A Dublin merchant from a Quaker family, was born at Fassaroe, near Enniskerry, Co Wicklow in 1834
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| Courtesy: R.Barrington:F.Nugent |
As part of his European 'Grand Tour' he visited the Bernese Oberland and on August 9th 1858 he climbed the Jungfrau (4,158m) - the highest summit in the range - accompanied by guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren, from Grindelwald.
Two days later, with the same two guides, he made the first ascent of the Eiger (3,970m).
Despite these impressive achievements he never returned to the Alps.
Other interests included steeplechasing, hunting, shooting and yachting and was the owner, trainer and jockey of the horse that won the first Irish Grand National, using an alias to disguise his identity.
He provided the prize for the winner of the first Irish hill-running event, held on the Sugar Loaf mountain in Co Wicklow. It seems that he was inspired by an event he witnessed in the English Lake District
Modern West Flank Route, very similar to that followed by Barrington
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| Courtesy: Summit Post |
See: In search of Peaks, Passes and Glaciers by Frank Nugent for more detail.
