Hillwalkers Club

October 2019 – November 2019

http://www.hillwalkersclub.com/

C é i l í M ó r 2 8 F The Dan Clancy memorial chaire on Slievecorragh – photo Mel O’Hara b In this edition Hike programme: October 2019 – November 2019 1 The pick-up points r 2 Club news and eventsu 7 AGM Agenda and committee nomination form 10 Report on the day tripa to Belfast 11 Club Draft Environmentalr Policy 12 Slievecorragh and the Dan Clancy Memorial Chair 19 Flier for October weekendy trip to Mayo 21 F

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Committee 2018/19 Chairman Ruaidhrí O’ Connor Treasurer Ita O’Hanlon Secretary Sarah Jackson Sunday Hikes Coordinator Ruaidhrí O’ Connor Environmental Officer Michael Quinn Membership Secretary Jim Barry Club Promoter Frank Carrick Social Events Coordinator Udo Sap Social Events Assistant Gavin Gilvarry Weekend Away Coordinator Søren Stuhr Mandrup Training Officer Russell Mills Social Media Coordinator Laura Grealish Newsletter Editor Mel O’Hara Special thanks to: Webmaster Matt Geraghty

HIKE PROGRAMME October 2019 – November 2019

MEET: Corner of Burgh Quay and Hawkins St DEPART: Sundays at 10.00 am (unless stated otherwise), or earlier if it is full. TRANSPORT: Private bus (unless stated otherwise) COST: €15.00 (unless stated otherwise)

2nd pick-up point: On the outward journey, the bus will stop briefly to collect walkers at the pick-up point. Should the bus be full on departure from Burgh Quay, this facility cannot be offered.

Return drop-off point: On the return journey, where indicated, the bus will stop near the outward pick-up point to drop off any hikers. We regret this is not possible on all hikes.

If you wish to avail of the 2nd pick-up point, it advisable to contact the hike leader or someone else who will definitely be on the hike, to let them know.

GENERAL HIKE NOTES

PARTICIPATION Mountaineering is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks. People who take part in our club activities do so at their own risk and are responsible for their own actions and involvement.

CO-ORDINATION If necessary, tickets are given out on Sundays to ensure that participants reserve a bus place as they arrive.

LEADER The leader has the right to refuse anyone who is not adequately equipped (e.g., without appropriate boots, rainwear, food, torch, hat, gloves, etc.). The leader may alter the route from that described in the program. The leader sets the pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey the leader’s instructions at all times.

EQUIPMENT It is essential to bring good rain gear (both jacket and over-trousers) and to leave cotton t-shirts and jeans at home! Boots must be sturdy with proper ankle support and a rigid non-slip sole such as Vibram.

WALKING STICKS AND RUCKSACKS Remember that walking sticks and rucksacks cannot be brought onto the bus and must be stowed away in the boot during the journey.

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 1

The pick-up points

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 2

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 3

 Club Taster hard hike 

The Hillwalkers Club offers a Club Taster Hard Hike, usually on one Sunday per month. Guests are welcome to join us on this hike, as long as they provide their name, address and contact details for our records, which will be taken on the day of the hike. Unless guests have their own personal hiking insurance, they are not insured. There is no need to book a place in advance, just turn up on the relevant Sunday morning. Guests can come on one hike without becoming a member of the club, but after that they must join the club.

Guests on these Club Taster hikes should not be newcomers to hiking. These hikes are to introduce experienced hillwalkers to the Hillwalkers Club and its hillwalking activities. Therefore, participants need to have a good level of personal fitness and, ideally, have some recent significant experience of hillwalking.

If you have recently walked more than 16km with more than 700m of ascent or if you are confident that you can walk for 6 hours over rough ground , ascending for 3 of those 6 hours, then you are likely to enjoy one of our hikes. If this is not the case or if you are new to hillwalking then you can gain the required experience on the An Óige hikes. See https://anoige.ie/membership/hiking-programme/ for the An Óige hike programme. People who have gained relevant experience and fitness on the An Óige hikes or elsewhere are very welcome on Hillwalkers Club hikes.

All intending participants should be aware that hillwalking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or even death. By walking with the club, they are aware of and shall accept these risks. Moreover, they acknowledge that they wish to participate in club activities in a voluntary capacity and that they shall be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Please note that as guests of the club, they do not enjoy personal accident insurance, which is otherwise offered to club members through Mountaineering . Further details are available from Mountaineering Ireland (www.mountaineering.ie/membersandclubs/Insurance/default.aspx)

For further enquiries contact 086 356 3843 / 087 273 7338

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Sunday 6th October Sunday 20th October

***Club Taster Hike *** Leader: Gerry Walsh

Newcomers please contact 2nd pick-up & return drop-off point: [email protected] Maldron Hotel, Tallaght

Leader: Donal Finn Route : Drumreagh* * Wexford and 2nd pick-up & return drop-off point: Kavanagh Gaps* *3 Lakes* Arts Cross* Oakwood *St Kevin's Way * Maldron Hotel, Tallaght Ballinagee Bridge. Route: Oasis * Carrigshouk * Mullaghcleauvaun East * Mullaghcleauvaun Distance: 19 kms West * Billy Byrne's Gap * * Ascent: 750 m Silsean * Lacken. Map: OSI 56, East West Mapping ( Mountains West) Distance: 16 km

Ascent: 650m Maps: OSI 56 and East West Mapping ( West) October Bank Holiday Weekend 25th to 28th October

*Trip to Mayo* th Sunday 13 October Leader: Philip Hayden With hikes in Maamturks Area

2nd pick-up & return drop-off point: Bus Leader: stop at Loughlinstown roundabout Søren Stuhr Mandrup

Route:. *Annamoe * Trooperstown * See Page 21 for details Derrybawn * * If interested please contact Distance: 21 km Søren at [email protected] Ascent: 780 m

Maps: OSI 56, East West Mapping ( and Glendalough)

Saturday 2nd November

Leader training day AGM REMINDER Thursday October 17th See page 9 for details

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Sunday 3rd November Sunday 17th November

Please bring a head torch on this and all late Please bring a head torch on this and all late autumn/winter walks autumn/winter walks

Leader: Mel O’Hara ***Club Taster Hike *** Newcomers please contact Using Public Transport [email protected] Dublin Bus No 47 from Leader: Mel O’Hara Bus Stop No. 7564 Poolbeg Street. via Sandyford Luas Stop to 2nd pick-up & return drop-off point: Bus Bellarmine stop at Loughlinstown roundabout at 10:30 a.m. Route: Ballinastoe * * *

Tonduffs *Crone* Route: Fernhill Tunnel * Three Rock * Boranaraltry * Raven’s Rock * Enniskerry Distance: 16 km

Distance: 18 km Ascent: 760 m Ascent: 700 m Maps: OSI 56, East West Mapping Maps: OSI 50 & 56 , East West Mapping ( Dublin and North Wicklow Mountains) (Dublin & North Wicklow Mountains)

Sunday 10th November

Please bring a head torch on this and all late autumn/winter walks

Leader: Ruaidhri O’Connor

2nd pick-up point: Bus stop at Loughlinstown roundabout Different Return – Via Tallaght

Route: Barravore Ford * * Fraughan Glen * Lugnaquilla * * Ballineddan, * Camarahill, * Fenton’s

Distance 16 km, Ascent 900 m

Maps: OSI 56, East West Mapping ( Lugnaquilla and Glendalough )

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 6

Club news and events

AGM 2019

The 2019 club AGM will be held at The Teacher’s Club, th Parnell Square on Thursday October 17 2019 at 20.00

Mountaineering Ireland’s decision to increase their membership fee to €35 and the Sunday Bus hire arrangements and costs are

among the items which will have to be discussed.

There will be committee vacancies to be filled as several committee members are leaving the committee .

AGM agenda and committee nomination form is on Page 10.

Draft Hillwalkers Club Environment Policy

Club Environment Officer Michael Quinn has been working on formalising the club’s environmental policy. Michael has produced a draft policy document which it is hoped will be adopted at the 2019 AGM on Thursday 17th October. A summary of the draft policy is on page 13 with the full document available on page 14

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 7

TRAINING NEWS

Workshop for Hike Leaders

Outgoing Club Training Officer Russell Mills has organised a

Workshop for Hike Leaders

On Saturday November 2nd.

See Page 9 for details

Training for ordinary Club Members

As agreed at the 2018 AGM, thanks to the generosity of the late Gerry Donnelly, funds are available to subsidise club member training. Members, following consultation with the committee, can arrange their training with any training provider approved by Mountaineering Ireland. Members interested in taking part in mountains skills training are invited to contact Russell for advice regarding their training needs and ambitions. Russell’s contact details :- 086 446 6997 or [email protected]

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LEADERSHIP SKILLS WORKSHOP

Saturday November 2nd

Club Training Officer Russell Mills has organised a workshop on the skills and techniques of good leadership in the hills. This workshop is available at no cost to all hike leaders. This is a peer led event and is designed to encourage good practice through open discussion among our leaders. It is not specifically a navigation course.

Issues facing leaders when out in the hills will be looked at including: Managing a group over steep ground. Dealing with a casualty. Keeping a group together. Managing a group in poor visibility. Matching abilities to the conditions. Specific mountain hazards. The leader’s rucksack. Risk assessment strategies. Consideration of the weather. When to retreat. Issues raised by the leaders on the day.

Run by Russ Mills and Tom Kenny on and around Lugnaquilla mountain. Meet at Barravore car park in Glenmalure at 10.00am. Only 12 places available.

To book your place please email Russ at: [email protected]

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The Hillwalkers Club AGM 2019 8.00 p.m on Thursday, October 17th . The Teacher’s Club Parnell Square West Dublin 1.

Agenda

1. Welcome from the chair 2. Secretary’s Report 3. Sunday Hike Co -ordinator’s Report

4. Treasurer’s Report

• Membership subscription 2019-2020 5. Membership Secretary’s report

6. Administrator’s Report 7. Club Promoter’s report

8. Training Officer’s report 9. Environmental Officer’s report • Approval of Draft Club Environmental Policy

10. Newsletter Editor’s report 11. Any other business / summary

12. 2019-2020 committee nominations and approval 13. Meeting close

Nomination Form for 2019 - 2020 Hillwalkers Club Committee

I nominate ……………………………………… …………for a position on the

committee of the Hillwalkers club for the 2019 – 2020 membership year

Signature of Proposer …………………………………………………… Signature of the Seconder………………………………………………

I accept the nomination

Signature of the Nominee ……………………………………………….

All the above signatories must be current members of the Hillwalkers Club

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 10

Day trip to Belfast Michael Quinn

On Saturday, September 21st, thirty-seven Hillwalkers and friends travelled north for the club's first outing to the Belfast Hills. Despite some difficulties with the bus, we rendezvoused with Noel Rice, Wildlife Connections Officer of the Belfast Hills Partnership. Noel, a knowledgeable and entertaining guide, led us on a two-part introductory hike, commencing with Divis and Black Mountains. This comprised a walk on the Ridge Trail, a gravel/stone path over the bog that circuits around Craig’s Hill and an ascent to the summit of the Black Mountain where we could admire panoramic views over Belfast and Belfast Lough and the more distant Mournes, Strangford Lough, and Lough Neagh.

Having lunched on the summit, we descended for a slow bus ride on to Belfast Castle. From here we hiked straight up to the historic Cave Hill summit, McArt’s Fort. It is a ring fort named after a local chieftain from the sixteenth century and associated with Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen of late eighteenth-century fame.

We enjoyed a fine feast in the Standing Stones restaurant, where Noel presented everybody in the audience a generous information pack. It included local nature leaflets, and the latest copy of the Cave Hill Campaigner with an article on the Second World War plane crash on the ridge that was the subject of the film 'Closing the Ring', directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Shirley MacLaine.

The after-dinner collection totalled €76.16 and £11.12, which covered a voluntary donation of £50 to Belfast Hills Partnership’s finances, and a tip for Gabriel, our bus driver – thanks to all who contributed so generously!

Noel followed up on the trip by emailing the group photo, and with a favourable response to my invitation for a possible link up with the Hillwalkers for a walk in the Wicklow Hills in the springtime 2020 with some members his own club, the Mourne Rambling Group.

Check out photos from the day on the Hillwalkers Club Facebook page..

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Hillwalkers Club Draft Environment Policy

Summary of draft Hillwalkers Club environment policy This proposed draft policy is prompted by the two urgent environmental challenges posed for all of us who access Irish mountains: the impact of greater numbers involved in hillwalking; and the impending crisis of global and Irish climate change.

Guided by the principles of ‘Leave no trace’, Mountaineering Ireland’s ‘Good practice guide’, and the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of October 2018, the draft addresses a comprehensive range of issues under two broad headings:

Ethical walking Safety, preparedness and food on the mountain Travel to the mountains Travel to the club coach Access to and courtesy in the mountains Litter on the mountains Treading lightly on the mountains Restoring mountain paths Linking with kindred organisations Supporting mountain communities Nurturing members’ appreciation of nature and culture in the mountains Club administration: use of paper and plastic

Climate Change

• Predicted general adverse impacts on Ireland • Likely impacts on mountain areas

Conclusion - No hillwalking on a dead planet?

The draft proposes that the solutions to the twin challenges of increasing pressure on Irish uplands and the imminent climate change crisis are interconnected and complementary. It concludes by stating that as a club that is dedicated to achieving an ethical approach to organised hillwalking we also have a responsibility to make our serious concerns on climate change known. Michael Quinn Hillwalkers Club Environment Officer October 2019

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Final Draft Hillwalkers Club Environment Policy Preamble Based upon one of the principle aims listed in the club's constitution (4.7), which reads: 'To promote awareness of the need to maintain access, conservation and protection of the mountain environment',1 this policy aims to set out in a practical way our club’s contribution to the two urgent environmental challenges posed for all of us who access Irish mountains: the impact of greater numbers involved in hillwalking and other forms of recreation in the uplands; and the impending crisis of global and Irish climate change.

This draft is informed by a number of authoritative sources, including the principles of Leave No Trace,2 and two documents from Mountaineering Ireland (the representative body for walkers and climbers in Ireland) entitled: ‘Good Practice Guide’;3 and ‘Vision for the future of Ireland's mountains and upland areas’.4 On the climate change side, this policy is prompted by recent studies that include: the October 2018 report of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warned of the potentially catastrophic consequences of global warming increasing to and exceeding 1.5 to 2.0°c above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emissions;5 the report from the environmental charity, World Wide Fund, and the Zoological Society of London, which stated that ‘The populations of Earth’s wild mammals, birds, amphibians, fish and other vertebrates declined by more than half between 1970 and 2012' – and that the decline is driven by human consumption;6 and the revelation in a major international assessment by the Climate Change Performance Index 2019 that Ireland’s performance on climate action has been ranked as among the worst in Europe and the world.7

Putting Leave No Trace and the Good Practice Guide into action The club has, in the first instance, a responsibility and commitment to safety and preparedness for the mountains, and to the ethics of responsible outdoor recreation. For many of our members hillwalking

1 ‘Hillwalkers Club Constitution’, ethos and principles section, available at: (http://www.hillwalkersclub.com/constitution2017.pdf). 2 Leave no Trace, Centre for Outdoor Ethics, available at (https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles)

3 Mountaineering Ireland, ‘Good Practice Guide’, available at: (https://www.mountaineering.ie/accessandenvironment/GoodPracticeGuide/default.aspx) 4 Mountaineering Ireland, ‘Environmental policies’, available at: (https://www.mountaineering.ie/accessandenvironment/EnvironmentalPolicy/default.aspx) 5 I.P.C.C., ‘Global warming, summary for policy makers’, available at: (https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/special-reports/sr15/sr15_spm_final.pdf) 6 Nature, international weekly journal of science, available at: (https://www.nature.com/news/wildlife-in-decline-earth-s-vertebrates-fall-58-in-past-four-decades-1.20898) (30 Nov. 2018). 7 Irish Times. 10 Dec. 2018

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 13 is about enjoyment, recreation, sociability with fellow walkers, and an opportunity to appreciate up close the geology, flora and fauna, national monuments and place names of Irish mountains. At the same time we accept the need to be aware of the impact we have on our environment and take responsibility for our own safety. We must respect the interests of others and act as responsible partners in the use and development of the countryside. The following are some basic general guidelines, drawn from Leave No Trace and the Good Practice Guide, which the club will continue to apply in its hikes:

Safety, preparedness and food on the mountains • Safety on the hills is our priority at all times. • Our hikes are all led by experienced volunteer leaders. The leader will always lead the hike so that they can set the pace. A back leader will also be appointed. It is important that all hike participants stay between the hike leader and the back leader at all times. • All members must have suitable attire with appropriate clothing of gloves, hat, coat, leggings, boots along with food and water. Head torches should be carried in the winter months. • Members should be fit for hard hikes. • We accept the risk that is inherent in hillwalking, and take responsibility for our own safety. • Food: We will continue to bring plenty of hot and cold liquids and a packed lunch in reusable and recyclable containers, and will carry home for recycling all empties including banana skins, cans and used tea bags. We encourage members, when practicable, to make their own lunch, and to bring ample drinking water in a platypus or reusable bottle.

Travel to the club coach The club encourages its members to use the below pyramid in relation to travel to the club coach bound for the mountains, as far as is practicable.

1. Walk or cycle 2. Public transport 3. Private car pooling 4. Private car

Travel to the mountains As far as practicable, the club will continue to employ the below pyramid in relation to travel to mountains throughout Ireland.

 Coach  Public transport  Private car pooling  Private car

Access to and courtesy in the mountains The club supports the principle of maximum and responsible open public access to Irish mountains, in accordance with Mountaineering Ireland’s policy, as follows:

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 14

• Open, unrestricted access on foot across hills, mountains and coastal areas, where there are either minimal or no active farming practices apart from rough grazing. • A network of paths allowing for access to the above areas, which could be permissive paths, leased paths or public rights of way.8

We also support the establishment and expansion of more national parks across the country, and we will work with Mountaineering Ireland to achieve these aims. As a matter of courtesy at all times:

• We accept that all land is owned by somebody and we use that land with the goodwill of the owners. • We will avoid aggravating known problems, use approved routes in these areas. • We will be courteous when we meet landowners and local residents. • We will respect private property and will not interfere with machinery, crops or animals. • We will be careful not to damage fences, walls or hedges. • We will use stiles and gates where they exist, leave gates as we find them (open or closed).

Litter on the mountains • We will not drop litter, even biodegradable items like banana skins and teabags which can take years to break down. • As far as is practicable, the club encourages individual members – on a strictly voluntary basis – to pick up one or two items of non-biodegradable litter that we encounter in the course of our hikes. We will be cautious when handling such items, and will dispose of them responsibly. • We will take care not to cause any pollution. We will bury human waste at least thirty meters away from watercourses.

Treading lightly on the mountains • While the use of coaches is our primary mode of transport – thereby reducing significantly our carbon imprint over bringing large numbers of private cars into the mountains – we will be mindful of the need to keep our group numbers to the minimum required to cover the cost of hiring expensive coaches. • We will strive to walk on rock, stones or the most durable surface available, rather than on vegetation or soft ground, where practicable and safe. • We will walk along the centre of mountain paths to avoid widening, and encourage members to wear gaiters to make it easier to follow muddy paths. • We will avoid taking short cuts on zigzag paths as this creates new lines for run-off of water and increases erosion. Restoring mountain paths, and cooperation with kindred organisations • With the increase in the popularity of hillwalking, all walkers inevitably contribute to erosion. Accordingly, the club will encourage members to volunteer with organisations such as Mountain Meitheal, Crann, the Native Woodland Trust, Birdwatch Ireland, and Dublin Naturalists Field Club (DNFC). The club will endeavour to establish and maintain cooperation links with such organisations. Supporting mountain communities

8 Mountaineering Ireland, ‘Access : an evolving situation’, available at: https://www.mountaineering.ie/_files/201812695544_c10ae66e.pdf

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• Subject to leaders’ route planning, we will aim to stop for refreshments in cafés, pubs, or hotels after regular hikes. • We will continue to organise regular weekend trips to mountain areas around the country, thereby contributing to the sustainability of An Óige and independent hostels, local hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets in those relatively remote areas. Nurturing our appreciation of nature and culture in the mountains Many of our members share an interest in observing the mountains’ flora (trees, wild flowers, grasses, fungi, lichens, etc.); fauna (birds, mammals, deer, etc.); geology (various kinds of rock we encounter, effects of Ice Age movements in shaping valleys, etc.); place names (many of which are derived from the Irish language and were collected and preserved during the Ordnance Survey mapping of the country that was first completed in 1846); national monuments (ancient tombs, archaeological remains, abandoned mining works, etc.), and various crash sites (many dating back to the Second World War). To help develop members’ appreciation of these riches of the mountains, the club will endeavour to organise from time to time informational presentations and guided hikes from academics and authors in universities and organisations such as BirdWatch Ireland. Club administration

Paper We will strive to eliminate paper overuse and waste by continuing to use the website and social media for communication purposes. When printing and photocopying are necessary, we will use recycled paper (subject to availability/price), print on both sides of the paper, and (for internal purposes) use blank side of used paper.

Plastic We will avoid as much as possible purchasing single-use, non-recyclable plastic, and seek to replace our current plastic membership cards with recyclable paper.

What is Climate Change and its likely affects in the uplands? In line with the findings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Wicklow County Council (in its Development Plan for 2016-22) defines climate change as follows:

‘a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.’ The planet is warming up with the ‘greenhouse’ effect, this is as a result of the increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions causing an increase in global temperatures; this is the main source of the cause of climate change. Many human activities can generate greenhouse gases: manufacturing, farming, running your car or heating your home. The resulting gases are building up in the atmosphere, trapping more and more heat from the sun and slowly warming the planet. This warming is already disrupting climate patterns, and without strong counter-measures this will intensify.9

9 Wicklow County Council https://www.wicklow.ie/Portals/0/Documents/Planning/Development-Plans- Strategies/National-Regional-County-Plans/Wicklow%20County%20Development%20Plan/Wicklow-County- Development-Plan-2016-2022/Appendix_7_-_Climate_Change_Audit.pdf

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Predicted general adverse impacts on Ireland

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that unless effective measures are implemented, impacts on Ireland include: Sea level rise More intense storms and rainfall events Increased likelihood and magnitude of river and coastal flooding and water shortages in summer in the east of the country. Adverse impacts on water quality Changes in distribution of plant and animal species Effects on fisheries sensitive to changes in temperature.10

Impacts on mountain areas

Ireland's mountains and uplands (areas over 150m in altitude) form our largest expanses of semi - natural habitats and are of major conservation importance, and many rare and threatened bird and animal species being recorded in these areas. Semi-natural habitats provide important food and shelter for the pollinators that support the sustainability of food production and help protect the health of Ireland’s environment.

Irish upland habitats include blanket bogs, heaths, flushes and springs, semi-natural grasslands, dense bracken and areas of exposed rock and scree. Ireland possesses 8% of the world’s blanket bogs, making this an important resource in a global context. One of the strongest reasons to look after our blanket bogs is because they are a huge carbon store and have an important function in controlling the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. This function is reversed (i.e. carbon is released back into the atmosphere) when the peatland is damaged.11 Accordingly,

Extended periods of droughts will dry out bogs and peat hag areas, leaving them vulnerable to wind erosion. Subsequent intense storms will degrade the capacity for absorption of rainfall, thus increasing the flow of water to areas downstream

Many respected scientists and commentators are predicting more dire consequences. It is not possible for our club to be definitive on these matters, but we certainly accept – based upon that the best evidence available by a growing consensus of the world’s scientists – that urgent action is required by humankind.

10 Environment Protection Agency, ‘What Impact will climate change have for Ireland?’ available at: (http://www.epa.ie/climate/communicatingclimatescience/whatisclimatechange/whatimpactwillclimatechangehavefo rireland/) 11 Mountaineering Ireland, ‘Vision for the future of Ireland's mountains and upland areas’, flood migration and carbon storage, 3.8, and 3.9.

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Conclusion - No hillwalking on a dead planet? We believe that the solutions to the twin challenges of increasing pressure on Irish uplands and the imminent climate change crisis are interconnected and complementary. As a club that is dedicated to achieving an ethical approach to organised hillwalking, and to facilitating our members’ appreciation of wonders that mountains afford, we have a responsibility to make our serious concerns on climate change known through Mountaineering Ireland to the Irish government and international agencies so that the worst predictions do not occur.

Michael Quinn Hillwalkers Club Environment Officer October 2019

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Slievecorragh and the Dan Clancy Memorial Chair

When walking in the mountains we often come across various memorials to people who had some connection to a particular mountain or area. These memorials usually take the form of an inscribed stone or tablet, for example the J.B. Malone memorial on the or the memorial near the summit of to the An Óige members who drowned at Clogherhead in July 1945. One of the most unusual, striking and poignant memorials to be found on the Irish hills is the Dan Clancy Memorial Chair on Slievecorragh. Slievecorragh, the hill above Hollywood, Co Wicklow, at 418 metres above sea level, is not the most imposing hill in Wicklow. Its location though, at N94806 04123, on the western fringe of the mountains, means there are extensive views from its summit - north to the Cooleys and the Mournes, west to the Slieve Blooms and beyond, south west to Mount and, on a very clear day, to Slievenamon and the Galtys.

The Dan Clancy memorial chair on Slievecorragh – photo Mel O’Hara

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 19

A MountainViews contributor who uses the pen name “Wicklore” was intrigued by the chair and the story behind it and went to the trouble of investigating its origin. They posted the results of their findings on the MountainViews website, see https://mountainviews.ie/summit/747/ , and I reproduce them, with their permission, below. “Every hill has its own story, and every hill is special to someone. That anonymous forested hill you pass on the way to somewhere could well be one of the most special places in the world to someone else. We can see evidence of this as we ramble amongst the hills. Often these are in the form of an inscribed plaque or a cross, and may command fine views across the land. On the summit of Slievecorragh is one of the more curious memorials that you will find anywhere in Ireland. It is the chair that climbers of this hill have commented on. There is a man’s silver ring slipped over one of the support bars, and the name ‘Dan Clancy’ is engraved into the top of the back of the chair. The chair and the teddy are facing west over the plains of Kildare. For the walker it is an object of curiosity, and offers a comfortable seat to take a rest and enjoy the views. It is made of bronze, and someone clearly went to a lot of trouble to bring it all the way up the hill. It would have been easy to leave the hill and move on to other things and forget about the curious chair and the lonely teddy on Slievecorragh. But it stayed in my mind and I wanted to find out more. I discovered that Dan Clancy grew up on the side of Slievecorragh. Dan and his many siblings spent many happy childhood days there, and often went up in the evening to watch the sun set as they discussed all the things that children do. Dan eventually grew up and moved to New York. Whenever he returned to Wicklow he would climb Slievecorragh with his brothers and sisters where they spent many hours in conversation, just as they had done as children. Their special connection with this hill and each other was reaffirmed each time they enjoyed watching the sunset from its summit once again. Dan became terminally ill with cancer in New York. One of his brothers, Andrew who is a Sculptor, spent a lot of time with him in New York in his final months. They talked about their childhood and Andrew frankly discussed with Dan how he would like to commemorate him in some way. The idea of the chair was born. It was based on an old chair that both men remembered as boys in the corner of their kitchen, and it symbolised a warm and happy childhood spent growing up on the slopes of Slievecorragh. From an old photograph Andrew had a wooden model of the chair made, and he used this to cast the bronze chair that we see on Slievecorragh today. Dan passed away on 4th February 2004 at the age of 31. A few months later Dan’s family and friends gathered on Slievecorragh to bring the chair to the summit and set it into the ground. Since then, each year on the anniversary of Dan’s death, his family gather once more to climb the hill and remember Dan Clancy. This is the story of the little green chair on Slievecorragh. So if you ever find yourself up there, you now know the story behind the curious chair and the teddy that have sat there watching the sun set night after night for many years now “ (Editor’s note – In 2011, when Wicklore posted the story behind the chair, there was only one teddy on the chair - but the lonely teddy has gained several soft toy companions since then.)

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October Bank Holiday trip to Westport,County Mayo

Friday 25th to Monday 28th of October

The club is running a trip to Westport in county Mayo for the October bank holiday weekend. There will be guided hikes in the area of Maumtrasna on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th lead by Søren Stuhr Mandrup. The relevant maps are OSI 37 & 38.

Price: €130 – this will include 3 nights at the Old Mill Hostel and bus transport to and from the hikes on Saturday and Sunday.

Hotel accommodation: Our base will be The Old Mill Hostel right in the centre of Westport.

Meals: Participants must pay separately their own breakfast, packed lunch and dinner.

Transport: Anyone participating in the trip will use public transport/car pooling to Westport on Friday 25th of October with a return to Dublin on Monday 28th October. Please note below online Public Transport Links for cheaper fares

Bring: suitable hiking boots, rain gear, walking gear, warm clothing, towels, toilet gear, flask, torch, first aid kit, camera, binoculars etc.

Payment: Bookings (FULL PAYMENT ONLY) by bank transfer to Hillwalkers Club Account - account details available from Ita O’Hanlon.

Please note: Booking facility opens on Thursday 1st October Bookings are not secure until payment in full has been made.

Please ensure that you include your name in the narrative when transferring any monies to the Club account.

Any payment queries or if payment by cheque is preferred – please email the club Administrator: Ita O'Hanlon at [email protected] Also Intending participants should express their interest now by emailing Ita O’Hanlon at [email protected]

Please do so as soon as possible as numbers are limited to 24 participants

Online Public Transport Links for cheaper fares Irish Rail http://www.irishrail.ie/rail-fares-and-tickets/fares-info Bus Eireann https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=291 (book early to avoid disappointment)

The Hillwalker ● October 2019 – November 2019 21