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| Photo: Seán Walsh. |
The bouldering meet has been running for 8 years now and has had its ups and downs in that time. It started with a bang, followed by a lull and now is in a steady state. While the attendance is usually pretty good at the boulders not many make the effort to stick around overnight in the hut. Every year this gets me thinking about the Irish scene. Is there one? Why is it so shit? etc.
I went along to the bouldering championships in Gravity a few weeks ago to put up posters for the meet. I was amazed and disappointed at the low attendance. Granted there was loads of kids there, which is great, but very few - maybe a dozen - older climbers. It looked like a youth comp. Gravity is a great venue for a comp, there was loads of space, the problems looked great, the weather was crap so where was everyone? Granted entry was pricey (€20 online in advance or €30 on the day plus you had to join MI (€44.20), so potentially €74.20) and that is something that should be looked at.
For the last few years there has been a climbing meet in the Gap of Dunloe in late spring. There is always a good attendance from a core of Cork and Kerry climbers but again very few make the effort to travel.
Trish did her talk for the IMC recently and apparently only a few greybeards and a few neophyte students attended.
Ireland is a small country with a small number of climbers so you might expect they would be a tight knit group but it doesn't seem to work that way. Each group seems to be focused on it's own area, rarely straying far. There are plenty of events (Gap meet, Fair Head meet, bouldering meet for starters) just limping along never really achieving their potential.
In Dublin it seems that most climbers are friendly with each other, but that doesn't seem to be the case in some other parts of the country. Personality clashes and grudges while not rife definitely are common.
So what makes a good scene? Lots of friendly rivalry, active climbers, new routes, good communication, good attendance by non-locals at organised events or even just lots of climbers travelling around the country.
Now I'm not on facebook so maybe I'm missing out on loads of interesting info but looking at the others Irish climbing sites there is very little going on. There very few bloggers and very little in the way of information flow about what people are up - that is assuming people are up to anything. Maybe some of this is an Irish reticence to blow one's own trumpet. If so I wish people would get over it, it's possible to share without boasting.
Well?
Went to Glenmalure this morning. Was cloudy up in Dublin but it cleared as I drove south. There was a haze in the mountains which cleared about half way up Glenmalure valley. The sun was just leaving The Diving Board as I got there. Perfect for friction but makes for dull photos. Warmed up on the easier campus moves, first move felt easy but it took a while to sort the beta for the crux second move. Getting the sloper is ok but holding the swing takes either good core or good footwork. Fortunantly I worked out a nice foot sequence. I was hoping that once I got through the crux I might go all the way but I was a bit short of power to finish it. Will get it next time.
Checked out a boulder that has been on my list for years. It's in the lower Glenmacnass valley where the Wicklow Way crosses the river. A large log has been beached on the landing which was already sketchy. The climbing looks nice if short but I don't think I will go back.
Went out with Tim to Glendasan somehow he had never been there before. Warmed up at the Starting Block. Headed up to The Tank and tried Faith in Lichen, the problem on the left, it's a powerful few moves to get stood up and a smeary highball finish. Tried the arete right of Darkness which is in the guide as a project, not sure if that is right. We bottled the last move, it's probably easy but it is high. Tim tried the Gaskins 7b on the right. Most of it is pretty easy all the 7b-ness is in the second move.
Ped and I headed to Glenmalure this morning. Mostly clear skies, strong wind and cold air made for really great conditions. Headed up to my project and worked some moves. Made progress, have done all the moves bar the really hard one. Going to have to do some specific training for it I think. Fortunately it was sheltered from the wind otherwise it might of been a touch too cold. Next went to the 45 wall and tried the really nice groove on the right. Hard and not that long but perfect rock and very technical. Tried the problems on the 45, Ped faffed on the right hand line much to my pleasure.
Headed up the valley to check out a boulder, The Diving Board that I had spotted. From a distance it looked like it had a long thin plane sticking out from one side. It was hard to judge the scale and it was only when we got within about 50m that it became apparent that the boulder was a good size. Maybe 12 foot high, 20 long with a 12 foot long nose sticking out of its left hand side.
There is an obvious start to the roof on a good flat hold and it looked like the best finish was on the uphill of the nose where it became more incut. The sloper on the lip were generous and I started to believe it would go there and then but the first two moves were a bit powerful for my tired arms and thin skin. A lovely reach back to a small finger jug followed by a very long reach and flag from a high foot allows the good holds to be reached. Can't wait to go back and do it next time. Will spill the beans on the location once it's done.
