This Year

Oct. 10

Gougane Barra

120 people managed to get up and come out on our first trip, though some got up a little earlier than others thanks to the great postering by me! After muck and misery for 2 hours it cleared up to a beautiful warm and sunny afternoon like in all the tourist pictures of the lovely Gougane Barra. No loses except for a jacket :(

Oct. 17

Comeraghs

After two days of miserable weather it looked like this hike was going to give us a drenching but instead we had a lovely dry day in the Comeraghs. We had 100 people, 5 groups and 2 big buses. The trip home in my bus was the first good sing song of the year and can be summed up by the phrase... "if you aren't hoarse, you weren't singing"

Oct. 24

Sliabh Mish

Well we thought we were in for a lovely days hiking for our first trip to Kerry but third time (un)lucky and we pretty much got soaked around lunch time. Despite the Jazz Weekend we still managed to find 65 people and again we were stuck for room on the buses. Whats the attraction, I don't understand it at all!

Oct. 31

Galtees

2 groups were up the Galtees but only one group made it all the way around. Strong winds forced one group to turn back early but didn't deter the group led by the fearless Cliona. It was so windy that Rory walked twenty metres downwind from the group, half way between us and the cliffs, ready to catch any flying bodies! A nice build up to the Reeks!!

Nov. 7

The Reeks

We had two groups and a couple of hard core rock jocks down in the reeks. One group made it up Caher, Corran Tuathail and down Shea's Gully, the other made it up Binn Chaorach and turned down into the Hags Glen. This weeks climb can be summarised by the words "first aid lessons", "Broken Spectre" and "Well"

Nov. 14

Hungry Hill

This was the best day out this year. The weather was perfect, it was sunny with clear blue skies all day long. 40 some people made the long trip down to Beara this day. The trip home will be remembered for the longest singsong ever and its smashing ending.

Nov. 19
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Nov. 21

Weekend Away to Dingle

What an epic weekend. We had the best of weather, accomodation and songs. I couldn't describe in these few short lines the kind of carry-on that was done. We'll have to write a big account of it all like the one about last years trip away.

Nov. 28

Purple Mountain

What a shit day! We had 10 people and the worst weather since Comhsahran last year. Nonetheless it snowed for a bit and we still managed a sing song all the way home, and the trip was also the birth of two good ideas, a christmas carol group and a table quiz before the christmas party.

Dec. 5

The Reeks

29 people headed West with hopes of snow, ice and sun. We actually got wind, rain, clouds and a bit of snow. THe group headed up the Bone and over the Cnoc na Peiste. Others did Central Gully and some tried climbing. Only one more trip before Christmas!

Dec. 12

Buachaill

Well we had snow so forget about the BOY, we went to Caher instead. It was so cool, loads of snow and snow ball fights. A great way to finish our outdoor activities for 99 and the millenium. Next we have our Christmas Party on Wednesday and the rest of the year.

Dec. 15

The Wolfhound

This promises to be the longest trip of the year, we will start at 6pm with a few pints and a table quiz made by John Healy and David Clifford. Then a few more pints and a bit of freakscene maybe. See the party page for more information.

Jan. 9

Buachaill

Since we never made to Buachaill the last time we will try again. But beware, Cormac Long will be back!

This time it was icy roads that forced us to abondon the trip to Buachaill so we headed to Purple Mountain instead. Will we ever get to this peak? Who knows, who cares, just as long as we keep getting snow we don't mind. Anyway on the way home we had a great sing-song; we had Cormac, Rory and The Beast and also some french, german and a norwegian sailing song. It was all great stuff and we topped it all with a great rendition of the green fields of france from PJ.

Jan 16

Mangerton

This was the first joint UCCMC / CITMC expedition to the frozen heights of Kerry. So instead I went to Lough Gur and climbed a few limestone crags and had a laugh with Jen and Cormac. If anyone wants to write anything about today just put it on the comment page and I will transfer it over here.

Jan. 23

The Paps

Beautiful sunny weather and loads of new faces made this trip a really nice one. The day was perfect and the walk was nice and relaxed. Despite all this there were plenty of sore bodies in the pub and on the bus on the way home, but thankfully no one got bitten by sheep this time.

Jan. 30

Knockmealdowns

The knockmealdowns are on the Tipp. and Waterford border. We started from the Vee and walked the Lough Moylan Horseshoe. The wind was fierce strong but the day itself was nice and mild. Conor and Clodagh led the two groups without hassle. No singsong on the way home, some would think this was a bit of a damp squib but people were happy to chat away like mad instead.

Feb. 6

Mullach An Aitinn

 (First report by Cormac Long) A damp windy day was spent on mountain. Conor, Rory, Michael (Dyno-Mike) Jenny and I laid siege to a gully in the pocket, straight up the torrent. The rest of the group had a leisurely stroll up to the summit. Fun was had by all. Some epic climbing by Rory. Again no singing on the bus, but a lot of talking heads. Someone needs to calm Johnathan down.

Feb. 13

Coomasaharn

One of the nicest days we have had all year and a day full of surprises. Firstly we were surprised by the numbers that turned out to go to Coomasaharn and secondly at how fast some people finished the hike. Harry was over for a break from the snow and ice of Scotland, and was kind enough to drive down, as did Cormac and Tony.

Feb. 16

Lecture in Boole 4

Scottish Winter Mountaineering

Dave Gochran came from Wicklow to speak on Scottish Winter Mountaineering. He had a ton of cool slides, some gear to look at and some brochures for the courses they run. We had a good crowd of 60 into boole 3 from all walks of life and we all agreed that this was a good start to our lecture series.

Feb. 20

Weekend Away

Here is the first reply I have recieved about the weekend away, now I really regret not going

Feb. 27

Buachaill

The main group finally made it to Buachaill with Caroline leading the way. This was the fourth attempt to go to this great mountain and is worth all this effort. Eight others were in Cappanalea for a navigation course.

Mar. 1

Lecture: G19

Joss Lynam gave a great slide show with pictures from every corner of the world. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and we managed to pull together a corwd of over 70 people. Afterwards we all retired to the old college bar and great plans were made for a trip to the Alps this summer, probably to the Barre Des Ecrins for the MCI meet at the end of July.

Mar. 5

Crohane

Well we tested the skills of Colin, Declan, Brian, Dave and Mike with tough navigation through thick mist and over very rough ground. One group headed up Stoompa and the other actually went up Crohane and we both met in the most beautiful valley in ireland and had a laugh walking out towards the bus. Only two left!

Mar. 12

Cloon Lake Horseshoe

What a glorious day. We left early and after dropping off one group with Mike in charge, Tim bent the bus around Bealach Beama pass and dropped the rest of us off at the bottom of Mullach An Aitinn. From here, the fast group headed off with Jenny leading the way. After wandering around in the heat for hours everyone eventually reurned to the bus suffering from dehydration and exhaustion. The day was brilliant and the longest so far this year with the buss getting back after midnight!

Mar. 19

Reeks Ridge

A fantastic day was had by all - Diarmuid, Finbarr, Aidan and John Heff decided to prove just how fit they were, and ran the ridge in about 4 hours (Finbarr was much faster, wasn't told by how much, rumour has it that he took about 3 hours 15 minutes!). The rest of the group moved along at a more sedate pace, split into two groups before the Binn Ciara Ridge, with Yvonne leading the second group, and Jenny leading the first one. Great fun was had by all, plenty of scrambling for those who wanted it, lots of tired feet and knees by the time we arrived down at Kate Kearney's cottage. Some great songs sung on the bus, and quite a few sleepy heads too!

Mar. 24

Wales

 This year's trip away went to Llanberis in Wales to climb in the Snowdon range. P.J. provided top-class transport as usual, while Jesse James (that's his real name, honestly!) provided accomodation, musical accompaniment and flapjacks. Highlights of the trip included Conor falling off the North Ridge of Tryfan, Rob & Co. bivvying out on the sofa, our rucksacks being attacked by sheep at Pen-Y-Pass and Hugh and Julian's 24-hour drinking spree on the way home.
A vintage UCCMC trip.