Sean Rothery, who died last September aged 96, was the last survivor of that small group of outstanding young men who, in the early 1950s, launched Irish mountaineering into an unprecedented period of development in rock-climbing and alpinism. As members of the recently founded IMC, Sean and his friends climbed at a previously unattained level on crags all over Ireland and brought Irish alpinism to a new pitch

Sean’s achievements tend to be overlooked beside those of his friends Peter Kenny and Frank Winder but his long list of rock-climbing first ascents over the years include a number of high-class routes in Glendalough; Forest Rhapsody, Facilis Descensus, Scimitar and Spillikin Ridge (second party), and in Donegal; Sinn Fein in Glenveagh, Firbolg and Toraigh (second party) at Lough Barra, and Rafiki in the Poisoned Glen.

 He climbed in Austria and then, in 1953, was one of a group of strong Irish climbers who climbed hard routes in the Chamonix Aiguilles. Some of their doings are described in Harold Drasdo’s The Ordinary Route. Sadly, the two friends Sean regarded as his mentors met their deaths in that unforgiving French arena; Fred Maguire in 1952, André Kopczinski in1954.  

Sean and his bride of three months, Nuala, went to Uganda in 1956 where he worked in an architectural firm until 1959. In 1957, in difficult snow conditions, he climbed four peaks in the Ruwenzori (the Mountains of the Moon) on the Uganda/Zaire border. Back home he was soon in the thick of things, leading Kenny and Winder up Spearhead in Luggala shortly after its first ascent. Sean was helpful, friendly and encouraging to aspiring young climbers.

 In 1950, he had cycled from London to Rome and back. Much later, in 1994, he completed a walk of 2,300kmsfrom the North Sea to the Mediterranean, well described in his book A Long Walk South.

His Alpine career ended abruptly in July 1957 when his femur was smashed by a large rock dislodged by another climber on a notoriously loose section of the Rotgrat ridge of the Alphubel near Zermatt. His agony, his dramatic rescue and subsequent long recovery are well described in a Long Walk South. His determination saw him back in Zermatt six years later on a Tiglin course during which he managed ascents of the Wellenkuppe, some minor peaks and the Breithorn. Led by Robbie Fenlon, and accompanied by Peter Shortt, Sean reached the summit of Mont Blanc when he was 73 years old. With Nuala and others he trekked in the Everest region in the following year.

As a young man, he worked for Desmond Fitzgerald, the architect of the much-praised Dublin Airport terminal building and was then hired by Michael Scott the leading architect of that time.  His subsequent career in architecture is hardly of relevance to mountaineers but his enthusiasm for Irish vernacular buildings and for the preservation of traditional shop-fronts is worthy of mention. He was responsible for the newer St. Michael’s Church in Dun Laoghaire.

He was a pioneer of Irish Orienteering and competed into his late eighties. Nuala and Sean completed treks in New Zealand where their daughter lives. Following Nuala’s death in 2013 he found some solace with visiting friends and at the local Blue Lamp pub where he enjoyed a monthly banter.

Sincere condolences to his daughter Finn, his sons Eoin and Colm and to his extended family. 

Paddy O’Leary

Liam passed away on 6^th January 2024. At his funeral we learnt of his many facets aside from being a dedicated climber and a wonderful family man.

In the IMC Liam was  very active, serving on the committee including a stint as President, engaging in training and a regular attendee at club meets. As a  teenager he showed his drive by finding his place on Blackrock College Junior and Senior Cup teams.  As an adult Liam was involved in Orienteering, Scottish country dancing , a member of the Guinness Choir. In each activity, he brought his good humour and a talent for making friends and giving back to others. This was a side of him that came through strongly in the tributes at the time of his death.

In his professional life as a dentist he set up Ireland’s school of Paediatric Dentistry on returning from training in America. He passed on his love of the Outdoors to his four daughters of whom he was very proud.

Climbing ‘Hyperion’ in Dalkey Quarry on the IMC introduction course had him hooked. He enjoyed trips to the Alps with Bob Norton and climbed with a wide variety of  IMC members on Meets. He loved new routing with Gerry Moss and the pair climbed together in Ireland, England, the Swiss and French Alps and Italian Dolomites – later enjoying hot rocking in Spain, Croatia, Malta and Morocco. He shared a love of climbing and orienteering with Joss Lynam and was a regularly in the quarry in later years with his good friend Bill Hannon. He enjoyed passing his knowledge and passion for climbing to new club members – as the many tributes after his death acknowledge.

 In later years , as he sadly slid into dementia, Liam set himself a challenge of hiking the highest peak in each county. It was a pleasure to share with him  his final ascent, Errigal . His quiet dignity in facing this challenge is a lasting  inspiration.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam .

John Duignan

By Paddy O’Leary

Tony Ingram, aged 88, died last Christmas Day. He participated in several significant advances in the development of Irish mountaineering.

In 1961, with Emmett Goulding, he climbed the West Face of the Petit Dru. The climb, completed in difficult conditions with little of the fairly basic equipment of the time, was the hardest alpine route done by Irish climbers up till then. It had been regarded as one of the great post-war Alpine problems before its first ascent by French mountaineers in 1952. The Irish pair’s success inspired an entire generation of alpinists from this island.

Tony was a one-time member of the IMC and of the Spillikin Club. He was a fine skier and a prominent member of The Ski Club of Ireland for over 30 years. With his wife Ann, and sometimes their five children, he spent many holidays on the slopes of Alpine, North American and New Zealand resorts. A few days before his death the couple paid a farewell visit to Glendalough, the scene of happy memories.