Irish Explorer's Journal #3

DIVING OFF THE CAUSEWAY COAST E X P LO R I N G

LAOIS ANTHONY ADAMS REILLY

MOUNTAINEER & CARTOGRAPHER

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2020

irish explorer's journal

Irish Explorer's Journal Š December 2020 by World Explorers Bureau.

Editor: Tim Lavery Publisher: World Explorers Bureau Website: www.worldexplorersbureau.com/explorer Address: Alderwood House, Farnes, Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, Ireland Email: explorer@worldexplorersbureau.com All articles and images copyright of the respective Authors.

Front Cover: Roundwood House. Courtesy of Laois Tourism.

Inside Back Cover: Walking in the Woods Courtesy of Laois Tourism Back Cover: Green Door. Courtesy of Laois Tourism The Irish Explorer's Journal is grateful to all our writers and photographers for permission to publish their work.

The Irish Explorer's Journal has been typeset in 14 point Garamond and uses OED English spelling.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Although the publisher has made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the authors and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

For further information contact the publisher: irishexplorer@worldexplorersbureau.com

Welcome to the Irish Explorer's Journal.

In this, our third issue, we take a quick peek at some of the heritage gems of Ireland's Ancient East, from Europe's oldest lighthouse at Hook Head to the UNESCO World heritage site at Newgrange which is older than the pyramids of Egypt.

We explore the county of Laois, along its canals, picturesque towns and villages and astonishing historical buildings including the majestic Emo Court and the impressive hilltop castle ruins of the Rock of Dunamaise.

Diving off the Causeway coastline, Karen Patterson takes us on a journey to get a glimpse of the remarkable sea life that abounds beneath the waves.

Recently discovered rock art in Sligo leads us to these ancient structures, decorated millennia past, by inhabitants long gone but whose toil has left a permanent legacy across the island's landscape.

Two Australian sisters, bitten by the trail-walking bug, venture along the Beara Breifne Way in search of family roots and a real-life Irish chieftain. In another well-researched article by our resident historian, Ruth Illingworth of Mullingar, we are treated to the epic adventures of the mountaineer and accidental cartographer, Anthony Adams Reilly.

The Irish Explorer's Journal will include regular features on wild landscapes, waterways and island exploration, trails and hiking routes across lowlands, hills and mountains, from the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ancient East to the Causeway Coast and Glens, adventures abound. In addition, each issue will reveal the explorers and expeditions worldwide that have an Irish interest, shaping the world we live in.

Once again I am most grateful to all the writers and photographers who have made this publication possible and encourage readers to follow the links to their various websites and blogs. If there are people and places that you wish to hear more about, please let us know and we will endeavour to feature them at some point in the future. I hope that you will enjoy reading this free digital Journal and encourage you to share it widely with those interested in our Ireland of Adventures.

Tim Lavery FRGS FRCGS FLS, Editor November 28, 2020

Image: Durrow Woods. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

irish explorer's journal

Editor in Chief Tim Lavery Featuring Jackie Carroll Karen Patterson Jennifer Rooks Ruth Illingworth

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2020 WWW.WORLDEXPLORERSBUREAU.COM/EXPLORER Opposite: Sheans Horse Farm, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim. Courtesy of Tourism NI

Contents

The Heritage Gems of Ireland's Ancient East

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Exploring Laois

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Diving off the Causeway Coast

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Walking the Beara Breifne Way

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Prehistoric Rock Art in Sligo

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Anthony Adams Reilly: Mountaineer and Cartographer

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Opposite: Aerial Shot of Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry Courtesy of Valerie O'Sullivan. Copyright © Fáilte Ireland.

The Heritage Gems of Ireland's Ancient East

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Ancient East

Revel in the heritage charms of Ireland on a tour through the eastern side of the country.

Taking in 17 counties, 5,000 years of history and an unfathomable collection of priceless treasures, centuries-old monuments and medieval castles, Ireland’s Ancient East is an absolute honeypot of heritage gems.

A journey through the area’s lush countryside reveals legends, myths and folklore alongside a limitless supply of thrilling stories, entertaining tales and more than enough drama, romance and heartbreak to last a lifetime.

From Dublin, you can choose to head south through the Wicklow Mountains National Park, where the mystical Glendalough will come into view. The famous monastic settlement was founded by St Kevin in the sixth century and is known as ‘the valley of two lakes’. There is a cathedral, six churches and a round tower to explore here, all set within the tranquillity of the area’s twin lakes.

Further south, stories of emigration and invasion can be discovered at the Dunbrody Famine Ship, moored on the quayside at New Ross, This ‘coffin ship’ is a replica of the vessels that took more than a million people from Ireland to North America to escape the starvation caused by potato blight.

Nearby, Hook Head, Europe’s oldest lighthouse, provides some of the Left: Hill of Tara. Courtesy of Tourism Ireland.

The Heritage Gems of Ireland's Ancient East

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most breath-taking scenery in Ireland, while Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, offers a unique immersion in 1,100 years of Irish culture and history. The city’s Viking Triangle is home to three museums, a host of medieval buildings and an array of historical influences left behind by the invaders who founded the city.

One of Ireland’s greatest heritage gems is easily reached if you head north from Dublin to the Boyne Valley. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne includes the world-famous Newgrange, a passage tomb that pre-dates the Pyramids.

In this area, the Hill of Tara, best known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, can be discovered, as well as the stunning Trim Castle. The stuff of storybooks and movies, the stronghold had a starring role the film Braveheart.

East of Dublin, one of the key heritage gems is the Rock of Cashel. Boasting a round tower, gothic cathedral and castle, ‘the Rock’ is home to a series of impressive ancient structures and a world of medieval and Celtic history.

Located on the banks of the River Shannon, Clonmacnoise is another place of deep Irish heritage. A walk amongst the peaceful stone ruins of this famous place will conjure images of the saints and scholars of Ireland’s renowned Golden Age of learning.

In any tour of Ireland’s Ancient East, Kilkenny Castle must also be on the itinerary. Over 800 years of history are wrapped up in this breath-taking stronghold, one of the most beautiful castles in the country.

Image Right: Hook Head Lighthouse. Courtesy of Tourism Ireland

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EXPLORING LAOIS

Text by Jackie Carroll

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Exploring LAOIS Jackie Carroll

Adventure awaits, stories of intrigue abound, and all against the backdrop of the warmest welcome you can imagine. Don’t just visit our proud county. Soak up our rich Viking, Quaker, Anglo-Norman, Huguenot, native, and mythical legacies. Celebrate with us like there’s no tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes, taste our incredible local foods and enjoy real Irish hospitality, as it should be.

Immerse yourself in all things Laois. For just a day, a week, or more, be one of us.

Rock of Dunamaise Perched on a hill-top, halfway between Portlaoise and Stradbally, historic stories of bloody vengeance, kidnapping, and intrigue await you. For well over a thousand years, the iconic Rock of Dunamaise has seen Vikings, Normans, native tribes, and even Cromwell himself fight tooth-and-nail to Left: Vicarstown, Laois. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

County by County: Laois Jackie Carroll

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seize control of this commanding site.

Today, you can wander to the very top and soak in the history, before taking in the most incredible views of our rich Laois landscape. And while you’re there... listen closely, for you might still hear the battle cry of a Viking warrior, or even the ominous thunder of approaching raiders on horseback.

Emo Court and Parklands Almost halfway between the towns of Portlaoise and Portarlington, take a leisurely step back in time and imagine life as a lord or lady of the manor.

The stunning neo-classical mansion at Emo Court and Parklands simply hums with stories of debutante balls, society weddings, and war stories from the 1800s. Today, wonderful tour guides take you through beautifully Below: Emo Court from the Parklands. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

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County by County: Laois Jackie Carroll

furnished rooms, immersing you in tales belonging to a truly bygone era.

Impeccably cultivated grounds proudly surround the main building.

Woodland walks meander around a 20-acre lake to create a refined atmosphere, inviting leisurely picnics and offering plenty of room for the young and old to roam. The house is closed in 2020 for renovations.

Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural Museum Not far from the town of Rathdowney in southwest Laois, the stark reality of a tragic era in Ireland’s past unfolds before your very eyes. The Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural Museum paints a vivid picture of life during and after Ireland’s great potato famine in the mid 1800s.

Resilient families sought refuge in the workhouse throughout this period, and their stories of determination and courage can be felt through every wall, floor, and ceiling. From the moment you walk through the gates, you are taken back in time to what was truly a place of last resort.

Timahoe Round Tower Only fifteen minutes’ drive southeast of Portlaoise, you’ll uncover a story of redemption and faith at the medieval masterpiece that is Timahoe Round Tower. A Christian icon for the ages, the tower was a beacon for a oncethriving monastic community and now proudly overlooks a peaceful village green.

Founded by soldier-turned-saint Mochua, the tower’s bells would both summon for prayer and sound the alarm following an era of regular Viking plunder. Haunting bells toll no more, and the serenity of this picturepostcard setting is broken now only by the laughter of children across the road in the village playground.

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Rock of Dunamaise, Laois. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

County by County: Laois Jackie Carroll

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Mountmellick Embroidery Museum Wander off the beaten track and find out how the Quakers left their mark on a small town in north Laois. Mountmellick Embroidery Museum invites you to travel back in time. A captivating experience is led by generous tour guides who bring to life the magical art of Mountmellick Embroidery, a specialist craft unique to the town and entirely Irish in origin and design.

Once the site of a bustling craft industry employing more than 50 ladies in the late 1800s, today it stands strong but silent as a dignified memorial to an art almost lost in time.

Heywood Gardens and Estate Nestled in south Laois, a gem of garden design awaits you. Designed by eminent architect Sir Edwin Luytens, most likely in collaboration with renowned landscaper Gertrude Jekyll, the wondrous Heywood Gardens and Estate stand still in time. As well as being home to quirky folly pieces including a sham castle, and gothic ruins, the surrounding lakes and woodland all contribute to a surreal and mythical atmosphere.

One of only three Luyten gardens in Ireland, the centrepiece boasts a characteristic circular water feature. And along with Jekyll’s soft planting, it beautifully brings this unique landscape to life.

You are Welcome to our Outdoors By bike, foot, or on the water, Laois has a treasure trove of natural beauty waiting to be discovered. Our unspoilt environment is both a bountiful habitat for local wildlife and a scenic delight for all to enjoy. With nearly 500km of routes, including 30 looped walks all around the county, walkers and hikers are in for a treat. For a full list of walks see www.laoistourism.ie

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County by County: Laois Jackie Carroll

For cyclists and mountain-bikers, Laois is a push-bike paradise, offering everything from gentle spins to challenging trails. The new mountain bike track in the Slieve Blooms is an adventures paradise.

Anglers, kayakers, cruisers, and more have explored our rivers, canals, and lakes for years. With 12 well stocked lakes there’s something for every fisherman. And remember...there’ll always be car parking close by and you’re never more than a few miles from a country pub with a warm welcome.

No mention of our outdoors would be complete without acknowledging our 7 wonderful golf courses, which you can also find throughout the county.

Heywood Gardens.

Courtesy of Laois Tourism

Discovering Hidden Ireland Aidan Gallagher

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You are Welcome to our Gardens Home to a rich and fertile landscape, Laois has always been a garden-go-to destination. And today, green-fingered enthusiasts from all over the world flock to our county for unique garden tours, advice, and inspiration. With 12 gardens to choose from grand house gardens to small biodiversity gardens you’re spoilt for choice. Our plantation history recounts the stories of many famous garden architects of yesteryear who took advantage of our natural heritage to create visions of stunning serenity, precision, and beauty.

Attracting visitors all year round, these established works-of-art are now complemented by garden creations by some of Ireland’s leading contemporary designers. Be inspired by both maestros from a golden era of garden design, and our modern landscape architects who now build a legacy for the next generation.

You are Welcome to Stay Wherever you lay your head in Laois, you’re sure of a warm welcome and a great night’s sleep. Fabulous hotels are on hand to give you a taste of the high life while rustic guesthouses will relax the busiest tourist in the heart of the countryside.

Closer to the action, our towns and villages are packed with accommodation options of all shapes and sizes, with warm hosts ready to receive you.

One thing’s for sure. The longer you hang around, the more you’ll love about Laois. And even our short-term stays will tempt you into making longer-term plans...

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Catholes Falls.. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

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Above: Timahoe Round Tower Opposite: Ballykilcavan Farm & Brewery. Courtesy of Laois Tourism

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County by County: Laois Jackie Carroll

You are Welcome to Dine With a bounty of wonderful fare on offer, Laois is home to so many sumptuous, locally-produced foods, loved by tourists and natives alike.

Matching every budget and palate, five star dining stands shoulder-toshoulder with award-wining gastro-pubs, cafes, and restaurants. And thanks to some of Ireland’s most fertile land, our food culture is thriving.

For generations, Laois has also been home to legions of committed growers, farmers, makers, bakers, and brewers of only the finest products.

All of which are nurtured, grown, and crafted for farmers’ markets, kitchen tables, and homes all over Ireland.

Download the Laois Heritage Trail Audio Guide for free in the Play Store or on iTunes now and have all the facts, figures you need at your fingertips.

More information can be found at: www.laoistourism.ie

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Diving off the Causeway Coast

Text and Images by Karen Patterson

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Diving

off the Causeway Coast Karen Patterson

Karen has been diving in the waters surrounding the Causeway Coast for 6 years and some of the things she has discovered will shock you! She lets us in on the secrets of what’s lurking beneath the surface on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast.

My name is Karen, and I’m an aquaholic. I’m a diver and a lover of the ocean, but not just the warm, tropical ocean found in far off lands, but my ocean – my Wild Atlantic. In the last 6 years I have dived through waters of blue and green, watched fluorescent yellow and pink corals feed in the current, marvelled at purple, red and orange Pokémon-like sea slugs, listened to the chatter and songs of dolphins as they swam alongside me, and stared into the gaping mouths of shark. All of this without needing to leave our northern shores.

So many believe that they know our Atlantic, that it is a cold, dark and baron place. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s no denying that the water is cold, but with that comes an abundance of life, particularly on the shores of Rathlin. In fact, some of our marine species and habitats are so unique that four marine conservation zones have been designated to protect them, two of which can be found on the Causeway Coast.

Image Left: Shore-diving from Dunseverick Harbour

Diving off the Causeway Coast Karen Patterson

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I’ve been fortunate enough to learn how to dive on the Causeway Coast.

For visitors, diving, either from shore or boat, couldn’t be easier. Regular boat trips to Rathlin and the surrounding area are offered by Aquaholics from Ballycastle. With the wreck of the Lochgarry on Rathlin’s eastern shore (resting at 32 meters, so accessible to recreational divers) and the rich biodiversity on Rathlin’s north wall (which drops away to more than 200 meters), dives will satisfy both the wreck and marine life enthusiasts.

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For those more experienced technical divers with a lust for rust and history, the option of world class wreck diving is only a few hours boat ride away from Portstewart on the north coast of Donegal. The waters off Malin Head are the resting place for more German U-boats, ocean liners, Sherman tanks and other WWI and WWII casualties than anywhere else in the world.

Perhaps you might find some of the gold bars that went into the depths with their stricken vessels!

For me, the greatest riches are our marine animals. Often seen as one of the Hermit Crab

Dahlia Anemones, Dunseverick

Catshark Dogfish resting in Portnahapple, Portstewart.

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Compass Jellyfish off the Causeway Coast

Diving off the Causeway Coast AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Karen Patterson

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ocean’s villains, little else fills me with more wonder and joy than watching one of our jellyfish dance in sunbeams, just below the surface as it is carried along in the current. Or watching a Cat Shark slink along the seabed, its big black eyes looking for prey.

I always wonder what I will see on my next dive. Perhaps it will be a seabed full of Dahlia anemones, their brightly coloured tentacles extending into the current, waiting to ambush prey. Beautiful and deadly.

Perhaps it will be something new, something no one has seen before. These discoveries still happen, even on our shores. The ocean is still largely unexplored and mysterious. I cannot encourage you enough to get out there and explore it, the other 71% of our planet. You don’t have to have Below: Devonshire Cup Corals on the wreck of the Lochgarry, Rathlin.

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Diving off the Causeway Coast Karen Patterson

expensive equipment, just a mask, a snorkel and a sense of adventure.

Even our rock pools in Dunseverick, Portstewart, Portbradden and Ballintoy are filled with wonder. My 3-year-old niece has successfully hunted for shark egg cases (Mermaid’s purse), scorpion fish, Beadlet anemones and prawn. I was as excited as she was!

So, I encourage you to explore my ocean, your ocean, our wild Atlantic.

Become a cold-water junkie! My name is Karen and I’m an aquaholic!

For more underwater photographs of life on the Causeway Coast please follow @Cold_Water_Junkie on Instagram Below: Beadlet Anemone found in Portbradden rock pools.

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Walking the Bear Breifne Way

Text & Images Jennifer Rooks

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Walking

the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

On a short solo trip through Ireland in 2014 and a chance meeting with an O’Sullivan Chieftain in a pub in Castletownbere led me to consider a 548km walk with my sister, Sue McGann. The Chieftain suggested I walk the Beara Breifne Way or the O’Sullivan March, after all, I was an O’Sullivan.

I laughed at his suggestion and said that I was not a walker, however I was intrigued and did some research on my return to Australia and before too long a decision was made. We did not really know what we were committing to, but we were both healthy, adventurous and had the time to do such a walk. This meant some serious training each day, purchase of walking equipment and boots, none of which were cheap I discovered!

We also decided that if we were going to put our bodies through this sort of pain and suffering then we had to have a good reason. We would walk in aid of Cancer Queensland; we would walk for our brothers. The decision had been made and we promised to raise $5000.

In June/July 2016 after 15 months of planning and dreaming, we started the walk from Leitrim in the north to Castletownbere in Cork some 548km over several weeks. It was a challenge that we now had reservations about – could we do it or have we taken on too much? Only time would tell.

Walking the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

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Leitrim Castle was said to be the destination of the great O’Sullivan Beare and his Irish forces as they began their famous march in 1602, following defeat at the Battle of Kinsale in County Cork. Having been declared outlaws, O’Sullivan Beare decided to undertake a grueling 500km march from Castletownbere, Cork to the safety of his northern allies and the O’Rourke Clan. The contingent was under constant attack during this trek and of the 1,000 men that set out, only 36 reached the O’Rourke’s refuge.

This is the trail that Sue and I were there to follow.

Everything we did that first cold day, from entering farmers’ fields full of cows, climbing fences and field stiles, tackling weeds and stinging nettles lying in wait for unsuspecting walkers, it was all new to us and very exciting. The days were long and exhausting. The first few days were hilly, and we experienced the famous Irish four seasons in a day - wind, rain, sun and cold – something we had not really trained for. Some days were on grassy, bushy walks covered in ferns close to the walk, through some serious boglands along the Suck Valley Way, very wet and mushy. Some of the walk had now been laid with boardwalks which is great as the bog had us sinking up to our ankles. Stunning country, green fields and white bog cotton, bog cotton blowing in the breeze, past ancient forests with a multitude of ragged bog oak and pine stumps rising from beneath the peat, ferns, mushrooms, and blackberries intertwined.

We cross the Seven Arch Bridge crossing the Shannon waterway which forms the boundary between Offaly and Galway, the river that O’Sullivan Beare crossed in the dead of winter when it was in full flood. We are soon walking among the masses of red poppies swaying in the breeze on the Hymany Way. As we reach the Ormond Way, through a field archway the Beara Breifne Way signs make their first of many appearances. The pathway leads off into some very dense trees, shrubs, brambles with blackberries, it does not look like it has ever been used and perhaps not even open to the public. A sign only.

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Walking the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

In Ballyhoura Country we crossed the main railway line and down the narrow lane with hedges high on both sides, crossed a motorway and we walk between the busy highway and the busy railway line. Caution must be taken on this section of the walk. We then climb a wooden stile which sets us down on a regional road, on a corner, on a slight hill. Safety has just been abandoned!

We are soon in County Cork, our family’s home county. We slowly walk through several small villages with most shops closed or in ruins. Is it a result of the erstwhile Celtic Tiger Era? There is a small school and a nursing home, but I feel that there is a complete generation missing from this village. Where are they – in Australia or Canada?

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The locals gave us some Irish history or perhaps mythology, as they explain and attempt to convince us that Faery/Fairy Trees do exist. In Silvermines we are introduced to an O’Sullivan descendant and his bottle of highly potent Poitín or Mountain Dew wrapped in a brown paper bag, making it less conspicuous if no less breath-taking.

As we walked along the country roads, we were often approached by residents asking to walk with us for a short while so we could tell them what we were doing and the reason why. It was lovely to know they were interested. Our feet constantly hurt and our bodies ache, the walk has now changed to hills and valleys, which means yet another hill greets us as we climb out the other side of each valley, the mist hangs low over the mountains. We now see a small Alpine flower on the pathways, a sign we have risen higher in altitude, as we enter the Duhallow Way. Heading towards Gougane Barra we pass some astounding lacey cobwebs on every bush that edged the track. The fields are green, tangled, and wild, a place of nettles, cow parsley, a smell of grass, mulched leaves and moisture. The day gets hotter and the first of several serious hills for the day. Not a breath of air and although our water supply is low, but we do not panic. The overhanging trees with their dangling branches stroke our

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Walking the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

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cheeks as we take advantage of some shade and a rest.

The hills keep coming and we cross the Pass of Keimaneigh, in Gaelic Céim-an-fhiaigh, the Pass of the Deer and onto the Slí Gaeltacht Mhúscraí.

We have not seen a walker for several hours which is a little unnerving to us amateur walkers. We can now see the big blue lake that surrounds the small oratory dedicated to St. Finbarr, tucked away on the Holy Island, the views are breathtaking. Gougane Barra is a place of retreat, of reflection, both literally and physically. This section of the walk is special as we visit the O’Sullivan Beare Castle, a castle which is situated on a rocky outcrop and is nothing but a shell of its former glory days in the 16th Century, but very important in our family history.

We are nearing the finish of the walk as we reach Poc an Tairbh, the Bull’s Pocket. We can see Bantry Bay and Sugarloaf in the distance; we will be climbing these mountains on the last day. The thick bracken ferns reach up to our waists and signs are nearly nonexistent, no snakes for which we can thank St Patrick, we head towards the coastal road and the Beara Peninsula.

This final day is what we have trained for over the past 15 months and culmination of the past 4 weeks of walking the length of Ireland. The day shines bright and the fog has lifted, so we are witness to a spectacular view over the water and green fields. We had company as we were guided over Hungry Hill, the highest peak in the Caha Mountains. The coastal road to Castletownbere is 14km by road; our route will be much longer.

We continue to follow the little yellow man. The walkers we encounter are fresh and we are not so the climb is starting to take its toll. Up and over another hill. “Just a few more” is a call that we hear several times during today’s walk. We are now walking the Beara Way, a stone path with formidable dry-stone walls for fences, rising rocks on our right and the waters of the Bay below to our left. Up we continue, another rock, another hill to cross.

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We feel we are being tested – to see if these Australian girls are as tough as they say. We will prove ourselves. We are exhausted and it is taking every ounce of energy we have stored. We begin to walk down the scree slopes with views of Castletownbere ahead of us. From behind some large crags, several people appear with cameras poised and calls of “Congratulations!

Fair play to you.” We know none of these people but over the next few days they will become close friends, the hospitality and friendship we encountered throughout Ireland has been remarkable.

The shops and houses along the main street of Castletownbere welcome us on our final steps to Twomey’s Ivy Bar. Outside, there is a crowd of people and a smiling face I know. That face belongs to the man who suggested this walk two years earlier, it is lovely to see the O’Sullivan Chieftain. The townspeople have put up a welcome sign above the front door “O’Sullivan Bere Walk - Brisbane to Breffni to Beara - Welcome Jennifer and Susan”.

These smiling faces and this friendly sign have made the last four weeks of sheer exhaustion worthwhile. It is finished and we have become the first Australians and first women to have walked the Beara Breifne Way in reverse from Leitrim to Castletownbere.

Before we leave the town, we continue the last 5km to Dunboy Castle ruins. This was the original stronghold of the O’Sullivan family, sitting on

Walking the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

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an outcrop on the Beara Peninsula. The O’Sullivan flag flaps in the breeze and a large coloured metal cutout of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare proudly stands in the grounds watching over his castle. We placed our tired booted feet on the plaque standing against the castle wall, a symbolic show that we had walked the Beara Breifne Way or O’Sullivan March.

We walked 548km through Ireland for the boys, we returned to Ireland for Mum and her O’Sullivan family, we made friendships to last a lifetime and we raised $11,300 for Cancer Queensland Research.

The walking bug has attached itself firmly.

This walk is worth considering as it is relatively easy and mostly well signposted, except when someone moves the signposts, or the little yellow man decides to lie down in the grass and have a sleep!

On my return to Australia it was suggested that we write up our diary and have it published, another first for me.

“Walking Ireland for the Craic” can be purchased through Amazon as a paperback, an eBook or a signed paperback copy can be purchased directly from me and a small fee is then returned to Cancer Queensland.

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Walking the Beara Breifne Way Jennifer Rooks

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Jennifer Rooks I did not begin distance walking until the age of 62 and have now caught the bug. I worked in Catholic Education at St Marys College in Ipswich, Queensland for 20 years, I live with my husband Russell of 46 years and have 3 sons and 3 grandchildren.

When my sister Sue and I started to walk, we decided to walk for Cancer Queensland, having lost 2 brothers and 2 brother-in-laws to the disease. We now have another brother and his son in remission. I was always of the belief that if I kept healthy and walked, it would not get me but how wrong I was. In 2019 and with no symptoms I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, my life suddenly became not my own.

Sue and I were 12 weeks away from walking in France from Besancon to the Swiss/Italian border on the Grand St Bernard Pass, but I decided that we were still going. This bastard was not going to get me. I had major surgery and 3 weeks later I went for a walk - 161km up the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. I needed to prove to myself that I was still alive and that I was capable of a long walk. I survived. The section of the Via Francigena that we walked was the hardest walk that I have ever done but I came out the other side much stronger and ready to go again. In 2016 we walked 548km on the Beara Breifne Way or O'Sullivan March.

In 2017 I walked solo from Salisbury Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral on the pilgrim paths and then picked up the Via Francigena, the pilgrim path to Rome. I finished in Besancon, France. I walked 1050km over 8 weeks and raised $2,300 for Cancer.

In 2018 I walked solo from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostella, Spain along the Portuguese Coastal Camino, walking 365km and raised just a little over $1,000 for Cancer.

In 2019 Sue and I walked from Besancon, France, across Switzerland and up the Alps to the Italian border on the Grand St Bernard Pass. We walked 320km, part of the Via Francigena and 516km in total over 5 weeks and raised $3,000 for Cancer.

In 2022 I am aiming for a big solo walk on the last section of the Via Francigena. I will start at the Grand St Bernard Pass and walk to Rome, over 1000km. I plan to raise $10,000 for cancer and already a cancer site has been set up for donations. I will celebrate my 68th birthday in Italy so I hope all my bits and pieces stay together until then!

Publications:: 2017 Walking Ireland for the Craic 2018 In the Footsteps of Pilgrims Past 2019 Their Mother Wore Army Boots 2020 Pilgrims Keep to the Left All books are available on Amazon as a paperback and ebook, and signed copies are available directly from me. The books that I sell will see a small fee returned to Cancer Queensland. https://scotlandwalk.blogspot.com https://www.doitforcancer.com.au/fundraisers/jenniferrooks/walking-to-rome

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Prehistoric Rock Art in County Sligo

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Prehistoric Rock Art in County Sligo

In a land abundant with historic and prehistoric monuments, a rock art find is one of the most enigmatic and mysterious.

Prehistoric rock art, believed to be at least 4,000 years old, has been discovered on a portal tomb in north County Sligo on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The discovery is very rare, as only a small number of other rock art examples have been found on Irish portal tombs to date.

Portal tombs, sometimes called dolmens, date to the Neolithic age (4000BC – 2500BC). They are one of four types of megalithic tombs found in Ireland, along with passage tombs, court tombs and wedge tombs.

Community archaeologist Tamlyn McHugh spotted the rock art recently on a large boulder used to support the capstone of the Cloghcor Portal Tomb in Sligo. Returning after dark with her husband, photographer Ciaran McHugh, the carvings became more apparent in torch light. The images taken by Ciaran show a series of cup marks incised into the surface of the stone, and evidence of a possible rosette design.

Image left: Cloghcor Portal Tomb (Sligo Heritage Office)

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With large capstones held up by huge weighty standing stones, portal tombs are the most recognisable type of Irish megalithic monument.

Marking burial places in a distinctive way, they are often associated with Irish mythological stories, folklore and the graves of famous giants or warriors.

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Around 180 are scattered throughout the island of Ireland, the bestknown of which is the impressive Poulnabrone Dolmen in County Clare.

Others, such as the Legananny Dolmen in County Down, have been a characteristic part of the local landscape for perhaps 4,500 years, earning them iconic status.

The rock art find is one of a number made in the course of the Sligo Community Archaeology Project, which encourages ‘citizen Image: Cloghcor Portal Tomb Rock Art (Ciaran McHugh photography)

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Poulnabrone Dolmen, County Clare

archaeologists’ to look out for and report artefacts.

Earlier this year 14-year-old Darragh McDaniel found a rare Bronze Age stone pendant in Drumcliffe, the County Sligo village ‘Under Ben Bulben’ where Ireland’s world-famous poet, W.B. Yeats is laid to rest. The landscapes of the area were the inspiration for much of his poetry.

While Sligo’s scenery is stunning, its archaeological and mythological heritage is incredibly rich, with the landscape peppered with ancient monuments stretching back more than 5,000 years. The largest and oldest collection of dolmens and stone circles in Ireland, including another example of rock art, can be found at the Carrowmore megalithic complex a short distance from Sligo town.

Though a lesser known aspect of Irish archaeology, rock art can be found in various parts of Ireland, including counties Carlow, Wicklow, Louth, Monaghan, Fermanagh and Donegal, with the densest concentration found in the Cork and Kerry region.

It is a mystical experience to be up-close to one of these carvings as the Irish landscapes are largely the same as when they were first made. Yet, the meaning of the marks remains a mystery, with rock art on a portal tomb perhaps the most enigmatic of all.

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Legananny Dolmen, County Down

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Anthony Adams Reilly

Text by Ruth Illingworth

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Anthony Adams Reilly

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Mountaineer and Cartographer Ruth Illingworth

Anthony Adams Reilly (1836-1885) was a major figure in the Golden Age of Alpine mountaineering in the middle decades of the 19th century. He made several first ascents of peaks in the Mont Blanc range, finding the existing maps of the region inadequate, he drew up detailed maps which remained in use for many decades. In honour of his work, French cartographers named several Alpine features after him.

BEFORE THE ALPS

Anthony Adams Reilly was born at Belmont House near Mullingar, Co Westmeath on February 11th, 1836. His great-grandfather Thomas O Reilly was a Co Cavan native who had married into a family called Adams with extensive properties in Westmeath. The family was well off and Anthony was sent to Rugby College in 1850, when he was fourteen, two years after the death of his father.

At Rugby, his drawing teacher was George Barnard, a keen mountaineer and would later become a member of the Alpine Club. Reilly proved to be a talented artist and draughtsman and would put his skills to major use when he came to work on his alpine maps. It was at Rugby also that he first read Image left: Mont Blanc

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‘Travels Through the Alps of Savoy’ by John D Forbes. Forbes was Professor of Science at Edinburgh University and one of the first British climbers to tackle the Alps. Having gone to the region to carry out scientific studies of glaciation, he was captivated by the beauty of the mountains and ‘stayed to worship.’ He published his ‘Travels’ account in 1843 and would go on to become a founding member of the British Alpine Club in 1857, ‘the world's first mountaineering association.’

From Rugby, Reilly went to Oxford. But he appears to have left Brasenose College without taking a degree. Well enough off not to need paid employment, he now began to turn his attention to mountaineering, to the Alps and in particular the Mont Blanc chain. The Golden Age of British alpine mountaineering had begun in 1854 with the ascent of the Wetterhorn and would continue until the ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. During this Golden Age first ascents of 36 peaks over 4000m were made, of which 31 were made by British and Irish climbers. The Irishmen involved included the scientist John Tyndall, politician and botanist, John Bell, and Anthony Adams Reilly.

In 1857, the Alpine Club was founded in London, with John Ball as the first President. Admission to the Club was decided by a vote of the general body of members based on each applicant's list of expeditions. Adams Reilly soon went to the Alps to begin his own climbing career. His first climb in the region was of the Col du Géant. Then, in 1861, he returned to Switzerland to begin his first major season in the mountains.

THE 1861 SEASON

In the words of Frank Nugent, Adams Reilly's 1861 Climbing Season “was quite a whirlwind of effort and achievement,” during which he climbed Mont Blanc twice by two different routes, climbed the Monte Rosa and made the second attempt at the ascent of the east ridge of the Lyskamm. He kept a diary of his journey in which he took detailed notes that recorded

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topography, surveying data, temperature readings, as well as sketches of the mountain scenery and his colleagues. His drawings were, as Frank Nugent has written, “incredibly accurate, sometimes of almost photographic quality.”

He began his journey at Stiehreck, where he stayed in a chalet. The chalet owner “busily engaged himself in raking up a netful of hay as a bed for ‘der herr’.” Reilly went out sketching and then returned to eat and “partook of a little rum, with a goat milked into it, which is a beverage in my opinion very hard to beat.” He set out with his guide at 5.00am to cross the Unteraar Pass. The route was steep and strenuous. When they reached the Col, Reilly remarked, “we here halted and attacked our provisions with great relish.” As Frank Nugent noted, “Reilly believed in marching on his stomach.” The provisions on this occasion included bread, meat, cheese, coffee, and a bottle of Volnay. Reilly regretted not having brought a second bottle of burgundy! During their descent towards the Grimsel Hospice, they had to back-climb, facing inwards to the slope: “it is all but perpendicular, and when standing upright with my feet thrust into the snow, I could touch the slope which rose in front of me with my elbow.” In his diary he later did a sketch of three men descending a steep slope above a crevasse.

The following day Reilly walked down the Rhone Glacier to Grimsel where he planned to climb the Oberaarjoch with two guides. They set off at 5.00am with “plenty provisions and a proportionate quantity of liqueurs as well as ropes and all things fitting.” They travelled over glaciers and moraine until they reached the Viesch Glacier. Reilly found the final snow section exhausting, as he sank to his knees at almost every step. After a short break, during which Reilly “attacked the eggs with great violence, and floored three leaving four for future consumption,” they resumed and reached the summit of the col an hour later. Reilly wrote “the view which now burst upon us was past all description...range after range of peaks rose on all sides, extending in all directions, and presenting every imaginable

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combination of rock and snow.” They descended the far side skirting the base of the Rothorn, winding in and out ,climbing up and down, cutting steps until at 2.00pm, they reached rocks where they stopped for a break where Reilly drank some wine and ‘floored’ his remaining eggs. They finally reached their hotel after thirteen hours of climbing and walking.

Reilly took the next day off and then climbed the Eggishorn on July 23rd, where he spent eight hours on the summit sketching and writing up a description of the scenery in his journal. The following day (July 24th), he set off at 2.30pm to climb the 4,158m high Jungfrau. He was accompanied by two guides and a porter, “who carried a great faggot of wood and an immense bundle of straw tied up in the blankets, which gave him exactly the appearance of a great mushroom.” They spent the night in a cave and as the guides lit a fire and prepared the bedding, Reilly went out on the glacier and did some sketching until sunset. Returning to the cave “almost perished to death,” he found the guides and porter “sitting round the fire in one corner like the three witches and superintending the concoction of coffee in a kind of deep frying pan with four legs which was left in the cavern for visitors.”

He enjoyed a hearty meal washed down with mulled wine and then dressed for bed putting on layers of clothing : “my night dress consisted 2 flannel shirts, my flannel blouse, waistcoat and light greatcoat overall, slippers and felt gaiters and two blankets: I was not the least cold all night though my bedroom had only two walls and a roof. Many people would have felt excited and sleepless; I felt at first more excited than comfortable, then more comfortable than excited, and then I didn’t feel anymore, for I fell asleep.”

The party set off at 2.00am with a brilliant moon (surrounded by the largest most vivid halo Reilly had ever seen) Dawn began to break above the summits of the Trugberg on their right, Reilly wrote, “the moon beams had rested on the right hand mountains pale and cold, but the dawn rose

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paler and colder still, and on looking from one range to another, that the one which the moonlight fell appeared now to be bathed in a warm yellow glow, contrasting strongly with the other side, on which the first beams of morning rested, as pale and cold as the moonbeams had appeared before.”

The final section of the climb was very steep, through broken masses of large seracs. It took three hours of step-cutting because “what appeared to be a snow ridge turned out to be ice.” Reilly described the process: “Chip, chip. chip, right foot forward; chip, chip, chip left foot forward.” Each step was three feet high. Reilly could not look back to admire the view because “independently of the disagreeable sensation produced by seeing every chip of ice descend to about 12,000 feet, and thinking that the very slightest slip off a step of ice which held little more than your toe would send you after them, the whole attention was necessary to clear out each step from the ice chips which filled it from above and plant the foot as firmly as possible, dividing the weight carefully between the foot, the left hand which rested in the step immediately above, and the baton which was struck into the ice with the right.” Over the final sharp ridge, Reilly moved up, “in a decidedly undignified and crablike manner, the toe of my boot overhanging the plateau from which the Silberhorner rise, while the heel looked down on the glacier basin on the other side which lay an awful depth below-At length we reached the pointed mound of snow, forming the summit." It was 10.00am.

Reilly sketched the superb view and drank some champagne. The empty bottle was left on the summit with the names of the climbing party on a piece of paper inside. After twenty minutes they began their descent down the same side. At 4.00pm they made a stop at Faulberg, where Reilly made a copy of various thermometer readings. They then continued the descent with Reilly setting a fast pace. Back at Grimsel the whole population turned out to greet them and Reilly “found himself rather a lion and had to undergo a severe cross examination.” In his diary, he acknowledged that it was “the hardest day's work he had ever done.”

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Two days later he travelled on horseback to Zermatt, describing in his journal the beauties of the Swiss countryside overlooked by the mountains and crags of the Weisshorn, Dom and Mischabal and crossing bridges over white water torrents fed by massive glaciers. The Matterhorn towered over Zermatt shrouded in mists. It was as yet unclimbed, but Reilly was aware that the Irish scientist and climber, John Tyndall was intending an attempt on it: “His base (the Matterhorn) we saw, but he had veiled his head in clouds, and obstinately refused to look at us - it is quite wonderful the airs some mountains give themselves when they think they are in alienable, but Tyndall is coming out, and has written for a guide, a ‘fearless climber’.”

While attending church in Zermatt, Reilly met another climber from Britain who asked him to join him in an expedition he was going to make the next day to attempt to make the first successful ascent of the Lyskamm.

At first Reilly was going to decline, but changed his mind., “but a new ascent, oh it must be done-I couldn't resist it, and so I said I would be delighted - We exchanged cards and I found he was Stephen, the Stephen, one of the mighty lot who are never happy unless doing the impossible things without guides, and this of course made me more anxious to accompany him and to see the ‘lord of the glaciers’ in the natural element.”

Stephen was Leslie Stephen, author, magazine editor, Anglican priest, and father of the novelist Virginia Woolf. He was a member of the Alpine Club and would later become editor of The Alpine Journal, as well as the first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography. Stephen introduced Reilly to his guide, Melchior Anderegg, who Reilly would come to regard as “the best mountaineer in Europe.” Reilly’s own guide was Johann Taugwald.

On the first morning of the expedition, they walked to the Riffelberg, “passing the spot where the Gorner Glacier and the Matterhorn rise beyond a foreground of ragged pines, every rock and tree of which seemed grouped by the hand of an artist.”

On a clear night they set out and followed a path up through the Riffelberg

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and on up to the glacier which they crossed and followed a snow slope that led them to the foot of the Vincent Pyramide. Advancing slowly, they were led by Anderegg who wound his way “in and out, up and down while vast seracs rose all around of a size and form perfectly astonishing.” They skirted “chasms of fearful depth,” until they came to an abyss 12m (40ft) wide and of unknown depth. Reilly wrote:

"Melchior did not hesitate a moment - he cut steps down the steep ice, and we all got very well down to a kind of hollow between two seracs-we then planted ourselves as firmly as we could and held the rope which was attached to him-he disappeared around the corner and after a minute or two called out that he was alright, and had gained the bridge-we proceeded to follow him, one by one. It was a most peculiar place to go down for on rounding the projecting edge, we found that the wall of ice was not only perpendicular, but actually sloped inwards, so one had to descend by a wonderful succession of acrobatic performances with the feet in the steps, and the weight of the body thrown on the baton, which was held by him, as he stood on the narrow bridge below. Stephens said it was the most difficult place he had ever crossed, and that no other guide in Switzerland except Melchior would have attempted it."

They reached the summit of the col that lay between the Monte Rosa and the Lyskamm after seven hours of climbing. They began ascending a steeply inclined arête, but at the top discovered a steep slope of loose rock over which a cornice of snow projected. As Reilly noted: “Melchior said they might do it, but that the chances of smashery were immeasurably great,” and it was decided not to go on, “Stephen said it would not do, and that one must draw a line somewhere, so we gave it up.”

Reilly slipped descending the steep ridge but was held on the rope by his guide Taugwald. The party traversed and descended to the Beitliner Pass. and to the village of St Jean, where they enjoyed a substantial dinner with “very good vin du pays.” Reilly then parted company with Stephen and

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took a day off while he planned an attempt on the Monte Rosa. He wrote up his journal and finished some sketches. At dinner in his hotel he was delighted to meet his old drawing master from Rugby, Mr Barnard and they spent some time comparing sketches.

On August 1st, 1861 Reilly set out at 2.30am with Johann Taugwald to climb the highest peak in Switzerland, Monte Rosa. They followed much the same route as for the Lyskamm and reached the summit at 10.15am.

Reilly was delighted at his achievement and tried to register his temperature observations (15.5° F) on the piece of paper provided by the Alpine Club, which he found rolled into a glass tube at the summit.

“As the Alpine Club paper had been filled long ago, and subsequent observers had recorded their observations on little bits of paper, which together formed a bundle a good deal too large for the tube, to add to the difficulty the top of the tube had been broken off, and the continual forcing in and out of the paper against the sharp edges of the broken glass had given the Alpine Club register and the earlier record, the appearance of having been nibbled by legions of rats, much to the detriment of the valuable observations they once contained - I recorded mine on the back of Morshead’s autograph, and having got them in at last, turned to contemplate the wonderful panorama around.”

Reilly returned to the Ritter Hotel, sleeping badly that night as his eyes were extremely painful due to snow blindness. He recovered over a couple of days and moved on to Chamonix. Here he met up with a party of three climbers from Wales who were preparing to climb Mont Blanc and invited him to join them. They set off the next day at 9.00am and reached the point of departure onto the ice four hours later. Reilly was disappointed to see the place littered with rubbish; “for some time before we reached it, it was obvious to the most obtuse intellect that this was the recognised spot of luncheon for egg shell, broken bottles and bones of poulets and gigots lay in positive heaps all around, rather doing away with the impression of

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grandeur and solitude to which the scene might otherwise to have given rise.”

In the afternoon, the climbing party ascended the Glaciers des Bossons towards the Grande Molens Rocks while they rested in a wooden refuge.

Reilly spent time sketching the sunset until it was dark. At 11.00pm, they set off again with Reilly and his guide, Verance Balmat taking up the lead position. Reilly “feared the condition of the other travellers.” They reached the Grand Plateau at 3.30pm. The first glimmers of dawn were appearing as they reached the Rochers Rouges and began the steep ascent to the summit with Reilly and Balmat kicking good steps in the snow. At 5.00am the first rays of light struck the summits to the right and produced, as Reilly wrote, “the most wonderful chaos of mountain, mist and liquid light.” At 7.00am they reached the Petits Mulets, from where Reilly “could see the great chain of the Monte Rosa cloudless and clear crowning the mass of peaks which stretched away almost from my feet.” Untying himself from his exhausted guide and leaving him to rest, Reilly made the final ascent.

“I started alone to scale the final calotte, which stretched up above me white and rounded - I found it a very severe climb for the ice was very hard, and having nothing to cut steps with I was obliged to scramble up the best way I could, assisted here and there by the steps left by former parties, which I found in some spots - a sharp supporting wind of extraordinary keenness was sweeping round the sloping dome but I felt none of the effects usually attributed to the rarefication of the air, except that I fancied I got blown rather sooner than I ought though I was climbing very rapidly. I reached the Derniers Roches at 7.20 and at last at a quarter to eight, stood on the summit of Mont Blanc. I gave one slow look around and then made a rapid exploring expedition all over the top before sitting down to sketch it.”

Reilly walked across the summit ridge and shouted down to another climbing party slowly ascending the mountain. He went over to the little cross at the north end of the ridge, which was hung all over with thermometers and other instruments, noting that the “minimum

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thermometer marked minus 2 but all the others were in a hopeless state of bubbles.” He sketched the Monte Rosa chain before his companions joined him and they had some food and champagne. Reilly smoked a pipe while he enjoyed the full panorama. After an hour and a half on the summit they descended by the same route and reached the Grands Mulet at 11.20pm, with guns from Chamonix announcing their success.

Reilly had intended to go home soon, but when he found that his former guide Melchior Anderegg was in Chamonix, he had an idea. In his journal on August 11th, he wrote; “The weather was perfectly magnificent and in short a brilliant idea struck me: suppose I was to ascend Mont Blanc by the Dôme du Goûte[r], and thus be able to compare the two routes.”

Reilly and Anderegg set off the next day, in company with one other traveller, two more guides and three porters. They spent the first night on the Col de Voza, where they dined on what Reilly called “fraughans” (bilberries). When they started off the next morning (Aug 13th), he was not feeling well and regretted eating so many billberries. They crossed a couloir that was subject to regular stone falls, which Reilly described as follows: “We came up to the edge, and as we did so we were received with a royal salute. A rumbling noise was heard above - it got louder and louder and an immense rock appeared coming down the frozen surface of the couloir in gigantic bounds, followed by a tremendous family of smaller ones, bounding and rolling and whizzing past like cannon shots.”

When they came to the watercourse in the centre of the couloir, Anderlegg quickly assessed where they could cross; “A simple glance showed him the only spot we could cross it, about 20 yards higher up, and we mounted directly towards it - two steps cut with the axe and we were across it, and as there was no snow on this side, we strode on, making first with stroke of the axe and in about two minutes we were sitting on a rock on the other side, smoking our pipes and watching the blundering, hesitating proceedings of the others.”

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They spent a very cold night in a wooden hut on the top of Aiguille du Gonter. The hut had many gaps in the sides and the floor was thick with ice. Reilly sketched the Dome in the sunset and enjoyed a hearty dinner but regretted that he had not brought warmer clothing. The next morning, they breakfasted on a mulled wine brew before setting out at 4.15am with Reilly and Anderlegg leading and assisting the others over a couple of crevasses. Heading up the slopes on the side of the Dome, they reached the summit at 5.35am. They then set off downwards towards the Bosses de Dromadaire that would lead them to the summit of Mont Blanc, reaching the summit of the Bosses at 6.30am. After a short break they continued up a narrow ridge that brought Reilly up to the Mont Blanc summit for the second time.

He chose to descend by the Mer de la Côte – “a rounded bank of ice, lying at an angle of 46 degrees.” They descended to the Grandes Mulets, glissading (sliding), in the sitting position behind Melchior, when the snow became too soft. They then did a fast descent through the Bossons Glacier.

Reilly noted that Melchior “never hesitated a moment and was never at fault. He went at a fast pace and it taxed my powers of head and foot to the very utmost to keep up with him.”

Back in his hotel Reilly said farewell to Anderlegg; “We parted with regret, and I put my name in his book, among the great ones of the ice. I was not the least fatigued, but I felt I had done a day's work, and was not sorry to get to bed.” The next day Reilly met his fellow climber of the second Mont Blanc ascent, Sam Brandram, and showed him his sketches. “He was an AC (Alpine Club), and he pressed me very much to belong to that august body, offering to do anything he could for me and I agreed, giving him my address and achievements to submit to the Secretary.” On his return to London, Reilly wrote a letter to The Times on August 29th, “The Two Routes to the Summit of Mont Blanc,” in which he made a comparison of the two routes and recommended the second one as the best.

MAPPING THE MOUNTAINS

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Anthony Adams Reilly was admitted to membership of the Alpine Club on March 4th, 1862, based on his 1861 climbs. He was proposed for membership by Leslie Stephen and seconded by Sam Brandram. Returning to the Alps in the summer of 1862, he scaled Mont Blanc for the third time on August 1st, by the St Gervais route, While crossing the Col d'Argentière, he was struck by the very poor quality of the existing maps of the region. The heights of peaks and the extent of glaciers were seriously inaccurate, and the maps also showed non-existent summits and ridges, while omitting some existing features. The discrepancies between the maps and the appearance of the surrounding ranges were such that he decided to make a serious attempt to ascertain their origin and to produce new maps.

In 1863, Reilly met John D Forbes, the pioneering Alpinist whose work had so inspired him when he was at Rugby. Forbes had produced a detailed and accurate map of the Mer de Glace at Chamonix. Reilly discussed his concerns about the maps with Forbes, he was particularly annoyed that the Mont Blanc range was the most poorly mapped, in part due to the shifting political borders in the region. Parts of the chain had been part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860, and the French authorities had not got around to doing their own maps. Meanwhile Sardinia had become part of the new united Kingdom of Italy. Only the Swiss part of the chain had been accurately mapped by General Dufour. Reilly explained to Forbes his frustration at the fact that the French and Sardinian maps could not be reconciled where they overlapped with each other: “I had failed not less signally in attempting to reconcile the Glacier d’Argentière, as laid down by the Sardinian engineers, with the same glacier as put down by the hands of nature.”

Forbes advised Reilly to undertake a thorough survey of the Mont Blanc chain. He told him that “no trustworthy results could be obtained without determining the real positions of the doubtful peaks, by means of a theodolite.” Forbes drew up for Reilly a system of triangulation that would connect Forbes’s own survey of the Mer du Glace with the Swiss cartes

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federales and fix the intermediate points with some certainty. Reilly would take on the technical and physical challenge of reconciling the finished work of the Swiss surveyors with the unsurveyed French side of the range, an area amounting to four fifths of the range.

Reilly arrived in Chamonix on June 29th, 1863, armed with a theodolite that featured a powerful telescope and a non-inverting eyepiece, plus a boiling water apparatus and an aneroid barometer for measuring altitude.

He hired a local strongman, Henri Charlet, to carry the theodolite, which was mounted on a frame “very suggestive of a very young five barred gate.” and long poles for marking the positions of his stations.

He set up his first survey station on the Aiguille des Grandes Montets, using a baseline in the valley, measured earlier by Forbes. By triangulation methods he determined the location of more than 200 further points over a fifty miles distance. The intervening spaces he filled in using his excellent artistic skills - careful panoramic drawings on which the bearings of every peak were carefully noted. He also took numerous photos. Before leaving the Aiguille des Grands Montets, he set up a cairn or stone man (known locally as a Homme de Pierre), to which was added a post resembling a railway signal post., painted red and white. He and his team then moved on to set up a new station at Les Possettes, overlooking the Tour Glacier.

While working there he made the first ascent of the Col de Triolet, in the company of John Birkbeck, G.C. Hodgkinson and Captain Jean Joseph Mieulet of the French surveying corps, with whom Reilly had become friendly and had consulted regarding his surveying work. The ascent of the Col de Triolet involved Reilly climbing up “the steepest snow I ever crossed,” at an angle of 55 and 60 degrees in places. He set up four more stations on the ridge running northwest from Aiguille du Chardonnet to the village of Argentière, and then he climbed the Col du Tour to set up another on the ridge running northwest from Aiguille du Chardonnet.

According to the existing maps the point referred to on the Swiss map as

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Pointe des Plines was 2.41k from the back of the Aiguille d'Argentière. In fact, Reilly now realised that the Pointe was the back of the Aiguille. He attended a meeting of French and Swiss cartographers held on July 16th which was held to reconstruct the Mont Blanc chain map. Reilly submitted his findings to the meeting. The meeting agreed the Swiss boundary line, which was marked in the centre of the Tour Glacier, but in fact ran along the arête of the Chardonnet to Mont Dolent to the east of the Argentière glacier.

Reilly established another twenty stations from the Brévent and the Flégère, stretching out by the Col de Voza, Mont Joli, Mount Rosaletta, Col du Bonhomme, Col de Fours, Col de la Seigne, the Crémont and Mont Saxe, until they reached Col Ferrex, on the Swiss border. He explored the upper basin of the Saleinaz Glacier from Orsières. He took readings, drew panoramic sketches, and recorded data. His time and money resources were minimal so he could only visit each station once. Having finished the surveying work, he made his fourth ascent of Mont Blanc with John Birkbeck on August 7th. An attempt to climb the Aiguille Verte was unsuccessful but he did manage to make the first crossing of the Col du Chardonnet on August 24th, in the company of Sam Brandrum.

Reilly spent the winter of 1863-64 drafting an entirely original map of Mont Blanc on a 1:80,000 scale. He used triangulation to determine 200 discrete points on the map, each of which was located where his direct observations had placed them and without any reference to any other map.

Except for the details of villages and rivers taken from Forbes’ map and the Swiss maps, he relied entirely on his own data for the high-level (above the snowline) mapping. He submitted the map to the Alpine Club in the spring of 1864, but before it was published Reilly wanted to make a complete revision of his survey work. Some areas he had found inaccessible, particularly the western face of Mont Blanc. He also wished to return to the Alps because he had received an invitation from the great mountaineer, Edward Whymper, to join him on an exhibition which would include an

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attempt on the yet unscaled Matterhorn.

CLIMBING WITH WHYMPER

Described by Frank Nugent as “the most prolific and famous of all the golden age Alpine pioneers,” Edward Whymper was a great admirer of Reilly, describing him as “a man of wonderful determination and perseverance.” Whymper was obsessed with making a successful climb of the Matterhorn and invited Reilly to join him. “He (Reilly) entered heartily into my plans and met me with a counter proposition - namely that I should accompany him on some expeditions which he had projected in the chain of Mont Blanc.” Whymper agreed to this proposal and urged him to write a paper on his surveying work. Entitled “A Rough Survey of the Chain of Mont Blanc,” the paper was read by Reilly to the Alpine Club on May 3rd, 1864 and was published in the first edition of The Alpine Journal later that year.

The summer of 1864 saw Reilly back in the Alps completing his map revisions and climbing with Whymper. His guide for the climbs was Francois Couttet, while Whymper was guided by one of the greatest of Swiss guides, Michel Croz. Also along was English golden age pioneer A.W. Moore. He joined Whymper and Moore in Chamonix on July 4th and on July 6th, they made an attempt on the Aiguille d’Argentière from the Col du Chardonnet. They found themselves at the mercy of a strong wind that soon had them frozen and blue lipped. Moving towards Chamonix they found themselves out of the wind and noticed another branch of the glacier close to the top of the Argentière. They turned round and started an ascent, with Cruz cutting 700 steps to reach the ridge, which they followed to within 75m of the summit (250 ft). After that, however, they found more problems - encountering hollow, layered ice and a fierce wind. Whymper suggested going down and Reilly agreed. They descended and crossed the Chapeau Glacier to spend the night at Montanvert.

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The following day they ascended to the top of the Couvercle where there was a large plateau on which they spent the night, with Reilly feeling extremely cold and unable to sleep. On July 8th, they set out at 5.30am, zigzagging across the slopes of the Glacier de Talèfre towards the foot of the Aiguille de Triolet, where they ascended steep, frozen avalanche debris to reach the Col at 7.30am. After a break for food, they descended the steep ice and projecting rocks as far as the Glacier de Triolet, cutting steps from rock to rock. Continuing down the slopes they encountered more bergschrunds (crevasses) than Reilly had ever seen together in one place.

Each one had to be jumped across or crawled over, around, or down. It “made their life a burden.” After more than eight hours they reached the snout of the glacier du Mont Dolent, where they spent the night.

The next day saw the ascent of Mont Dolent, with the party moving across moraines, ice and a small crevasse followed by a climb up a wall of snow to a ridge which led to the summit. Reilly described the summit as “a miniature Jungfrau, a toy summit - you could cover it with your hand.”

They were at the point where the frontiers of Italy, Switzerland and France meet. Reilly described the superb views “which have all the superiority of a picture grouped by the hand of a master, over the wild chaos of rock and snow which comprises many mountain views....Passing from the chain itself to more distant mountain systems, the view itself is as extensive, and far more lovely than from Mont Blanc itself.” He observed the snowy Monte Rosa contrasted by the black rock of the Matterhorn and all the distant ranges of French, Italian and Swiss Alps. They descended by the same route to Val Ferrex in Switzerland and continued to Courmayeur where they spent the night after twelve hours of walking. This was the first ascent of Mont Dolent.

Next on the list was the Aiguille de Trélatête, which had several names and a largely unknown topography. It had three peaks of unknown height and its accurate structure and location was a key to verifying and finalising the accuracy of his map. On July 10th, Reilly and his colleagues set up a

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campsite on Mont Sëuc (Suc) for the ascent. Reilly enjoyed a swim in a local lake and wrote that the site was “a little habitation, half hut, half rabbit-burrow, constructed by some ancient berger of luxurious habits.”

They set off the following afternoon and spent the night in a tent on a plateau on Mont Sëuc (Suc) just below its summit arête. Reilly did several sketches - including one of the guides, Michel Croz asleep. Whymper also did a drawing of Reilly reading a novel. Reilly wrote about that night:

“Passed a large cave on the left but there was snow in it-sleeping place a quarter past seven-After mounting plateau after plateau and finding no resting place our final choice was at the very top of Mont Suc, just below the snow arete and at the side overlooking Gl.de Miage - mounted a few feet higher to the top, and the view of Mt Blanc would have been magnificent but it was covered with manes of bruillard (fog )- we were very high looked clean over the S ridge of the Allee Blanche, to the bottom of the Ruitor - we were just opposite a peak of dark shale which must be enormously high, & commanded a splendid view - We made a tent of our two plaids sewn together, made a brew of hot wine & cloves, and after a curious repast of bread & butter, portable soup & cloves, I turned in, and slept exceedingly well.”

They started off the next morning at 4.45am and reached the highest of the three summits of the Trélatête at 9.40pm, having previously passed over the lowest one. Reilly sketched the west face of Mont Blanc, which towered over the Aiguille de Miage. Now he could at last grasp the exact topography of the western side of the Mont Blanc chain. He wrote:

“For four years I had felt great interest in the geography of the chain; the year before I had mapped, more or less successfully, all but this spot, and this spot had always eluded my grasp. The praises, undeserved as they were, which my map had received were as gall and wormwood to me when I thought of the great slope which I had been obliged to leave blank, speckled over with unmeaning dots of rocks gathered from previous maps - for I had consulted them all without meeting with an intelligent representation of

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it....now from the top of the dead wall of rock which had so long closed my view, I saw those fine glaciers from top to bottom, pouring down their streams, nearly as long as the Bossons, from Mont Blanc, from the Bosse and from the Dome.”

On July 15th, they carried out the first ascent of Aiguille de Argentière (3,902m) by its west flank and northwest ridge. Frank Nugent has written that this ascent was “perhaps Reilly’s finest first ascent on what is now a very popular and accessible mountain.” A glacier on the southwest flank of the mountain is named in honour of Jean Joseph Mieulet, the French cartographer who helped Reilly with his work.

Whymper now moved on to Zermatt to prepare for an attempt on the Matterhorn by the Hörnli ridge. Reilly prepared to join him but first decided to see whether Mont Blanc could be ascended from the Glacier de Miage. He was joined by John Birkbeck and Michel Croz acted as guide.

They stayed overnight in the village of Bionnaz, where Reilly observed that the faces of the children “are generally decorated with a species of warpaint produced by their custom of living on black berries.” At 2.30am on the morning of August 5th, they climbed up the Col de Miage before descending onto the surface of a large glacier that came down from the south side of the arête joining the Aiguille de Bionnassay and the Dôme du Goûter. As Frank Nugent noted: Reilly “could not have avoided looking back over the full length of the Glacier de Trélatête to the summits of the Aiguille de Miage and Trélatête and admiring their unfolding beauty with the knowledge that he had sorted out their complex topography.'

They followed the arête to the top of the Dôme and reached it at 5pm.

Then they descended to Chamonix via the Grands Mulets and the Bossons Glacier, reaching Chamonix at 10.00pm. Reilly had shown that his new shorter route was viable; he regarded it as the most magnificent pass in the Mont Blanc chain, and the highest.

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The plan to attempt the Matterhorn ascent had to be abandoned when business matters forced Whymper to return to London. As a result, Reilly missed the chance to make the first ascent of the Matterhorn. Whymper later wrote, “if we had not been obliged to part, the mountain would, doubtless, have been ascended in 1864.” Instead Reilly stayed on in the Alps and did some further climbs with John Birkbeck which pioneered further new routes. The Alpine Club published his map of “The Chain of Mont Blanc” with a scale of 1:80,000 later that year. The authorities in France, embarrassed that a foreigner could produce such an accurate map of their territory, ordered the production of a 1:40,000 map of the Mont Blanc region by the État-Major. Reilly remained in touch with the French cartographers and later gave them assistance at the Dépôt de La Guerre in Paris.

On June 3rd, 1865, Reilly read a paper “Some new ascents and passes in the chain of Mont Blanc,” describing his 1864 expeditions to the Alpine Club.

The paper was published in “The Alpine Journal” later that year. He now decided to start a new survey in the Monte Rosa district and returned to Switzerland in the summer of 1865. Edward Whymper wrote to him several times, offering him advice on the best guides and porters to employ.

He also directed “the people here to let you have my properties just as I should have them myself.” Reilly began his survey work at Breuil on the Italian side of the Monte Rosa chain in July and was unable to join Whymper for his ascent of the Matterhorn.

The Matterhorn climb by Whymper on July 14th, 1865 proved to be both a triumph and a tragedy. Whymper and his party succeeded in ascending the mountain but on the descent a rope broke and four members of the expedition were killed including Michel Crox, the Swiss guide who had accompanied Reilly, Whymper and Birkbeck on the 1864 expeditions. On hearing about the tragedy Reilly made his way to Zermatt to offer Whymper his support and comfort. He wrote a letter to J.D. Forbes, giving what was one of the earliest accounts of the Matterhorn accident. Much of

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his survey work was now complete and the tragedy left him in little mood to continue the work, as he wrote to Forbes, “I have not the spirits to begin to break a lot of new and difficult ground, and I hate the sight of these bloodstained mountains.”

Reilly completed his new map in 1866 and it was published by the Alpine Club. For the next twenty years it would be considered the definitive map of the southern side of the Monte Rosa since it described the southern valleys of Switzerland's highest mountain so accurately. Reilly did some further pioneering ascents during the summer of 1866, in the company of a founding member of the Alpine Club, C.E (Charles) Mathews. Mathews, with whom he later shared rooms in London, said of Reilly, “No mountaineer was ever better known in the valley of Chamonix; he had been seven times to the top of Mont Blanc, and there were few of the guides and porters of the district who had not at some time or other been employed by him.”

THE FINAL YEARS: WESTMEATH, LONDON, AND WICKLOW

Reilly did little climbing over the next three years. He returned to his home in Westmeath and his name is listed among the members of the Westmeath Grand Jury and among those supporting the work of the Westmeath Protestant Orphans’ Society. But these were turbulent times in the county.

Agrarian violence was widespread and there were numerous attacks on landowners, their agents and others, by secret societies such as the Ribbonmen. Such was the level of violence that the whole county was put under martial law in 1871. Reilly may have felt vulnerable, at any rate, in 1871 he left Westmeath and settled in London. He loved the arts, particularly theatre, and attended many cultural events, as well as reading widely. He also attended meetings of the Alpine Club where he was immensely popular. In 1874, he was offered the Presidency of the Society, but to the regret of many, he declined the honour, feeling that his powers as a speaker and as a Chairman were inadequate for the position.

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His climbing career was curtailed after 1869 when he suffered a serious knee injury in a road accident in Geneva. He had made his seventh ascent of Mont Blanc shortly before the accident. However, he did manage to climb Mounts Vesuvius and Etna on a trip to Italy in 1873. He did these climbs in the company of George Forbes, the son of his old friend and mentor, J.D. Forbes. He also brought George to Chamonix to see the glaciers that his father had studied. Making himself available to accompany Forbes was typical of Reilly’s generous nature. C.E. Mathews wrote of him:

“Reilly was unselfishness personified. I remember an occasion when he met an absolute stranger at a friend’s house high amongst the mountains. The stranger being taken ill was ordered home without delay. Reilly generously offered to accompany him, and took care of him as far as Geneva, but there being no improvement, accompanied him to Paris, then to Calais, and at last to Dover; and when he delivered the sick man to the care of his friends and not till then - did he return to the Alps. Such an act of sterling kindness must be recorded, for how many mountaineers are there of whom such a tale could be told?”

Mathews also recalled how popular Reilly was in the Alpine region. He recounted how, on a summer evening’s walk from Châtelard to Chamonix “almost every man, woman, and child we met had a pleasant smile for him and a ‘bonsoir, Monsieur Reilly’.”

French surveyors wished to acknowledge Reilly’s work and his generous sharing of information with them. Several features in the Mont Blanc range including a peak, a glacier and a couple of cols were named in his honour.

Aiguille Adams Reilly (3,506m) is just to the west of the Aiguille du Chardonnet and is also near to the Aiguille Forbes, named after his friend.

In 1871, Charles Whymper published his book “Scrambles Among the Alps,” detailing his adventures on the mountains. In the book he wrote

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about his expeditions with Reilly in 1864. One anecdote gave an insight into Reilly’s character. On the climb from Courmayeur to the Aiguille de Trélatête, dense mist had confined them to their tent for a day. Whymper was impatient for the mist to clear but Reilly lectured him on the virtues of patience and engrossed himself in a novel, while smoking his pipe. Reilly remained in London for a decade. He studied law at the Inner Temple but was not called to the bar. He became one of the co-authors of a biography of J.D. Forbes which was published in 1878.

In 1881, Reilly returned to Ireland determined “to dwell among his own people.” He settled in Delgany, Co Wicklow, where he was visited by many of his climbing friends and enjoyed talking over old times with them.

Although still only in his forties, his health now began to seriously decline.

He suffered badly from rheumatism and other ailments. Visiting Reilly in 1884, Charles Mathews found his old friend coming downstairs with the aid of two sticks. He “struggled from one chair to another in his drawing room with as much labour - as he used to say - as going along a difficult arête in a gale of wind.”

On April 15th, 1885, Anthony Adams Reilly died, following a stroke. He was only forty-eight years old. He was buried at Coolbawn Church of Ireland in Co Tipperary. An obituary of him by Mathews, published in the Alpine Journal, paid moving tribute to Reilly. “I never once heard him say anything to anyone’s disparagement or pass an unjust word upon a single human being. What wonder that there should be so many who loved him so well and who miss him so sorely? He was one of the sweetest souls ever given to the sons of men; but the memory of his friendship remains behind a pure, a sacred, and a priceless possession."

Mathews attended Reilly’s funeral and wrote: “Few of his friends will ever see the runic cross, carved with Swiss flowers, that mark his resting place above the waters of Lough Derg; but as long as men love the Alps, his work

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and his name will never be forgotten.�

In May 2015, an information board detailing the achievements of Anthony Adams Reilly and including details from his maps, was unveiled by the Mountaineering Council of Ireland at Belvedere House, Mullingar - just a few kilometres from his birthplace, Belmont House.

Two humorous portraits of Anthony Adams-Reilly; proof illustrations to Edward Whymper's 'Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69' (London: 1871, p.241 Š The Trustees of the British Museum

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