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Visit Joyce Country a New Take on Connemara’S Hills and Lakes Winter 2020 €3.95 UK£3.40 ISSN 0790 8008 Issue 136 HILLWALKING • CLIMBING • MOUNTAINEERING Visit Joyce Country A new take on Connemara’s hills and lakes Ice climbing in Canada The Rockies offer endless icy challenges www.mountaineering.ie A WORD FROM THE EDITOR ISSUE 136 The Irish Mountain Log is the membership magazine of Mountaineering Ireland. The organisation promotes the interests of hillwalkers and climbers in Ireland. Mountaineering Ireland Welcome Mountaineering Ireland Ltd is a company limited by guarantee and year like no other is thankfully registered in Dublin, No 199053. coming to an end. The Covid-19 Registered office: Irish Sport HQ, restrictions have meant that National Sports Campus, we have not been able to Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. ❝ Tel: (+353 1) 625 1115 engage in our sport for much of We are looking forward to a Fax: (+353 1) 625 1116 theA year. However, while the pandemic is [email protected] still ongoing, we have perhaps come to hopefully more active 2021! www.mountaineering.ie terms with it to a degree. Going forward, certainly, there is evidence that the spread Hot Rock Climbing Wall of the disease is much less likely in the Tollymore Mountain Centre I would like to thank the other members Bryansford, Newcastle outdoors (see page 5 and also page 9), of the Editorial Team very much for their County Down, BT33 0PT which is good for our sport. support in this difficult year, Literary Editor, Tel: (+44 28) 4372 5354 We have again been able to publish more Peter O’Neill, Features Editor, Nicky Hore, [email protected] features than usual, because we have less and Cóilín MacLochlainn, who produces news, but I hope we have an interesting the magazine for us. Editor: Patrick O’Sullivan selection for the Christmas read! Certainly, Tel: (+353 1) 837 8166 (pm, wknds) I would also like to thank the contributors [email protected] a good range of activities is covered. on whom we depend so much for the Literary Editor: Peter O’Neill A hike on the Ulster Way, Comeragh content of this magazine. We are always [email protected] placenames, hiking in Iceland and Malawi, looking for articles from all of our members, Features Editor: Nicky Hore scrambling in the Cuillins and ice climbing whatever your background or experience. [email protected] in the Rockies are all included. Hopefully, I hope that we can all celebrate The Irish Mountain Log is published by something for everyone in the audience. Christmas and the New Year with family Mountaineering Ireland four times a We also have some more reflective pieces and friends in some way, while observing year, in March, June, September, on hillwalking and the lockdown, how the necessary social distancing, etc. December. The material published in different members have reacted to and 2021 will be Mountaineering Ireland’s the Log by the voluntary editorial team coped with it. fiftieth anniversary, so a lot to celebrate and contributors must not be taken as It is a time of the year when we do official Mountaineering Ireland policy then, whatever happens! unless specifically stated. become more reflective, looking back on On behalf of the Editorial Team, and the the year gone by and looking forward to the Board and the staff of Mountaineering Copy deadline for the Spring 2021 year to come. Hopefully the large numbers Ireland, I wish all Mountaineering Ireland issue of the Irish Mountain Log is: that were seen in the uplands after the first members a safe and enjoyable Christmas Friday, February 19th 2021. lockdown ended and the damage caused and New Year, and a hopefully active 2021! will not be repeated when the current Advertising: [email protected] Patrick O’Sullivan, Editor restrictions are lifted. Production: Cóilín MacLochlainn, [email protected] Printing: GPS Colour Graphics Ltd, Alexander Road, Belfast BT6 9HP Write for the Log Tel: +44 (0)28 9070 2020 PARTICIPATION AND RISK Readers of the Irish Mountain Log are Contributions of features, news items and photographs for reminded that hillwalking and climbing the Irish Mountain Log are always welcome and should be are activities with a danger of personal sent to the Editor at: [email protected]. injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and Contributors’ guidelines can be downloaded from the accept these risks, and be responsible Mountaineering Ireland website, www.mountaineering.ie. for their own actions and involvement. Mountaineering Ireland publishes and ON THE COVER promotes safety and good practice To join Mountaineering Ireland and receive four issues of the Derryclare Lough, Twelve Bens, advice and through the Mountain Irish Mountain Log delivered to your door each year, please Connemara, Co Galway Training Board of Ireland administers a also go to the website, www.mountaineering.ie. range of training programmes for PHOTOGRAPH JCWL GEOPARK PROJECT walkers and climbers. Winter 2020 Irish Mountain Log 3 Knockaunapeebra in the CONTENTS Winter 2020 Mahon valley, in the Comeraghs, Co Waterford (see story, page 38) 15 Our 21-Day Walking Challenge News Linda Sankey reports 5 Covid-19 advice 16 National Famine Way Way section) Way 6 European Week of Sport 2020 launched Ania Bakiewicz reports Charlotte O’Connor reports 8 Irish Peaks: the perfect 17 ‘Happy Hiking’ campaign Christmas present announced 8 Outdoor sports and Covid-19 Ruth Whelan reports 9 Notice of AGM 18 Kerry UNESCO Biosphere Reserve now active 9 Honorary membership Eleanor Turner reports awarded 19 New committee chair 10 Tips on holding club appointed meetings online Helen Lawless reports 12 2020 Lynam Medal 20 Guth na talún: voice recipient: Clare O’Leary of the land 16 FAMINE WAY LAUNCHED By Patrick O’Sullivan By Michael Hegarty 14 National Walking Day 22 Funding for Appalachian a great success Trail through Ulster Linda Sankey reports 38 What’s in a name? The Inga Block reports Comeraghs’ place names 23 Crossword results By Michael O’Donoghue 42 The warm heart of Africa News Features By Regina Flynn 45 Magical hiking in Iceland 24 2020 Youth Climbing Series By Lar Matthews By Damien O’Sullivan 48 Scrambles in the Cuillin 26 Summer Rock Climbing Days By Alan Tees By Kevin Kilroy 50 Ice climbing in the Rockies 28 Put a lid on it! By Naoise Ó Muircheartaigh Damien O’Sullivan on the benefits of modern climbing helmets Regulars 30 The lure of the hills By Marian Wallis 11 Crossword Competition 66 Coping with Covid 54 Club Support Meeting Ruth Whelan reports By Claire Griffin 56 Access & Conservation Features Helen Lawless reports Clare O’Leary 58 Training 32 Kicking with both feet: Jane Carney reports 2020 LYNAM MEDAL RECIPIENT walking the Ulster Way 60 Books 12 By Gerdette Rooney Reviews of recent books Photographs: Michael O’Donoghue (Knockaunapeebra), Clare O’Leary Collection (Clare O’Leary), National Famine Museum/OSi (Famine Famine National O’Leary), (Clare Collection O’Leary Clare (Knockaunapeebra), Michael O’Donoghue Photographs: 4 Irish Mountain Log Winter 2020 Staff & Board General enquirieS [email protected] Newsdesk Staff Chief executive Officer Murrough McDonagh, [email protected] administration Officer Siobhán Quinn, [email protected] Hillwalking Development Officer Ruth Whelan, [email protected] access & Conservation Officer Helen Lawless, [email protected] Women in Sport Coordinator Ania Bakiewicz, [email protected] training Officer Jane Carney, [email protected] training & Membership Support administrator Laura Griffin, [email protected] Climbing Officer Damien O’Sullivan, [email protected] Covid-19 advice Youth Development Officer for Our latest advice for hillwalkers and climbers in Ireland northern ireland Kevin Kilroy, [email protected] ● Transport is in household pods only Get irelanD WalkinG initiative ● People travel directly to and from their Programme Manager, Get ireland Walking chosen location for exercise Jason King, [email protected] ● Communications & administrative Officer, Safe hygiene practices are maintained. Get ireland Walking At the time of writing, the Republic of Mountaineering Ireland’s Chief Linda Sankey, [email protected] Ireland is at Level 5 and Northern Ireland is Executive Officer, Murrough McDonagh, also at a high level of Covid-19 restrictions. noted: “Those involved in outdoor MOuntaineerinG irelanD However, this will certainly be changing in BOarD OffiCerS recreation activities recognise the President one or both jurisdictions in the run up to considerable health and psychological Paul Kellagher Christmas. In the Republic, in light of benefits for people of having access to [email protected] improving data on Covid-19 infections, the outdoors, particularly in the current Chairperson hospitalisations and deaths, a relaxation in situation, providing it is done in a safe and Paul Barron restrictions may be on the cards for the responsible way. Our members have raised [email protected] Christmas period. While the restrictions may be relaxed, everyone will still be well their concerns about not having access to BOarD MeMBerS advised to continue to follow the public venues for hillwalking and climbing during Imelda Buckley health guidance on respiratory and hand the lockdown. (Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee) hygiene, the wearing of face masks, “When they are carried out in a safe [email protected] maintaining a social distance from other and responsible way, outdoor recreation David Pollard people, and limiting social contacts. activities within single households do not (Chair of Access & Conservation Committee) [email protected] In light of data that shows that the appear to cause increased transmission of Trish Kane spread of Covid-19 is much less likely in Covid-19. We have requested the support [email protected] the outdoors (see page 9), Mountaineering of Sport Ireland, and asked the Colette Mahon Ireland has lobbied at national level to government at national level, to make [email protected] open access to the outdoors, even during changes in Levels 3, 4, and 5 of the current Michael Maunsell the restrictions.
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