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

Doss Day on Hobnail

(by Gerry Galligan, July 2010)
New-routing in Glendalough.

Last Sunday Shay and myself had a grand day dossing in Glendo. Back at a favourite haunt – Hobnail Buttress. We had studied a crack on the Pine Tree Slab last spring, one to the left of the well-known [i]Pine Tree Crack[/i] route, and we knew it had never been done. So what better way to while an afternoon, post World Cup?

Time seems to stand still at this crag. It has a spellbinding affect on you. When you’re the only party there, which is usually the case, a languorous mood takes over. Movement slows down and flaking the rope becomes an act of soulful meditation. “What time is it, Gerry?” asked Shay. “Time?” I replied, somewhat mystified. “It’s day-time, man.”

Onto the route. But first, the hard bit. Cleaning. It needed a make-over. So it was out with the machete, axe, brush and gear remover. Shay blissfully supervised while I worked. I thought, it’s funny how diligent we get cleaning a route in the middle of the mountains, especially when our homes are being consumed by garden jungles. Ah, but it’s all about priorities, I countered. Important jobs have to be done first. Soon a thin, clean crack emerged from the wilderness.

On with the climb. I geared up and hopped onto the slab. Up to a ramp and shallow recess. A few bits of gear went in and then moved onto the crack. Bridged up the overlap and worked from right to left. Then came to a horizontal crack. Inserted a nut and alien. Then kept going. Next the hard part – up the ramrod-straight crack. Only one problem though – it had bottomed out. I stuck a left toe into a dubious hold, recited a decade of the rosary and shimmied toward PT crack to plug some lifesaving gear. Moving up, our crack as good as disappeared. A hex got thrown into Pine Tree. Then wedging my right foot into PT, while smearing with the left, I clambered on. Next, the crack re-appeared. Almost there now. Then followed the climber’s dilemma: make a high-risk dash for the end-line, or suspend yourself in terror while inserting gear. Quite sensibly I chose the former. Shay was getting his money’s worth below. Steeling myself, I guntered towards the ledge with all the grace of an angry Sumo wrestler. Thankfully I was home. OK it wasn’t aesthetic, and on the style-scale I’d rate my performance 6 out of 10. But hey, it was a first ascent. A new variation start to Pine Tree Crack, and a meaty one at that. I reckon of a grade VS 4c.

Hobnail it must be said is a great place for a doss. There are enough interesting routes there to keep anyone amused, and the situation overlooking the lake and miners mess is great. It also offers an appealing, lazy walk-in. And unlike the main crag further up the valley it doesn’t make you feel like you’re climbing on the set of Big Brother. Because of this I’d recommend it to anyone new to climbing or, like us, if you just want to doss. “Now Shay, pass us the spliff. Second ascent, anyone?”
Good Times Keep on Rollin' at Luggala

(by John Duignan, April 2010)
A Luggala climbing diary.

18 April

It was crowded at Luggala – I could see below Gerry G and Sé starting Temptation; Terry was about; Naomi & crew were on H Buttress climbing something sheer; Rob and Alan McD were gliding up Left Climb Direct.

Earlier as we approached over Fancy Hill, Nature was making way for these revellers. Herds of deer peered curiously at us and then bounded away, silhouetted against the morning sun. On the descent path a screeching Peregrine circled H Buttress, drawing us from its nest, well hidden on the far side of the Main Face. A billy goat with a young kid nimbly ambled along Conifer Terrace as we teetered with care on the dewy grass.

We start with Pentax, one of the climbs Steve Young put up and still remembers favourably. Barry Denton was on his second visit to Luggala and danced up its slabs and corner-climbing. The traverse under the large roof with the view down over crag and the Guinness Estate’s manicured gardens by the lake and across to the Spearhead steparound was the finest part of the climb. The climb is an easy touch at Luggala, VS 4b compared to its neighbour Clingon / Claidheamh Solais (VS 4c full-on along most of its crux pitch), but shares many of its joys – clean slab climbing in a stunning situation.

Crevasse Route (VS 4c crux pitch) on South Buttress was our second choice. The first two pitches were a nightmare of dying vegetation – avoid them by taking the Muskrat Ramble start – but the final pitch made it worthwhile; Luggala VS climbing at its best with 32 metres of constant interest and great fun imagining some of the possible gear placements. If Heineken did climbs …

Going home across the now silent hills, the deer drifted back to reclaim their own.

This picture was taken by Steve Young on the first ascent of Pisces in 1973.
The final pitch of Pentax is in the same territory.

25 April

Back at the crag this weekend with Gerry Galligan aka Captain Heelhook. We are met with a cold wind across the lake and silence other than the warning screech of the Peregrine on our approach. Is it nesting over beyond H Buttress or trying to distract us from its nest?

Twenty feet up the first pitch of Muskrat Ramble my head just isn’t right. The next thirty feet seem equally bare of gear and the moves on the lichenous slab delicate. I’m cold and the voices in my head start up …

Moving across to another climb we pass Left Side Climb Direct. Warmed up from Muskrat, the grunty start goes easily but is followed by a lot of thrashing about on the first ramp. Rob Madden, kind soul, has generously left a Cam in place at 15 feet – perfect! The upper section of the pitch lies back and the gear is great. This 5b well-protected pitch seems much easier than the run-out 4b Muskrat start. A stunning traverse follows, past the remnants of a seriously large Raven’s nest to a hanging belay with great views of the Face. Gerry bridges and laybacks up next pitch beautifully. If this climb was at Glendalough, it would be polished and much visited.

Captain Heelhook on Raven’s Nest traverse pitch of Left Side Climb

Gerry Galligan bridging the start of the third pitch of Left Side Climb

Lunch in style at Conifer Terrace; Gerry cleverly left a bag here for a midday break. We admire his newly-cleaned final pitch of Taktix and I listen to his tales of Indian adventures. The wind is picking up and I wonder what difference it will make on the exposed route to the top of the crag.

Squawk looks an unlikely Hard Severe with its overhanging corner finish. First pitch is an easy slab moving onto a vegetated ledge with a poorly-protected belay site. The final corner – even with cold hands – is a gem with stunning holds and unlikely foot placements coming into play. Misty rain rolls in as we make our way off the climb. We laugh at our good fortune. A longer-than-usual walk out after losing the path in the mist can’t dampen our spirts at another great Luggala day. It feels more like an alpine day than cragging. Enjoy it before the midsummer midgies take over!
Good Times Keep on Rollin’ at Luggala

(by John Duignan, April 2010)
A Luggala climbing diary.

18 April

It was crowded at Luggala – I could see below Gerry G and Sé starting Temptation; Terry was about; Naomi & crew were on H Buttress climbing something sheer; Rob and Alan McD were gliding up Left Climb Direct.

Earlier as we approached over Fancy Hill, Nature was making way for these revellers. Herds of deer peered curiously at us and then bounded away, silhouetted against the morning sun. On the descent path a screeching Peregrine circled H Buttress, drawing us from its nest, well hidden on the far side of the Main Face. A billy goat with a young kid nimbly ambled along Conifer Terrace as we teetered with care on the dewy grass.

We start with Pentax, one of the climbs Steve Young put up and still remembers favourably. Barry Denton was on his second visit to Luggala and danced up its slabs and corner-climbing. The traverse under the large roof with the view down over crag and the Guinness Estate’s manicured gardens by the lake and across to the Spearhead steparound was the finest part of the climb. The climb is an easy touch at Luggala, VS 4b compared to its neighbour Clingon / Claidheamh Solais (VS 4c full-on along most of its crux pitch), but shares many of its joys – clean slab climbing in a stunning situation.

Crevasse Route (VS 4c crux pitch) on South Buttress was our second choice. The first two pitches were a nightmare of dying vegetation – avoid them by taking the Muskrat Ramble start – but the final pitch made it worthwhile; Luggala VS climbing at its best with 32 metres of constant interest and great fun imagining some of the possible gear placements. If Heineken did climbs …

Going home across the now silent hills, the deer drifted back to reclaim their own.

This picture was taken by Steve Young on the first ascent of Pisces in 1973.
The final pitch of Pentax is in the same territory.

25 April

Back at the crag this weekend with Gerry Galligan aka Captain Heelhook. We are met with a cold wind across the lake and silence other than the warning screech of the Peregrine on our approach. Is it nesting over beyond H Buttress or trying to distract us from its nest?

Twenty feet up the first pitch of Muskrat Ramble my head just isn’t right. The next thirty feet seem equally bare of gear and the moves on the lichenous slab delicate. I’m cold and the voices in my head start up …

Moving across to another climb we pass Left Side Climb Direct. Warmed up from Muskrat, the grunty start goes easily but is followed by a lot of thrashing about on the first ramp. Rob Madden, kind soul, has generously left a Cam in place at 15 feet – perfect! The upper section of the pitch lies back and the gear is great. This 5b well-protected pitch seems much easier than the run-out 4b Muskrat start. A stunning traverse follows, past the remnants of a seriously large Raven’s nest to a hanging belay with great views of the Face. Gerry bridges and laybacks up next pitch beautifully. If this climb was at Glendalough, it would be polished and much visited.

Captain Heelhook on Raven’s Nest traverse pitch of Left Side Climb

Gerry Galligan bridging the start of the third pitch of Left Side Climb

Lunch in style at Conifer Terrace; Gerry cleverly left a bag here for a midday break. We admire his newly-cleaned final pitch of Taktix and I listen to his tales of Indian adventures. The wind is picking up and I wonder what difference it will make on the exposed route to the top of the crag.

Squawk looks an unlikely Hard Severe with its overhanging corner finish. First pitch is an easy slab moving onto a vegetated ledge with a poorly-protected belay site. The final corner – even with cold hands – is a gem with stunning holds and unlikely foot placements coming into play. Misty rain rolls in as we make our way off the climb. We laugh at our good fortune. A longer-than-usual walk out after losing the path in the mist can’t dampen our spirts at another great Luggala day. It feels more like an alpine day than cragging. Enjoy it before the midsummer midgies take over!
Luv is All You Need

(by Gerry Moss, February 2010)
A Valentines visit to the Lovers Leap crag, Co. Wicklow.

What with it being the aftermath of Valentine’s Day, with the airwaves still full of romantic guff, I decided I would chance my arm and entice Martina down to Lover’s Leap in Dargle Valley on Tuesday, and see how matters developed (that’s German Martina and, for you knuckleheads that don’t know your Martinas from your martinis, being shaken or stirred is not an option).

Needless to say, it all went pear-shaped – when the lads got wind of the word, I was given the elbow, trampled on in the rush – and we ended up a party of five.

Here’s Brian making his way up ‘The Ballroom of Romance’:

The climbing on this steep outcrop, with its incipient bulges, deceptive overhangs and small incut holds, is in-your-face, fingery and oft-times strenuous, and a few hours here provide a good work-out for hands and arms. We had some lovely spring sunshine on this south-facing crag: the rock was dry and warm; the birds singing in the trees and the Dargle rushing busily along below us.

We were all impeccably behaved, except for a small lapse by Herbert, for which he was sent to the back of the class by our headmaster:

Never mind, he was soon released from the sin-bin and this is him on ‘Frost on the Roof’:

Another pleasant outing, and everyone getting along famously.
Blue Skies, Nothing But Blue Skies, All Day Long….

(by Gerry Moss, February 2010)
Climbing at Barnbawn in the early spring sunshine.

We had seven climbing on the Costa Bawna on Saturday in lovely conditions (as usual). While the weather may be getting colder here, the tempo is certainly hotting up on the rock, with all seven moving things on a bit.

This is Willie at the crux of Buachaillí Bána:

Here’s Margaret tackling McGrath:

Margaret and Martina on Bonsai and Joe leading on Buachaillí Bána:

Other routes climbed included Taureau Brun, Saw Doctors, Lineker, Cascarino and Saddam’s Rib.

All under clear blue skies.

Doss Day on Hobnail

Good Times Keep on Rollin' at Luggala

18 April

25 April

Good Times Keep on Rollin’ at Luggala

18 April

25 April

Luv is All You Need

Blue Skies, Nothing But Blue Skies, All Day Long….