Of Irish parentage

A notable number of climbers in the 20th Century had a parent or parents who were Irish.  It is not being claimed that this characterised them as Irish.  However, the influence of a parent may have been significant in their careers, climbing and otherwise.

Three such people whose contribution to mountaineering took place mainly in the 20th Century were:

Edward O Wheeler

Edward Oliver Wheeler: son of Arthur Oliver Wheeler  (born Kilkenny) and Clara Macoun, daughter of famous Canadian botanist John Macoun (born in Magheralin, Co Down).With his father climbed his first mountain at age twelve - named Mt Oliver - in Canadian Rockies. Surveyor on 1921 Everest Expedition.

 Young (Wikipedia)

 Geoffrey Winthrop Young: renowned British mountaineer was the son of Alice Eacy Kennedy, daughter a leading Dublin physician. A 'woman of splendid presence and forceful character', when she died in 1922 the Times obituary described her as one of the last grandes dames.  'The Irish connection was precious to Geoffrey. As a child he enjoyed long summer holidays at Belgard Castle, the Kennedy family home near Dublin...in the enlivening company of his Irish cousins', one of whom was Page Dickenson.

Mervyn Ryan

Mervyn Ryan: Born in Malta in 1883, son of Maj Charles Aloysius Ryan of Inch House, Thurles. Cousin to Valentine and Lionel Ryan of Thomastown, Birr, Co Offaly. Educated at Stonyhurst (1898-1902), became a railway engineer in Argentina where he had a number of mountaineering seasons in the Andes and climbed Aconcagua on 5th February 1925 (4th ascent of the mountain).

Their achievements will be examined in due course.

Another, who operated in the 19th Century was Amelia Edwards -  born on 7 June 1831 in Islington, London, to an Irish mother (of the Walpole family of Tipperary) and a father who had been a British Army officer before becoming a banker, Edwards was educated at home by her mother, (visited the Walpole family in Ireland often during her childhood) and showed early promise as a writer. 

At the time of Edwards's visit, the Dolomites were described as terra incognita and even educated persons had never heard of them. 

After her descent from the mountains, Edwards described civilized life as a "dead-level World of Commonplace". In the summer of 1873, dissatisfied by the end of their journey, Edwards and Renshawe took to a walking tour of France.[9] However, this was interrupted by torrential rains, a factor that influenced them in looking towards Egypt.[7]

Conor O'Brien was the son of Edward O'Brien of Cahirmoyle, Co Limerick, and his second wife (Julia Mary Marshall, whose substantial wealth was based in Yorkshire and Lancashire).  Conor grew up in South Kensington, was educated in England (Winchester 1894 -99, Trinity College, Oxford 1899-1903),  frequently visited his relatives in Ireland as well as visiting the Swiss and Italian Alps.  After qualifying as an architect he became a friend of Page Dickenson, joined the Dublin Arts Club and climbed in North Wales with Geoffrey Winthrop Young and others.  He is mainly remembered for his sailing exploits - a round the world voyage on his yacht 'Saoirse'.

See In Search of Islands, a life of Conor O'Brien by Judith Hill

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Dolomites - Amelia Edwards

 Another, who operated in the 19th Century was Amelia Edwards -

Wikipedia

born on 7 June 1831 in Islington, London, to an Irish mother (of the Walpole family of Tipperary) and a father who had been a British Army officer before becoming a banker, Edwards was educated at home by her mother, (often visited the Walpole family in Ireland during her childhood) and showed early promise as a writer. She published her first poem at the age of seven and her first story at the age of twelve. Thereafter came a variety of poetry, stories and articles in several periodicals, including Chambers's Journal, Household Words and All the Year Round. She also wrote for the Saturday Review and the Morning Post.

In addition, Edwards became an artist. She would illustrate some of her own writings and also paint scenes from other books she had read. She was talented enough at the age of 12 to catch the eye of George Cruikshank, who went so far as to offer to teach her, but this talent of hers was not supported by Edwards's parents, who saw art as a lesser profession and the artist's way of life as scandalous. Their negative decision haunted Edwards through her early life. She would wonder frequently whether art would not have been her true calling.

Thirdly, Edwards took up composing and performing music for some years. Other interests she pursued included pistol shooting, riding and mathematics. 

Monte Pelmo

At the time of Edwards's visit, the Dolomites were described as terra incognita and even educated persons had never heard of them. This journey was described in her book A Midsummer Ramble in the Dolomites (1873), later entitled Untrodden Peaks and Infrequent Valleys.

On 1 July 1872, after a three-day stay in Venice, Edwards and Renshaw left for the mountains, visiting Cortina d'Ampezzo,  Primiero,  Passo Fedaia, Sasso Bianco, and many other places, ending their journey in Bolzano.

Sasso di Ronch

After her descent from the mountains, Edwards described civilized life as a "dead-level World of Commonplace". In the summer of 1873, dissatisfied by the end of their journey, Edwards and Renshawe took to a walking tour of France. However, this was interrupted by torrential rains, a factor that influenced them in looking towards Egypt. Her travels in Egypt made her aware of increasing threats to ancient monuments from tourism and modern development. She set out to hinder these through public awareness and scientific endeavour, becoming an advocate for research and preservation of them. In 1882, she co-founded the Egypt Exploration Fund .  Her dedication to this science earned her the nickname of "the Godmother of Egyptology". It is for this that she is remembered today and less so for her groundbreaking exploration of the Dolomites.

Primiero (Wikipedia)

Edwards also supported Somerville College Library, having left many books, papers and watercolours to Somerville College, Oxford,

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