SIX DONEGAL men beat a record set in 2006 for climbing 26 peaks in 32 counties when they finished at the foot of Errigal mountain in Co Donegal on Thursday night.
The team of middle-aged men from the Dunlewey, Dunfanaghy and Falcarragh areas started their climb in Mayo at 5am on Monday and travelled through the 32 counties taking in 26 peaks in a record 87 hours and 50 minutes, beating the previous record of 98 hours and 45 minutes hours set in 2006.
Climbers Martin Rochford, Séamus Cannon, Paddy McGeady, Michael McGeady and Kevin Kiely and driver Manus Mooney decided to undertake the challenge to raise funds for Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin.
Their most gruelling climb was Ireland’s highest peak at Carrauntoohil in Kerry on Monday, which took them three hours and was one of five mountains that day.
On Wednesday they scaled 10 peaks starting in Dublin after 8am and finishing in Armagh at 3am Thursday.
On the final day (Thursday) they climbed peaks in counties Louth, Down, Antrim, Tyrone and Derry, before finishing at Mount Errigal (751m) in Co Donegal just before darkness fell, where family and friends gathered to greet them.
Overall they climbed mountain heights totalling 9,738 metres and their overall climbing distance from the base of their first mountain in Kerry on Monday to the base on Errigal on Thursday night was 129 kilometres.
They also clocked road distance of over 2,000 kilometres.
Speaking to the media as they completed their challenge, Michael McGeady said it was tiring but a rewarding experience.
“It was a long few days with a lot of climbing and travelling but we are delighted to have completed it in such good time. We can do with some sleep and rest now for a few days. It was a good team effort and for a good cause,” he said.
There are just 26 peaks in the 32 counties as some counties share a highest point.