Climber plunges to death ‘in deplorable gale winds’

A 21-YEAR-OLD man who died in a climbing accident on Saturday is believed to have been blown off a ridge by gale force winds.

Darren Murphy, of School Road, Ballineen, Co Cork, fell more than 200 feet to his death on the Hag’s Tooth, a steep narrow ridge in the Carrantuohill area of the MacGillycuddy Reeks.

He had been climbing with three or four others but had separated from them and was coming back down the mountain when the accident occurred, according to Kerry Mountain Rescue Team.

The team was called out shortly after 4pm and up to 20 members and gardaí were involved in the six-hour operation.

Mr Murphy was found at around 3pm by two men who were out walking.

One stayed with him while the other raised the alarm.

“Conditions were absolutely deplorable in the gales. It was difficult to hold our balance and we were actually being blown back as we made up way up the mountain,” said a rescue team spokesperson.

“The men who found him acted very sensibly.”