Name: Club Climbing Night
Start: 2026-09-03T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-09-03T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Dalkey Quarry

Cruit Island – Island in the Sun (We Keep Coming Back and So Should You)
Cruit Island is one of those places that gets under your skin. Wave-washed granite, sea cliffs, boulders, the odd seal judging you from below — and routes for everyone from absolute beginner to seasoned trad climber. Yes, it can take five hours from Dublin. Yes, it is absolutely worth it.

Access is via a bridge (no boats, no swimming with your rack), and if you’re very lucky you might spot Iain Miller — who wrote the guidebook — actually out on the rock. The man is practically part of the geology at this point. Download his guide before you go.

With 9 or 10 crags to choose from, there’s genuinely something for every level. Complete beginners can get their eye in at the outdoor climbing wall or on the Minor Tridents. Those looking for their first trad lead will find plenty of friendly routes to build confidence on. And for those further up the grades, the likes of Best Poss Taste, Safe & Sound, and the iconic Cruit Crack are waiting. Some people even venture around the corner to One Move Wonder and discover there are, in fact, multiple ways to deal with the one move.

The tides run the show, so keep an eye on them — but that just means you rotate around the crags as the day goes on, which keeps things interesting.

Camping is right at the crags, right on the beach, with the landowner’s blessing. No facilities, no running water, just location, location, location — and if previous trips are anything to go by, marshmallows over a BBQ under a van awning while a storm rolls in. LNT principles apply. Camping location here.

Not a camper? No problem:
- Carey’s Viking House Hotel — right where the Cruit road meets the coast road. Pauline does group rates. Call (074) 954 3295.
- Cruit Thatched Cottages — contact Donal Ó Murchú on 087-236 4963. Likely rented Saturday to Saturday so plan ahead.
- Two bed en-suite cottage — Brian McGonagle (086 8480763) has a place ¼ mile from the Viking House Hotel, five minutes from the climbing.
- Caisleáin Óir, Annagry — about 5 miles east. The food is genuinely superb.
The nearest pub and food on the island is the golf course — a 20-30 minute walk from camp. Just long enough to justify a second pint.

Previous attendees have described the weekend as everything from “amazing” to the kind of trip where you lead something you swore you wouldn’t, halfway up it, and somehow it all works out. First-timers, nervous leaders, seasoned climbers — everyone leaves happy.

Come. The rock is sticky and the craic is mighty.
August Bank Holiday – Cruit Island
This august bank holiday the club went to Cruit Island for a meet. Cruit island is a fantastic mecca for all climbing types, from complete beginner to absolute badass.

As always getting to Cruit Island is a somewhat mammoth task (it can take 5hrs from Dublin) but worth it for the range of climbs.

On our trip we did not have any of the usual suspects (Gerry Moss, David Walsh, etc.) so the trip was a first in many ways (for me at least). It was the first time I had led any trip. First time being in Cruit without any having help identifying routes I had not done before. There was a lot of first timers there and some people got their first leads done.

The trip consisted of, in order of appearance:
1. Myself
2. Meave
3. Grace
4. Una
5. Meg
6. Duncan
7. Richie
8. Killian
9. Nicola
10. Mark (sat)
11. Eoin (sat)
On the Friday we started to arrive around lunchtime, and Meave and I started on the Albatross Zawn area, where we were joined by Grace and Una. The four of us got about 6 climbs each in on the Friday afternoon, such is the power of Cruit.

Saturday morning, we were racing the tides, so we all made our way over to the outdoor climbing wall for some nice easy intros to the rock, for people who had never been there before. Once the tides turned, we moved over to the Far West Butress walls where there were many successful routes up the Tridents (and More Tridents). Also, in a first for me, a trip around the corner to One Move Wonder, a nice V. Diff route which was fun for all in the multiple ways to deal with the one move.

Pics – Gang at Outdoor Climbing Wall

Pic 1 – One Move Wonder, Pic 2 – Tridents

In the afternoon where the tide was higher, we went back to the Albatross Zawn area to do multiple routes from there. The outstanding lead of the afternoon went to Richie, and Duncan who both led “Best Poss Taste” (seconded by Meg & Mark), while for me my nerves were tested on the “Safe & Sound” lead (something I had vowed I would not be doing the previous day, then I only remembered saying it as I was half way up).

Gang at Albatross Zawn

When the tide was a bit lower some people decided to head over and do the iconic Cruit Crack, while some others decided to head off to the beach for a swim.

Saturday night turned wet and windy, and we had multiple conversations under the awning of Richie’s van roasting marshmallows on the BBQ.

But as can be usual in Cruit, Sunday morning was another nice morning with the rock sticky as ever. So, we went over to the Far West Butress for some of the easier climbs there. Grace did her first trad lead on the Minor Tridents while others were solidifying their anchor setups in the same area. Some were talking about doing Cave Rave, but the wind had picked up too much to be able to make the attempt, it will still be there for the next time the club has a meet up there.

Sunday evening was promising a storm (Floris) so just after lunch we packed up the tents and I started for home. Some people stayed on for another few hours to get more climbs in.

Grace on her first lead, Eoin and Nicola. All on Minor Trident

Initially, the thought of leading a climbing trip did daunt me. There were thoughts of what if it all goes wrong, what if someone gets hurt, what if nobody turns up, what if only people turn up who cannot lead.

But the group we had contained all different levels and just wanted to climb with a safe mindset. It was nice that everyone was cheering everyone else on no matter the climbs that were being done, there was no pushing to up the grade for the sake of it. Just extremely good company for the weekend.

I would urge anyone who is contemplating leading a trip, and have the same thoughts I had initially, to please ignore them even if you only get 3 or 4 others to join it is well worth organising a trip you will get a lot of joy out of it and so will the people you get to join you. Who knows you may even extend your climbing partners to allow you to get out even more.
Owey and the Cruit Itch

(by David Craig, July 2009)
New-routing on Owey Island, Co. Donegal

Síle and myself travelled to Owey Island for the joint IMC and Colmcille climbers meet. As Gerry described in his article it is a wonderful place to visit but the climbing requires a bit of caution. On the Saturday, as Gerry Niamh and Michael climbed on the Northern end of the island, we partook of an established route on the eastern side in a small bay bound all around by steep cliffs. The route, Call Me Ishmael, was a very pleasant crack that seems to be fairly popular, that is at least three other parties had climbed it since it was put up and possibly more, which amounts to heavy traffic in these parts!

As I sat on the belay while Síle climbed, my eyes could not help but wander over to a crack in the opposing wall. It dropped like a plum line splitting a 30m wall in two and, as we were on the only recorded route in this particular bay, seemed to be up for grabs. An hour or so later I found myself struggling in what looked like the crux of the climb, which I eventually passed to a poor rest at a small overlap and a solid wire. Above me was a stack of juggy looking flakes that appeared to offer an easy layback to the top, however in a moment of uncharacteristic intelligence I gave them a tap before I started to swing out of them. I’m still not sure exactly how these flakes are attached to the wall but thankfully they still are as I decided to swing out of the wire I had just place and deeming discretion to be the better part of valour beat a hasty retreat. Or as Síle describes it, came down gibbering with my knees knocking and my knickers ringing.

There seems to be a huge amount of unclimbed rock on Owey but as you may have guessed by now some cleaning would be required. I can think of worse ways to spend a weekend though, than cleaning and hopefully climbing a route on this very pleasant island and intend to return soon for the rematch (after softening the opponent up a bit by removing the flakes), just as soon as my knickers dry out.

On the slightly less adventurous side of things, a worthwhile alternative if you decide Owey is not your cup of tea, is Cruit island which offers some nice climbing on clean wave washed granite. The routes are short, 10 to 15 meters, but the angle gives you a bit of a workout and there is plenty of potential for new routes. Traderg bay has been developed on the Southern side by local climbers and the Northern side by our own Gerry and Liam. Details can be found on the Colmcille Climbers website in the Donegal guide book section. Sile and myself added some new routes to both areas recently details of which are below.

Albatross Sea Wall

Consolation Prize ,&nsbp;VS (4c)
David Craig and Síle Daly 25/06/09
The crack between Faithless and Kickapoo climbed using holds on the arête.

Traderg Wall area – Tráthnóna Wall

Two Ends of a Middle  HVS (5a)
David Craig and Síle Daly 24/06/09
The first crack in the bulging wall between Iron Man and Joe L’s Jaunt. There are two variations possible, the start is the crux for both. Strenuous moves gain a good ledge to the left of where the crack forks. The left fork can be climbed easily or the right with a tricky move through a bulge near the top. Most tides.

Seggílegge  VS (5a)
David Craig and Síle Daly 24/06/09
The crack to the right of Two Ends of a Middle. The start is the crux. Either make a difficult move off the ground to gain a jug or simply jump up. Climb the crack to the top making copious use of the flake crack to the left. May feel difficult to the vertically challenged! Most tides.

Trio  VS (5a)
David Craig and Síle Daly 24/06/09
A right to left diagonal of the wall. Start as for Seggílegge, gain the flake crack and move up and left into Two Ends of a Middle right hand finish. At a horizontal break, move left into the left hand finish and continue up this.

Grease Lightning  VS (4c)
David Craig and Síle Daly 24/06/09
The crack to the right of the top part of Maamturks Man, climbed from sea level. Low to mid tide.

Grease Lightning and Croithlí Dáithí

Croithlí Dáithí  E2 (5c)
David Craig and Síle Daly 24/06/09
The crack to the right of Grease Lightning. Climb strenuously to a cramped ledge up on the left. Step right and gain the good platform above. Climb the wall to the right of the corner and exit via the small chimney. Low to mid tide.

Traderg Wall area – Poll na Caoineadh, right side

Knickers  Severe
Síle Daly and David Craig 01/07/09
Start 2m left of the square cut overhang of Traderg Tantrum at a bulging flake crack. Climb the crack and follow an easy traverse line leftwards over ledges to a prominent nose. Follow a crack above the nose to the top.

Knickers and Skidmarks

Skidmarks  HVS (5a)
Síle Daly and David Craig 01/07/09
Start as for Knickers. At approximately half way across the traverse a flake crack heads up slightly rightwards to some undercut holds. Use these to gain the wall above just below right end the long overlap. Traverse easily leftwards below the overlap to re-join Knickers near the top.

The Traderg Tantrum

The Traderg Tantrum  E1 (5b)
David Craig and Síle Daly 01/07/09
Start 2m left of The Parting Glass at a corner leading up to the square cut overhang. Climb the corner, crux, then traverse below overhang. Pass the overhang on the right via some interesting flakes and make a long reach up and right to good flake holds via obvious undercut holds. Follow the flakes back slightly leftwards to an exit at a wide crack.

Traderg Wall, right hand side

Síle climbed a fantastic line here on a wall that already hosts a couple of excellent VS routes.

The Cruit Itch

The Cruit Itch  E2 (5c)
Síle Daly and David Craig 23/06/09
On Traderg wall right hand side. Start at an obvious bulging crack to the left of Strangeboat. Climb the crack to an overlap. Mantle a jug above and make a long reach up right to a hidden finger jug. Move up to a horizontal break and finish via a flake crack on the right.

Cruit Island – Island in the Sun (We Keep Coming Back and So Should You)

August Bank Holiday – Cruit Island

Owey and the Cruit Itch

Albatross Sea Wall

Traderg Wall area – Tráthnóna Wall

Traderg Wall area – Poll na Caoineadh, right side

Traderg Wall, right hand side