The Fei Sheehy Challenge is firmly established in the Irish hillwalking calendar, with a sell-out and record number of participants. The challenge, a 3-day affair involving crossings of the Comeraghs, Galtees and Knockmealdowns in consecutive days from 11-13 August, hosts the All-Ireland Hillwalking Club Championships.
Funds raised via entry fees and donations will be given to the two nominated charities this year:
Samaritans Ireland and Marfan Syndrome Support Ireland. The Statement of Accounts will be published once all event costs have been settled. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
Galtee Walking Club won the club title for the 3rd year in a row, which was warmly welcomed by all participants at the prize giving in Ballyporeen. Mary O’Connell (Ballyhoura Bears) was the popular winner of the Epic Effort Award, who helped an unwell walker off the mountain and then went back out on the mountain to complete her walk.
Josephine O’Brien (Peaks Mountaineering Club) won the Outstanding Achievement Award. Josie is a loyal supporter of the Fei Sheehy Challenge, completing 29 of the 30 days walks since we started 10 years ago. The founder of the event, Ger Sheehy, was also recognised for his efforts to promote challenge hillwalking. What a lovely way to keep Fei Sheehy in our heart and minds.
Every hillwalker who took part has memories to last a long time. For some newcomers to the event, it’s stepping into the unknown of facing steep climbs and long mountain walks for 3 days, when muscles can ache and your backpack gradually feels heavier. For the many familiar faces who return year after year, it’s a chance to catch up with friends on the 4-9 hours spent moving each day.
The weather was favourable this August – good temperatures and although very humid and muggy, a welcome change from the intense heat of summer 2022. Underfoot conditions were wetter, especially on the Comeraghs and the Galtees, after July’s steady rainfall.
This event was organised by the members of Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club, with the support and cooperation of local landowners, bus transport, catering and sports clubs, in Clonmel, Anglesborough and Ballyporeen. Thanks to Kinetica for refuelling participants.
If you’d like to try an introductory challenge walk yourself, Na Sléibhte will be hosting their annual guest walk, for self-navigators, in the Galtees on 14th October. Check their social media for details.
Participants
Participants came from all corners of Ireland – the local counties of Munster were well represented, with regulars also making the trip from Antrim, Down, Dublin, Wexford and beyond.
Barrett, Gerard / Barrett, Niamh / Barry, Catherine / Barry, Eric / Boland, Patrick / Bowen, Kevin / Carroll, Lisa / Caufield, Karol / Cooney, Fintan / Curley, Keith / Denny, Bernard / Doherty, Sean /Ecock, Mark / Freeman, Sean / Geary, John / Gleeson, Emily / Hegarty, Fiona / Horgan, Catherine / Kelly, Jenny / Lawless, Irene / Lonergan Martina / Lonergan, John / Lonergan, Sean / Mahony, Noreen / McAndrew, Jason / McCarthy, James / McVeigh, Gerry / Moloney, Michael / Neill, Joan / Nicholson, Darren / Nikoforov, Vadim / O'Brien Alan / O'Brien Josephine / O'Brien Thomas / O'Brien, Brid / O'Brien, Catherine / O'Brien, Declan / O'Brien, Joe / O'Brien, Tommy / O'Connell, Mary / O'Leary Fiona / O'Connell, Nuala / O'Reilly, Graham / Orup, Jury / Owens, Andy / Power, Aileen / Power, David / Ryan, Tom / Staunton, John / Vaughan, Ryan / Vesey, Mark / Walsh, Caroline / Walsh, Philip / Whelan, Mark
Event statistics
54 participants from 90 registered.
33 did 3 days (a record) – 11 did 2 days and 9 did 1 day.
Over 90 kilometres covered – that’s over 3,600km walked by everyone, more than the entire coastline of Ireland.
Clubs and walking groups represented
Galtee Walking Club won the All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships and also had the largest turn-out. Also represented were Ballyhoura Bears, Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club, Peaks Mountaineering Club, Trailblazers Hiking Group, Clonakilty Hillwalking Club, Bears, Limerick Climbing Club, Bishopstown Hillwalking Club, Wayfarers Hiking Club and Blackrock Hillwalking Club.
Photo credits: Karol Caulfield, David Power, Vadim Nikoforov
Funds raised via entry fees and donations will be given to the two nominated charities this year:
Samaritans Ireland and Marfan Syndrome Support Ireland. The Statement of Accounts will be published once all event costs have been settled. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
Galtee Walking Club won the club title for the 3rd year in a row, which was warmly welcomed by all participants at the prize giving in Ballyporeen. Mary O’Connell (Ballyhoura Bears) was the popular winner of the Epic Effort Award, who helped an unwell walker off the mountain and then went back out on the mountain to complete her walk.
Josephine O’Brien (Peaks Mountaineering Club) won the Outstanding Achievement Award. Josie is a loyal supporter of the Fei Sheehy Challenge, completing 29 of the 30 days walks since we started 10 years ago. The founder of the event, Ger Sheehy, was also recognised for his efforts to promote challenge hillwalking. What a lovely way to keep Fei Sheehy in our heart and minds.
Every hillwalker who took part has memories to last a long time. For some newcomers to the event, it’s stepping into the unknown of facing steep climbs and long mountain walks for 3 days, when muscles can ache and your backpack gradually feels heavier. For the many familiar faces who return year after year, it’s a chance to catch up with friends on the 4-9 hours spent moving each day.
The weather was favourable this August – good temperatures and although very humid and muggy, a welcome change from the intense heat of summer 2022. Underfoot conditions were wetter, especially on the Comeraghs and the Galtees, after July’s steady rainfall.
This event was organised by the members of Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club, with the support and cooperation of local landowners, bus transport, catering and sports clubs, in Clonmel, Anglesborough and Ballyporeen. Thanks to Kinetica for refuelling participants.
If you’d like to try an introductory challenge walk yourself, Na Sléibhte will be hosting their annual guest walk, for self-navigators, in the Galtees on 14th October. Check their social media for details.
Participants
Participants came from all corners of Ireland – the local counties of Munster were well represented, with regulars also making the trip from Antrim, Down, Dublin, Wexford and beyond.
Barrett, Gerard / Barrett, Niamh / Barry, Catherine / Barry, Eric / Boland, Patrick / Bowen, Kevin / Carroll, Lisa / Caufield, Karol / Cooney, Fintan / Curley, Keith / Denny, Bernard / Doherty, Sean /Ecock, Mark / Freeman, Sean / Geary, John / Gleeson, Emily / Hegarty, Fiona / Horgan, Catherine / Kelly, Jenny / Lawless, Irene / Lonergan Martina / Lonergan, John / Lonergan, Sean / Mahony, Noreen / McAndrew, Jason / McCarthy, James / McVeigh, Gerry / Moloney, Michael / Neill, Joan / Nicholson, Darren / Nikoforov, Vadim / O'Brien Alan / O'Brien Josephine / O'Brien Thomas / O'Brien, Brid / O'Brien, Catherine / O'Brien, Declan / O'Brien, Joe / O'Brien, Tommy / O'Connell, Mary / O'Leary Fiona / O'Connell, Nuala / O'Reilly, Graham / Orup, Jury / Owens, Andy / Power, Aileen / Power, David / Ryan, Tom / Staunton, John / Vaughan, Ryan / Vesey, Mark / Walsh, Caroline / Walsh, Philip / Whelan, Mark
Event statistics
54 participants from 90 registered.
33 did 3 days (a record) – 11 did 2 days and 9 did 1 day.
Over 90 kilometres covered – that’s over 3,600km walked by everyone, more than the entire coastline of Ireland.
Clubs and walking groups represented
Galtee Walking Club won the All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships and also had the largest turn-out. Also represented were Ballyhoura Bears, Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club, Peaks Mountaineering Club, Trailblazers Hiking Group, Clonakilty Hillwalking Club, Bears, Limerick Climbing Club, Bishopstown Hillwalking Club, Wayfarers Hiking Club and Blackrock Hillwalking Club.
Photo credits: Karol Caulfield, David Power, Vadim Nikoforov
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