Page 4 - Climb June15 teaser

THE
GREEN
ISLAND
RENOWNED FOR ITS MUSIC, LITERATURE, RAIN AND GUINNESS, IRELAND HAS NOT YET TAKEN ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE ON THE MAP OF WORLD CLIMBING. WITH THE RECENT PUBLICATION OF THE NEW GUIDEBOOK, ROCK CLIMBING IN IRELAND, THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE WORLD CLASS TRAD CLIMBING ACROSS THE IRISH SEA IS REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME. HERE, GUIDEBOOK AUTHOR DAVID FLANAGAN TAKES US ON A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR OF THE VERY BEST CRAGS IN EIRE AND NORTHERN IRELAND
Ireland is very much off the radar in climbing terms: there are only two Irish crags that are well known internationally – Ailladie and Fair Head. Ailladie, the limestone sea-cliff on the west coast has been popular with visitors from abroad since the nineties, in fact many of the routes on its centrepiece, the spectacular Mirror Wall, were first climbed by visiting climbers. Yet it’s only in the last decade or so that Fair Head, the awesome dolerite cliff, labelled ‘the best crag in the British Isles’ by some, has been seen as a destination worth visiting.
You don’t hear a lot about Ireland in the climbing media, perhaps because Irish climbers seem to just get on with it. This is because
we have plenty of climbing to keep us busy, and the scene is small and close-knit, but
every so often something trickles out and, briefly, Ireland gets some attention.
A recent example of this was when photographer Craig Hiller put some photos online following a new routing trip to Owey Island in Donegal. Craig’s shots focussed attention on the island and its incredible potential for new routes of the highest
quality. Perhaps the stand-out feature of the island is the Holy Jaysus Wall, a consistently overhanging wall of golden granite, and Craig’s shot of John McCune on the first ascent of The Second Coming (E7 6b) was an easy choice
for the cover of Rock Climbing in Ireland, my selected guide to the best of Irish climbing.
Apart from the ‘big two’ of Fair Head and Ailladie, there are plenty of other crags that are
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virtually unknown outside Ireland which are also well worth a visit: the granite mountain crags of Wicklow, the sea cliffs of Gola and Owey Island in Donegal, the sandstone of the Gap of Dunloe to name a few. A road trip around Ireland mixing and matching some of the better-known crags with some of these more esoteric gems would make for an interesting and varied holiday.
Irish climbing’s most consistent and charming quality is the quietness and solitude of the crags; there is plenty of rock to go around, and it would be a very rare occurrence to have to queue for a route; in fact, you are much more
likely to have the whole crag to yourself. Even the classic routes tend to be overgrown rather than polished, especially on the mountain crags. This gives Irish climbing a pioneering, adventurous feel.
Many of the best climbing areas are either in or close to some of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. Fair Head is only
a stone’s throw from the Giant’s Causeway, Ailladie is part of the unique karst landscape of The Burren, and the granite mountain crags of Luggala and Glendalough in Wicklow overlook two of the most picturesque lakes
in the country. So while there is some great climbing to be done, to get the most out of a trip to Ireland it’s worth dedicating some time to exploring and appreciating all the other things Ireland offers: the unique culture, the rugged landscape, the fascinating history, and - of course - the pubs.