“Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The weather was oppressive on Friday but these hillwalkers don't give that dominion over the challenge. They're prepared. On Saturday and Sunday we had ideal hillwalking conditions.
Forty five amateur athletes, with a professional approach to hillwalking, participated in the challenge over the three days. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not an athlete. It takes a serious effort in terms of hours - to get fit enough, learn to navigate, understand the limitations of what you wear/carry: and believe that you can finish. We applaud you all.
Challenge hillwalkers get little recognition for what you do outside of the organizers of these events and your own hillwalking community. Be proud of your achievement.
What we do is very inclusive and age is no barrier. The age gap between our most junior and senior participant was 38 years. Let that sink in. Some hillwalkers are just remarkable.
Peaks Mountaineering Club won the All-Ireland Club Challenge trophy. In doing so, they halted the three in-a-row for The Wayfarers Hiking Club.
I can’t thank you all enough for registering, participating and donating.
We are very grateful to those who sponsored food, prizes for the draw and offered financial and logistical support with venus etc.
And, it just wouldn’t work without the ladies and their support.
Participant List
Ger Barrett, Paul Carroll, Karol Caulfield, Siobhán Connolly, Fintan Cooney, John Costigan, Killian D’Arcy, Patrick Dennis, Seán Doherty, Kevin Finn, Ian Fitzgerald, Steven Forde, Sean Freeman, Darren Frehill, Padraig Hackett, Peter Hertting, Miriam Joyce, Brian Kelly, Jenny Kelly, Derek Lyons, David McDonnell, Gerry McVeigh, Alan O’Brien, Josephine O’Brien, Liam O’Brien, Ronan O’Byrne, Johnny O’Connell, Mary O’Connell, Kevin O’Donnell, Thomas O’Dwyer, Graham O’Reilly, Seán O’Riordan, Ulla O’Riordan, David Power, Marian Power, Michael Rea, Gerard Sheehy, William Smyth, Hazel Stapleton, Mick Stewart, Cian Swanton, Mark Vesey, Marian Wallis, Cormack Walsh, Kevin Walsh.
Sign-In/Sign-Out, Stand-By and Catering
Margo, Martha, Nuala, Eimear, Kate.
Event Statistics
72 Registered
45 Participated
19 did 3 days
11 did 2 days
15 did 1 day.
15 Participants were new to the event
Peaks Mountaineering Club won the trophy with 21 points, from 11 members. The cumulative points are on the upward trajectory each year.
Clubs and Walking Groups Represented:
Ballyhoura Bears, Bishopstown Hillwalking Club, Bogtrotters, Douglas Scouts, Limerick Climbing Club, Na Sléibhte Hillwalking Club, Peaks Mountaineering Club, The Wayfarers Hiking Club, Trailblazers Hiking Group.
Well done Steven Forde on doing every day of the challenge, for the last six years.
It's not too late to help with a donation. You can do so by clicking 'The Money Part' tab, above.
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