Councillor to climb Croagh Patrick backwards

Ciara Galvin

A MAYO County councillor is climbing Croagh Patrick backwards to raise funds for Mayo Mountain Rescue.
Fianna FΡil councillor Brendan Mulroy was initially supposed to take up the challenge if Mayo were successful in winning the All-Ireland football final last September. However, with  the challenge gaining unprecedented traction since then, Mulroy has decided to go ahead with the climb on Good Friday, March 30.
Mr Mulroy previously completed a charity challenge on the Reek, having climbed the mountain every day for a week as part of the Seven Day Challenge.
Asked if he is daunted by what lies ahead, Mulroy said he is confident. “The Seven Day Challenge was more difficult in a lot of ways. With going backwards you’re not going to be really breaking a sweat,” he said, adding: “I’m very conscious of safety.”
Mulroy said he is not be encouraging anyone to join him in climbing the Reek backwards, though he is looking for a team of forward-walking people to accompany him to ensure his own safety.
“If I can encourage people to think of their own safety on Croagh Patrick then that’s great. I’m pretty sure running down it is ten times more dangerous than what I’ll be doing,” said the councillor, who hopes to raise some much-needed funds for Mayo Mountain Rescue, which is a voluntary organisation and help with the patrolling of the Reek all year round.
“I am in the process of putting a team together to complete this challenge. I look forward to the next few months of training and the fun and crack that will go with that,” added Cllr Mulroy.