Matt Houlihan a seven year old from West Cork climbed Ireland’s highest peak Carrauntoohil on Tuesday. The mountain is 1038 meters high and he made the ascent look very easy. He was with his family Heidi, Fran and Niall, plus his godfather Mike who flew over from the UK to accompany him.
Matt’s father Iñaki died of kidney cancer five years ago and Matt wanted to do something in memory of him. So he set up a go fund me page and got sponsorship to climb the mountain.
Wild Atlantic Challenge event organised by the Lehanmore Community Centre was a tough task. Ride 120KM from Lehanmore across tough roads to Cronin’s yard. Where other people would join the cyclists to climb Carrauntoohil. The highest mountain in Ireland at 1039 meters. Participants had the chance to do both or one of the challenges.
Breakfast was served at six am and then 20 cyclists set off on the tough cycle, with 1300meters of height gain to get them to Cronin’s yard. On the way breakfast was supplied by Supervalu of Kenmare, thanks. Arriving at Cronin’s for about 1PM the cyclists met up with the walkers and in all about 40 people walked up and down the hill in between four and six hours.
Money was raised for Kerry Mountain Rescue and Lehanmore Community centre. Lots of laughs were had during and after the BBQ supplied by the Kerry Mountain Rescue team.
A great event and if it happens again should not be missed. Many thanks to the organisers.
Watch a video here
Wild Atlantic Challenge
PJ and Mathew on the top
Of course if you want more information about Lehanmore try here
Climb Carrauntoohil Howling Ridge was an idea that came to me thanks to Piaras Kelly, who runs www.kerryclimbing.ie We met briefly in September of 2014 at the Crows Head Crossing where once I found out he was a guide I asked him about multi pitch routes on Carrauntoohil Ireland’s highest mountain. He told me about Howling Ridge and the plan was made with John Houlihan and myself doing our first route together in almost thirty years.
Watch the Video Climb Carrauntoohil Howling Ridge
I had to ride my bike from Allihies to Kenmare with a rucksack to meet up with John and his camper van. We drove onto Kilarney and then to the car park at Lisleibane. We set off at 12:30 to walk into the start of the climb. Just before the start there is an emergency hut where we stopped for a bite to eat. We then scrambled up a groove called the “Heavenly Gates” where you arrive at the start of “Howling Ridge”. The climb is rated at V-Diff which would have been very easy for us back in the day. We had a little bit of looking around to find the start and then roped up for the climb which finishes just a few metres from the summit.
We had a thirty metre 10mm rope two lightweight harnesses and a small rack of gear, with some handy long slings. We wanted to carry as little as possible.
Climb Carrauntoohil Howling Ridge, most of the time we moved together Alpine style as we were both happy with the exposure and the difficulty of the climb. John lead maybe three sections with me belaying him, and then to his disgust I suggested once I reached him the third time that I would lead on through. He passed me his gear and I carried on doing the crux of the climb….
Saying that, as he came up I filmed him so he pretty much soloed it anyway. We made it to the summit of the mountain in an hour and thirty minutes. Both arriving at the highest point in Ireland together, also both for the first time. It was a beautiful day and we stayed there maybe thirty minutes talking to a few other people who had walked up.
I think the climb was a great way of getting to the top, and if you have a head for exposure is probably less tiring than walking up. Indeed I found the walk down “Brother O’Sheas” hard work on my knees and it took three hours from top to get back to the van.
If you fancy doing this climb but feel unsure of your expertise give Piaras Kelly a shout, look up his details at www.kerryclimbing.ie
Climb Carrauntoohil Howling Ridge
Near the end of the Howling RidgeThe Summit of CarrauntoohilBeautiful mountainThe sign that greets you at the top of the Howling Ridge, indeed not a good way to try and go down
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