Early 20th Century Rock climbing in Ireland

 The first recorded climbs in Ireland were done in 1925 at the Scalp by Harold Johnson,

The Scalp (Joe King -  CC ).

 but climbing as a recognised activity did not really get underway until the group known as the "Old IMC” began climbing in 1942. ( Calvin Torrans).  However, despite not being a recognised or organised activity there certainly was some climbing undertaken in the early years of the century.

As mentioned earlier some members of the Dublin Arts Club regulary travelled to North Wales.  It is very likely that they undertook some climbs around Dublin on sea cliffs or in the Dublin/Wicklow mountains.  One of these, Page L. Dickinson, went as far as to write a piece for the Climbers Club Jounal entitled:      A Rock Climb in County Wicklow. (Vol XI. Sep 1908. No 41)  In this he says "During the last three or four summers, (i.e as early as 1904) a small group of us living in Dublin have, inspired by Easter and 'Xmas spent in Wales and Cumberland, been exploring the Wicklow mountains, with a view to ascertaining what we could find in the way of rock climbing.'  He mentions crags at Lough Bray, Glendalough, the Scalp, Rocky Valley and Lough Dan but only to say that they didn't provide many possibilities - even though some of these became, later in the century, much used by climbers.

He goes on to describe how '...one day last summer, after having spent a weekend at Lough Dan, and working out some little problems...' they discovered '..a remarkably fine looking crag..' at Lough Tay.  This was the crag at Luggala and he tells how he and three friends (Sparrow, Evans and Earp) spent  six hours on the rope in the first asccent of what he named the 'Black Route'.  It has been impossible to locate this climb for certain, but the most likely location is Intermediate Gully, with one of the several routes above Pine Tree Terrace as the finish. (see IMEHS Journal Vol 2 pp 43).

Luggala (Wikipedia)

A few years later Dickenson, along with a friend (Conor O' Brien) wrote another article for the Climber's Club Journal entitled Mountaineering in Ireland, in which they describe the Rock Climbing possibilities in the various mountain ranges around the country but in their opinion '..rock suitable for serious climbing is almost entirely lacking...nothing to repay a definite climbing visit...'.  This may have done a dis-service to the development of the sport since, in later years, many of the places mentioned became serious rock climbing venues - the Mournes, Comeraghs, Fair Head, the Burren.

This group of friends, members of the newly formed Dublin Arts Club, made regular visits to North Wales.  Geoffrey Winthrop Young had begun, in about 1907, to organise gatherings of climbers at Pen-Y-Pass in Snowdonia.  He was a cousin to Page Dickinson, who. along with some of his Irish climbing friends feature prominently in accounts of these gatherings that later included some of Britains outstanding climbers.  Another member of this group was E.L. Julian who features in accounts of the Pen-y-Pass gatherings.

Page Dickenson, Conor O'Brien, Frank Sparrow, Edward Evans, E.L. Julian were the main group members and their stories will be recounted in more detail in future posts.

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Early Rock Climbing in Ireland

 The earliest record of a technical rock climb seems to be that of John Tyndall in 1860 when he climbed Eagle Rock (probably the Eagle's Nest) near Killarney. The climb was carried out against the advice of his guides who claimed it 'was impossible'.  He claims that: '... these guides and boatmen are fine, hardy fellows, and of great endurance, but they appear averse to trying their strength under new conditions', so these Kerrymen were unwilling to try a bit of rock-climbing. 

Eagle Rock
Courtesy NLI

A few years later, in 1864, it was also Tyndall who made the first recorded ascent of the Slieve League sea cliffs in Donegal.  Tom Hirst, in his diary, records that '...‘John descended one of the steepest portions to the water’s edge, and then ascended again, at a still steeper place. The guide dared not follow him but had to make a detour whilst John emerged safely at the very highest point of the cliffs. His wondrous feats of climbing already forms the subject of talk in the whole neighbourhood.’  On that same trip they spent time '... clambering over the (Giant's) Causeway and wandering from headland to headland along the coast'.  There is no mention, however, of any climbing on Fair Head!

There is a somewhat earlier account in the Dublin University Magazine  (1853) of what has been recounted as a climbing event.  On examination it appears that the event was where a man was lowered by rope down a cliff or rock-face on Sliabh Snaght, in Donegal,  to get access to an eagle's nest.  No actual climbing was involved - he was hauled back up the face with the  eagle chicks in his pockets - even though it was claimed that the same man had ascended Pieter Botte mountain in Mauritius, alone and with the aid of a rope.

In 1895 the Irish Times reported that '

Powerscourt

a member of the Alpine Club and two experienced mountaineers'  using ice-axes and other mountaineering equipment  climbed up the steep side of frozen  Powerscourt Waterfall in Wicklow in February of that year.  It is not recorded who were the climbers. Paddy O'Leary with Frank Nugent maintain that one of them was Richard Barrington.

In the eary years of the 20th century a number of people indulged in the activity.  Many of these were members of the Dublin (United) Arts Club and their activities will be examined in future posts.

Calvin Torrans (IMEHS Journal Vol 2)has provided a detailed account of the history of Rock-climbing from the 1940s to 80s and this will be looked at in due course.

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