Ringtown Whitehall preparing for Knockeyon ‘Climb with Charlie’
A sense of excitement is building around Whitehall and Ringtown as final preparations are made for a special climb this Sunday of the landmark Knockeyon Hill overlooking Lough Derravaragh.
The ‘Time to Climb’ event is being held as part of the ‘Climb with Charlie’ series of events organised by retired RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird to raise funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.
A portion of whatever is raised through sponsorship and donations is also to go to a charity nominated by local man Tony Corrigan, who is living with Parkinson’s Disease. There is some understanding of Motor Neuron Disease in the area as a result of the death In recent years of local man PJ Brophy, who had the condition.
While the main Charlie Bird climb is taking place this Saturday, the Ringtown Whitehall event will see participants assemble at Ringtown GAA Club at noon on Sunday and the walk starts at 1pm.
“When Charlie Bird told Ryan Tubridy he was doing this for Motor Neurone Disease on Croagh Patrick, he said ‘why not climb a hill or a mountain in your own area? You don’t have to go to Croagh Patrick’,” says Thady Burke, one of those involved in organising the event.
“A few of us were just talking,” he continues, “and we said ‘wouldn’t it be nice to climb Knockeyon?’ a well-known hill in our own area. So we just said we’d organise a walk around that weekend, just to highlight the sort of the problems that some people have.”
As the walk is taking place on what is a private farm, the organisers first obtained permission from the Delamere family, who own the land. “When they heard what the cause was they were very helpful to us,” says Thady.
“While it’s quite close to us, a lot of people wouldn’t have climbed Knockeyon, so it’s sort of an adventure for them.”
Knockeyon may not be as steep as Croagh Patrick – but it is steep enough near the top. The payback is the views: “There are massive views from it,” says Thady. “It’s said that you can see seven counties from the top.”
On a clear day, it is claimed, the Dublin mountains are visible – and given how rare it is to be able to enjoy such views, anyone who has binoculars is advised to bring them.
Sharing some of the stories of Knockeyon and its history on the summit will be historian Bill Ryan. It is also hoped to have some music and also some prayers in memory of those who have died of Covid and other conditions.
“So we have no traffic problems, everyone is parking at Ringtown and we are walking from Ringtown to the top,” says Thady. “It’ll take probably a good hour, maybe even an hour and a half, to walk from the clubhouse to the top, and the last bit of it to most people won’t be a problem but for some who are not that used to walking it could be a tough enough climb.”
Refreshments will be served to participants on the day, and donations can be made during the pre-walk registration at Ringtown GAA club.
Mullaghmeen walk on April 2
There is also a Walk with Charlie event at Mullaghmeen Forest this weekend. It takes place on Saturday, April 2, at 11am – for further information, email mags-smyth@hotmail.com.