after his extraordinary appeal, Mick Meaney was a well-liked employee of Cork County Council and lived to the age of 82. His legacy lives on, inspiring all those who hear of his amazing journey.
Mary Meaney was more concerned with the ugly side of fame and the hangers-on that flock to those who find it. “In all walks of life there are people who just use you like a vampire,” she noted, hinting at the challenges her father faced during and after his rise to notoriety.
Mick Meaney’s tale is one of astonishing perseverance. It celebrates the human spirit’s yearning to strive for greatness despite impossible circumstances. His extraordinary odyssey gives all of us great hope. Even in the most unimaginable situations, people can find meaning and happiness.