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.
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:
Myself
Meave
Grace
Una
Meg
Duncan
Richie
Killian
Nicola
Mark (sat)
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.
Malinbeg Climbfest May 2025
Any wild camping climbing meet, to succeed, has a better chance in good weather.
We had that, this MayDay Bank Holiday Weekend 2025 in Malinbeg in Donegal. It was wall to wall blue skies the entire weekend. Add in it was a famous CCC (Colmcille Climbing Club ) Climbfest event so that there were climbers of all sorts and shapes and sizes everywhere, an eclectic lot to handle our gamey gang of a dozen or so IMC types, all important portaloos so the wild camping was a tiny bit tamed, a book launch (the 100 Best Classic Ulster Routes), craic, trumpets, and bonfires.
After all that there is the Malinbeg scenery, the solid rock, the good protection, and more V.Diffs than you could shake a stick at. I believe that those seeking harder routes found them too. But I have a sense that the best part of this past weekend was the promotion of everyone’s skillset, the beginners, improvers, aspirant leaders, switchers to trad, and elder lemons conquering old fears (me, personally, I admit, I slayed a dragon). Really good “club” stuff.
We are a competent lot. I gave a “know your crag” walk / talk first thing Saturday morning, and that was that. Nobody came back looking for further directions that day, the day after, or the day after that. Everyone found a home, a willing partner, a mentor, whatever they needed. Special mention maybe to John Mansfield. I believe I never saw anyone without a smile on their face the weekend long.
Climbfest 2025. The calm before the storm.
Climbfest 2025. The crowd.
Climbfest 2025. Evening entertainment.
Orca
Wee Jessie
Lord of the Flies
Crabp
Jetsam_ The Crux.
Jetsam_ From a distance. The Island and Prawn Zawn on the left, then the Tower top right.
Gannet’s Folly with Gerry Galligan leading
Mansfield the Mentor
Skippy
Slimy Bugger _ 1
Slimy Bugger _ 2
Bilbo_1
Bilbo_2
Walsh Galligan Brogan
Vincent and pupils at Hobbit Wall
Pugwash
Keel
Historical Note. Jimmy Leonard, then a landscape artist, spotted this crag late 1960s, and later when he took up climbing, as IMC Meets Secretary 1973/1974, brought climbers to this crag. Thank you Jimmy. We all owe you
Minor Adventures in June
June 1st
At the start of the month we found ourselves in the midst of a very wet trip to Scotland. A trip that was supposed to get us out to Pabbay Island but the weather instead turned us towards Skye. We spent a few days dodging down-pours, visiting coastal crags and running in the rain before a surprise dry day finds us motoring into Loch Coruisk. The Misty Isle boat does a round trip out from Elgol visiting a few local scenic spots along the way while the boatman tells a few tall tales. It’s all very entertaining, but we jump out half way at the Coruisk Memorial Hut and make our way up along the loch to Coir’ Uisg Buttress. The impressive Skye wall dominates the scene when you arrive but we head for the much more amenable ‘Paradise Found’ on the left side of the crag. There we spend a few hours glued to Skye’s wonderful gabbro. We go a bit too high on the last pitch and have to do some interesting scambling to get down to the exit, but soon find our way back to our bags. Sat above the valley, eating what’s left of our food we have a fine view of the hike out down the west side of the loch, no sense putting it off.
By the time we are crossing the river Coruisk the sun has set, we have to navigate the coastal path and one of the worlds many ‘bad steps’ by head lamp. It makes for slow going so we stop at a bothy about 1 a.m. to rest and continue the walk to Elgol the following morning in the returned and pouring rain.
Fig 1: Clockwise from top left – Out running at the Quiraing in NE Skye. Walking out from Loch Coruisk. Sile on ‘Hairy Mary’ at Elgol. Dave on ‘Gorbachev’ at Staffin slips. Sile topping out at Diabeg main crag.
June 4th
We have moved further north in the hopes of climbing in the Torridan area. Not a chance, you can’t even see the hills for the inclement weather. Instead we park the van in Diabeg near a coastal crag. Sile knocked off the area classic the day before (‘The Pillar E2 5b’) and we spend that day and the next grabbing a few routes on the Diabeg main crag between showers. It’s a nice crag, gneiss, and as soon as it stops raining you can climb.
June 8th
We are making our way back down to Stranraer to get the ferry home and stop at a small crag in Galloway. The guide book misleads us on the approach so we are late arriving and only climb one route before the evening midges chase us off.
June 12th to 19th
Back at home I spend a few evenings in Dalkey to try keep fitness up, though it’s hard to be motivated for the quarries particular delights after sampling Scottish rock.
June 22nd
Up in Donegal, a group of 10 or so are camped on Cuit Island. Dave Madden has organized a meet to explore some crags he and a couple of others have been developing near Kinncasslagh. Sile and I spend the day exploring the outcrops, they are small but good clean granite and offer up a few gems. That evening we chat to a local climber and make plans to head off early the next morning to climb in Lough Belshade. We walk in and are greeted by the areas fantastic white granite. Unfortunately our planned route is too wet so we have to settle for one of the countries best HVS routes, ‘Classical Revival’. Who needs Scotland!
Fig 2: Clockwise from top left – Beneath on of the crags at Kinncasslagh. The lines of 2 new routes put up at the meet. Hanging out at the campsite on Cuit island. Another view of the campsite. Sile on the first ascent of ‘Ding Dong Danial VS 4c’. Fig 3: Starting out on the top pitch of Classical revival at Loch Belshade.
June 27th
I’m in the quarry by myself, making my way around a circuit of sorts, a mix of easy routes and boulders. Everything feels easy, my motivation returned.
June 30th
A poor forecast, suddenly improves (in the north at least), so Sile and I made a last minute dash to Fair Head at the weekend. Sunday morning finds us at Farrangandoo crag, Sile has injured her back so I am leading. We tick off ‘Dark Corners’ to warm up, eschewing its grassy start by coming in from Pangur Ban. Above the grass it offers some excellent climbing. Next we go for Crib Pad Crack Direct, I have tried it before and failed but this time it goes smoothly. I’m so elated to get though the crux that I rush up the crack above and almost fall. I calm myself and continue to the top at a less flappable pace.
Not a bad month all in all.
Fig 4: Pulling through the crux on Crib Pad Crack at Fair Head.
Malin Beg – 50th Anniversary – Trip Report
50 years ago exactly, the IMC discovered Malin Beg.
At that time all Irish climbers would go every Easter to the Poison Glen area, camping around Lough Barra, and specifically sleeping inside Gibbons’ haybarn there. Easter 1974 was very cold, snow everywhere, and Jimmy Leonard, who had introduced me to rockclimbing in 1972, knew a “nearby” seacliff where he said conditions were usually more benign. An hour away. And he was right. We liked what we saw and we made sure to go back, two weekends later, then again, again, and again.
First worked was the Narrow Zawn area, Saturday 27/04/1974, the very first routes being Shiver Me Timbers and Moby Dick, both by Jimmy Leonard and Benny Kinsella. Next day Sunday 28/04/1974 came a handful of routes on the main west face, Cutlass – my favourite, a fine route up which I was pointed by Joe Mulhall to whom I was then apprenticed – and a couple of others – Crabs Crawl and Main Brace. The Prawn Zawn area was accidentally identified a year later. After that came the South End and the island channel. The island, and extraordinary to say, Neptune’s Wall were among the last areas to be developed in that initial push. Meantime other new areas have been added, and the crag is still giving and giving. Which is just as well because the Atlantic has been taking and taking. My understanding is a big storm did terrible damage in 1988, quite literally removing many routes, including many of the first routes ever climbed there.
50 years later Colm Duffy set up an unofficial WhatsApp group for IMC members who wanted to join in a climbing.ie event marking the anniversary, and suggested going. No better man.
The usual harbour area campsite was utterly sodden when we arrived Thursday evening and my van was first casualty, towed out eventually, so we all camped up at the beach carpark area. Everyone slept in.
There was a stiff southeasterly / easterly the whole weekend, and this is the wind every farmer waits for every springtime to dry up the soil, and so it was. The harbour area dried out in no time and quickly got crowded with eager adventurers, weekend warriors all.
Friday and very few at the crag. POB and I hit Neptune’s Wall, where the only dry route was the V.Diff in the corner, then we hit the far drier Hulk Wall. Anger Management is a lovely route and far, far easier than David Banner at the same grade, the Hulk itself no easy V.Diff. We retired from the field of battle, utterly banjaxed, just as Colm arrived. The first day out climbing under the open sky can often be tiring.
Then Poots arrived. Everything changed. I’d never heard of him, but think Gerry Moss on steroids, 30 years younger, and other subtle adjustments I won’t elaborate. The joint started jumping.
He’d a 4×4 for sure as one would expect of any Northie, then a sophisticated horse type trailer he slept in with family, but, the trailer extended its own length again to provide a glass enclosed wind and weather proof veranda. All self designed and self constructed. After that was the bonfire (Belfast folk do bonfires well, you have to give them that), and multiple seating for the assembly. Not only that but WIFI, when nobody else had a signal of any description. Oh, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the crag,
Saturday was the day. Climbers everywhere. You wouldn’t see the like outside Dalkey Quarry and only then maybe on a dry Saturday in July. We got to meet and talk to only some of them – Josh and Niall from Bandit Country (they were never any more specific), Darek from Poland (who led his first climb on the Sunday having bussed here all the way from Killorglin – public transport!), Mattie from California and several other UCD climbers who didn’t self identify, and Gavin Williams who is a dead ringer for Gerry Adams, a factor about which he greatly enjoys constantly hearing and of which he never tires. Saturday was cold though, no sun, even if dry, and POB and I did little enough, a couple of handy routes, one out of Prawn Zawn that Kevin Byrne had put up and another in Narrow Zawn by Peter Gargan (that actually might be an even finer route were there some protection up towards the top?). Team Michelle and Team Colm enjoyed the Neptune / Hulk area.
Saturday night there was singing and dancing (well, without the actual dancing), around the fire, around the Poots encampment. Memorable events include sparking timber and sparkling vocals from an elderly participant who shall remain nameless, whose party piece is Scooby Doo.
Sunday started absolutely Baltic and everyone disappeared. The wind though, albeit horrible, was round to the east, meaning several parts of the crag would now be sheltered, if only at the base or halfway up. You’d still be frozen sitting up on top, taking in, but not when climbing. Poots directed things and I got talked into another day’s work. POB is a hard taskmaster.
It was only great. Only Mattie and her crew were at the crag, though Warren did later appear. Warren had suggested a quiet cove between Hulk Wall and Narrow Zawn where we’d be out of the wind (can’t be too careful at our age, he said – not quite sure what he meant). We found it, four gloriously friendly routes, the absolute bestest way to feed the inner self. A very active but totally understressed day, as good as it gets?
I spent a lot of my early adult life invested in Malin Beg. It is a wonderful spot. I have powerful memories. Routes and more routes and even new routes. At one time maybe I was its Poots, in a small way, though without the generosity. Malin Beg gets much better weather, always, than the inland county area around it, which is mountainous. Like at Cruit, things dry out quickly. Back in the day Malin Beg was a big part of annual IMC planning. Maybe it should be again.
Photos from the early days ..
Benny Kinsella, John Gibson, Gráinne Hayes and Jimmy Leonard, 27.04 1974
Benny Kinsella, possibly on Moby Dick, with Gráinne Hayes and David Walsh, 27.04.1974
Cutlass, first ascent, 28.04.1974, David Walsh leading Joe Mulhall
Sketch made 1975 of new routing by Steve Young at South End, near the Blow Hole. A different planet
Des Keena abseiling into Prawn Zawn 1977
Tommy Irving diving in the Channel 1977
Leonard’s Lament. David Walsh leading Des Keena watched by Tommy Irving, 1978
2024 photos ..
Paddy O’Brien on Carraig Úna 2024, Neptune’s Wall
Anger Management. David Walsh leading 2024. The Hulk Wall.
David Banner, Paddy O’Brien leading 2024. The Hulk Wall.
Orca, with Paddy O’Brien 2024
Big Jessie near Hulk Wall 2024, David Walsh taking up Paddy O’Brien
Pillar Squared 2024 Paddy O’Brien
Marine Express 2024. Magnificent if under protected. Narrow Zawn area.
Below Deck. David Walsh seconding 2024. Beside Prawn Zawn.
