Pascal and Dympna Manley with their kids Oisin and Blathnaid from Roslea Co. Fermanagh on their way to the summit of Croagh Patrick on reek Sunday Pic Conor McKeown
Fermanagh pilgrims were among thousands who braved the elements last weekend to climb Croagh Patrick with some being treated for hypothermia in appalling conditions.
Up to 20,000 pilgrims traditionally climb the peak on the last Sunday in July, but this year’s climb was cancelled due to heavy rain and strong winds. Despite that, hundreds did the climb, among them a young Aghadrumsee couple, Paschal Manley, his wife, Dymphna and their children, Oisin (10) and Blaithin (8).
It was the children’s first time to do the climb and Paschal’s 10th. He insisted that, at no time, were his children at risk.
“It was only when we landed at 9 o’clock in the morning that we heard it had been cancelled. I knew the mountain well and I decided we would give the kids a bit of experience coming down, so we decided we’d go as far as the halfway point – which is just a good walk.
“When we got to the second stage, the kids were 100 per cent and seemed happy to continue on. Talking to the locals coming down, there was no problem and the weather was better. We got to the top and had our lunch there.
“You couldn’t see anything because the cloud was down, but when we were coming down the sun was out and we changed into shorts and T-shirts. Going up, we were all suitably dressed and booted.”
Mr Mooney said conditions were at their worst much earlier, at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, and he accepted that some climbers were taking a risk.
“Halfway down, I saw a parent climbing up with a one-year old child in a rucksack.
They were only asking for trouble. You have to respect the mountain, good or bad, because you can fall at any time.”
For the North West Mountain Rescue Team, with whom Ballinamallard man Keith Thompson is the west section leader, and for rescue teams across Ireland, Reek Sunday is used as their annual exercise.
“Normally, the way it’s done is that the teams are split into two time frames, 4am till lunchtime, and from lunchtime until everybody is off the mountain on Sunday evening. We were on the early shift.
“By the time we arrived, some people had climbed up and, as we were going up, the call came through that a 14-year old girl was in the church on the summit suffering from hypothermia. Other teams made their way up and helped her down.
“Surprisingly we weren’t needed that much, but we did notice that a lot of people going up the hill were very badly equipped. Even with the weather conditions, I saw people gong up in shorts and T-shirts with very young children.”
“Reek Sunday” is a custom that dates back 1,500 years, commemorating St Patrick’s ascent to the summit.
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