Steve McClure

I enjoy walking in the Mournes but I tend to steer clear of ropes and vertical drops. The steep cliffs and overhanging crags are the terrain of choice for the climbers who squeezed into Tollymore Mountain Centre recently to listen and learn from Steve McClure, a man widely regarded as one of the strongest sport climbers in the world. Facing an audience composed of wiry individuals, more used to hanging on to wind swept ledges than sitting comfortably in a chair; the man in question didn't even look like the strongest climber in the room. Steve's ability and command of his sport were never in doubt as he took us on an inspirational journey that began with a helicopter ride to hospital after falling 80 feet from a sea cliff, landing on a rock ledge before being dragged unconscious out to sea; and ended with a flight back from Greenland where he recently spent a month ascending an immense slab of rock. The night also included rare footage of Steve's 'first ascent' of an extremely difficult rock face, dependant on handholds ill-suited to striking a match against let alone preventing a fall. The reduction of risk and emphasis on strength, stamina and technique is of great importance, particularly in the increasingly popular discipline of climbing sport routes where the climber attaches ropes to permanently fixed bolts during the ascent. The Hotrock climbing wall is the place to try this out; the MCI youth club is also based at the wall providing first-rate guidance and opportunities to climb and experience the hills; a far cry from my own introduction to climbing many years ago on the slopes of Errigal and the ominous advice " remember you will never be too tired to fall and if you do fall don't grab on to me'

Never too tired to fall
I enjoy walking in the Mournes but I tend to steer clear of ropes and vertical drops. The steep cliffs and overhanging crags are the terrain of choice for the climbers who squeezed into Tollymore Mountain Centre recently to listen and learn from Steve McClure, a man widely regarded as one of the strongest sport climbers in the world. Facing an audience composed of wiry individuals, more used to hanging on to wind swept ledges than sitting comfortably in a chair; the man in question didn't even look like the strongest climber in the room. Steve's ability and command of his sport were never in doubt as he took us on an inspirational journey that began with a helicopter ride to hospital after falling 80 feet from a sea cliff, landing on a rock ledge before being dragged unconscious out to sea; and ended with a flight back from Greenland where he recently spent a month ascending an immense slab of rock. The night also included rare footage of Steve's 'first ascent' of an extremely difficult rock face, dependant on handholds ill-suited to striking a match against let alone preventing a fall. The reduction of risk and emphasis on strength, stamina and technique is of great importance, particularly in the increasingly popular discipline of climbing sport routes where the climber attaches ropes to permanently fixed bolts during the ascent. The Hotrock climbing wall is the place to try this out; the MCI youth club is also based at the wall providing first-rate guidance and opportunities to climb and experience the hills; a far cry from my own introduction to climbing many years ago on the slopes of Errigal and the ominous advice " remember you will never be too tired to fall and if you do fall don't grab on to me'

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