“I see it is proposed to hold this years AGM in Clonmel (in County Tipperary). Who decided this and why? This to me is a recipe for a poorly attended AGM and is consequently undemocratic. 90% of IMRA's activity and members are based near Dublin/Wicklow and the AGM has been held there for as long … Continue reading Tipperary’s Slievenamon and IMRA’s AGM draws the masses
“We have to go out fast”, our team leader said. We all agreed. Looking around the room, there was some serious competition. Not only had Irish team “Get No Sleep” turned up, but there was a group of foreigners in our midst. They had to be good if they were sponsored by Salomon and had … Continue reading Chasing after the Danes in The Sperrin Mountains’ Raid
I woke up early to blue skies, crisp air, and the sun rising over picture perfect slopes. It was my last day in Snowmass village, just outside the ski resort of Aspen. An early morning run would be the best antidote to the 5 hours I knew I’d spend in the car that day. I … Continue reading Classics on a Rock on an Aspen Rim Trail Run
I grew up in the north of Ireland and was born in the remote region of County Donegal. So when I saw a 65km adventure race advertised 30 minutes from my birthplace, I couldn’t help but register. The race was run by Extreme North, a new adventure racing company based on Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula. They … Continue reading Rugged Peaks Multi-Sport Race in Remote Donegal
The temptation to run up and down summits befalls most mountain runners. So when a race route suggests running to mountain lakes as opposed to mountain peaks, it’s always work checking out. This year, IMRA released its Glacial Lakes route, a 40 odd kilometer jaunt around 7 of Wicklow’s Lakes. Starting from Glendalough Hotel, it … Continue reading Jaunt around Wicklow’s Glacial Lakes
“You can’t go up there. People have gotten lost up there”. The owner of the Bed and Breakfast where I was staying was adamant. Going up and over Brandon Mountain via the walker’s Dingle Way was not a wise thing to do. I was 19 years old. I didn’t know about mountains or map reading … Continue reading Dandering around Dingle’s Mountains
I’ve always wanted to run around the Monavullagh Mountains in County Waterford. So when I woke up on Friday and saw blue skies and clear weather, I knew this would be the perfect time to do some exploration. The Monavullagh Mountains lie south of the Comeragh Mountains, yet are joined to them by a seamless … Continue reading Discovering Waterford’s Monavullagh Mountains
It’s impossible to resist running up a mountain that belongs exclusively to women. And Sliabh na mBan (pronounced Slievenamon) in Ireland’s Country Tipperary is definitely a ladies’ hill. IreIand’s mythical hunter-warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill (pronounced Fin Mac Cool) once sat on this mountain’s summit. Legend has it that he organised a female only race to … Continue reading Running up Ireland’s “Mountain of the Women”
I follow a mountain runner on Twitter who lives in Hong Kong. So when I found out I was spending the weekend there, who else to Tweet but “trailrunner852” who duly told me where to run. He sent me to a website that threw up all the long distance trails in the country. There was … Continue reading Hong Kong dishes up Rugby 7s and Trail Runs
I’m a regular visitor to County Waterford, often staying within a stone throw’s of the Comeragh Mountains. With three hours to spare last Tuesday, I headed on up them to check out the glacial lakes. I made straight for The Gap, up through the bog, and heather and muck. The sheep were out in plenty, … Continue reading An Intrepid Tour of the Comeragh Mountain Cliffs and Loughs