Ballyhoura Bears Walks Report - 3rd July 2011

The club has seldom been busier that at the present, partly due to the fine weather but mainly due to the increase in the interest in walking as a pastime.

Declan Clancy led a smashing Thursday evening walk out of Ballyorgan last Thursday. This starting venue presents a variety of walks to choose from depending on the conditions and the numbers that turn up. Declan is adept at adapting the route as necessary and this he did on this walk to wonderful effect. Thursday evening walks are growing in popularity and members (and non members) are encouraged to partake throughout the season.

Friday was a bitter-sweet day for the club. Reflecting on the untimely death of our founder member, Johnnie Hennessy, last year, and in conjunction with Ballyhoura Failte, the club arranged a short walk from Darragh Bridge to the Bothareen Dearg where a memorial stone, suitably engraved, was unveiled to his memory. There was a huge attendance of club members, and of friends of the Hennessy family. Tributes were paid to the memory of Johnnie and to the wonderful work that he did in the area during his lifetime by Cyril Morely and Donnacha O Murchu with Johnnie’s son, Sean making a most poignant reply on behalf of the family. The whole occasion was very moving added to by the beautiful evening (everyone concurred that this was Johnnie’s contribution to the event!) and the serenity of the site that was chosen for the memorial in Johnnie’s beloved ait duchais. Following this the club held what has now become its annual Bar-b-Que at Kathleen Daly’s in Darragh. Kathleen and Mary couldn’t have done enough for us to make this an occasion to remember, from providing their garden to serving ‘refreshments’ to supplying ‘confectionary’ and generally making us feel welcome. Three Bar-b-Ques were at full tilt providing the best of food from O’Sullivan Butchers in Kilmallock and Bulgaden Castle outdoor catering. Not to be outdone by these excellent providers, our lady members seemed to have had a private contest going on between them in providing tarts, flans, biscuit cakes, cheese cakes etc for ‘afters’. The evening was a great success thanks in no small way to our Secretary Elizabeth Enright and to the hospitality of Kathleen and Mary Daly.

Following fast on the heels of the previous evening Mike Moroney led a walk to Carrauntoohill at 9.00 a m on Saturday morning. He was ably assisted by Joan Caulfield and John Mullane. Some twenty seven bodies turned up for this event, and if there were some bleary eyes and tired bodies from the previous evening this was short lived. In his own inimitable way Mike assembled his charges quietly and firmly at Cronin’s yard leading them out on the generous start to The Hag’s Glen.  On reaching the foot of The Devil’s ladder he then turned to the east and brought us up the gentle slopes of The Zigzag. We were now standing at 850M approx on a day when the cloud and fog was burning off. There was an eerie tranquillity as the magnificent views all around us were revealed providing us with the energy and enthusiasm to push for ‘the top’. The closer we got to the object of the day at 1010M the busier the mountain became. There are so many approaches to the highest point of the country of varying degrees of difficulty that it is unusual now for walkers not to meet an acquaintance or two on the top enjoying a food break and the panoramic views that this mountain provides. Mike and his crew led us back to the comfort and safety of Cronin’s Yard by the same route. The achievement of the day was that the majority of the participants were ‘first timers’ on Carrauntoohill. Well done Mike for another memorable day out.
Meanwhile Robin Lee led the weekly ‘Beginner’s Walk’ on the Canon Sheehan loop in Glenanaar on Saturday afternoon. Once again there was a great turnout on a beautiful day. The really striking part of this walk was the richness of the flora that was all about us. The purples, yellows, blues, pinks etc all seemed to be vivid from the clement weather that we have been having. To a person everyone was in good humour. Chat and banter abounded which is always a good sign that the walk is having its desired effect – enjoyment.

Sunday’s “A” walk was billed as being a moderate walk on the Galtys led by Liz Enright. She couldn’t have asked for a better day; bright sunshine accompanied by gentle breezes and firm underfoot conditions. It was no wonder that so many turned up for this adventure. Departing from Cush Car Park she led us on to The Grassy Knoll before facing us on towards The Stony Man. That is as good a pipe opener as you are likely to get on the Galtys. Turning to the south, now, we reached the top of Slievecushnabinnia in good time. But goodness, what a view! Everywhere around us was illuminated by the bright day and as we advanced on Galtymore the vista was being enlarged as we gained height. On reaching the top of Galtymore we stopped for a welcome food break, and a chance to absorb the sheer beauty that surrounded us. How lucky we are to have all of this virtually on our doorstep. The route for the day was planned by Liz as a loop walk returning us to the start via Galtybeg and Cush. We reached our cars within five hours of leaving them – a tribute to the conditions and our leader on the day.

While this was happening Tom McCarthy took the “B” walkers  to Slievereagh from Ballinvreena. There are few people that are better qualified to traverse this terrain with certainty than Tom; he knows the place like the back of his hand, and how this showed on Sunday. Once again the weather went a long way to providing the enjoyment of this walk. The ultimate reward is to stand on the top of Slievereagh and  view the spectacle that surrounds you but especially the view through The Glen of Aherlow sheltered by Slievenamuck on the north and the Galtys on the south.
The first Monday in July is the occasion of the annual Mass on the Mass Rock in Glenanaar. The link between this event in the Doneraile Parish calendar and the club is Cal McCarthy. He makes a point of turning this evening annually into a success. Quietly he is regarded in the club as being something of an alchemist; the weather seems to obey his every wish. This was the way on Monday. No sooner was the Mass finished and the short walk back to the Car Park completed than it commenced to rain. Once again there was a huge attendance of ‘Bears’ from far and near but none came further specially for the event than Tom Kenny who arrived from London. Finding it hard to explain to his employers in the U K that he needed the time off to go to Mass at a Mass Rock, he felt it easier to say that he was going to a ‘Rock Mass’! The occasion was embellished by the arrival of our President Mikie Joe Hennessy who continues to make recovery from his illness. The good wishes of all the club members that were present for continued recovery were delivered personally on the night. It was great to see you out again Mikie and here is wishing that we will see you back walking with us soon again.

Deirdre Fitzpatrick (087 6569224) will lead the Thursday evening walk from Kilfinane at 7.30 p m on Thursday. The Beginners walk will take off from Ardpatrick C C at 12 noon on Saturday – contact Robin Lee (087 6385290). There is a mouth watering walk planned for Slieve Bearna as our “A” walk on Sunday. Contact Denis Bates (086 8047570) for the start of this walk at 9.30 a m from Killaloe U L Activity Centre. Mags O’Gorman (087 2220975) will take charge of the “B” walk from Glenroe at 11.00 a m on Sunday.