Man dies climbing Mount Brandon in Co Kerry

Cnoc Bréanainn (Mount Brandon) in Co Kerry. Picture: LValerie O'Sullivan

A man has died while climbing the pilgrim route on Mount Brandon this afternoon. 

Aged 56, the man collapsed at around 1.30pm and took ill near the 10th cross in the company of four others. 

Gardaí in Tralee contacted the Valentia Coast Guard who coordinated a multi-agency response.

Kerry Mountain Rescue and Dingle Coast Guard were tasked to the rescue effort including the Rescue 115 helicopter from Shannon. 

Poor conditions and low visibility meant the helicopter was not able to reach the man. 

The man's fellow mountaineers administered CPR until after 3.30pm when members of the Dingle Coast Guard arrived on the scene. 

The man was declared dead at the scene and his body was transported to the base of the mountain by Dingle Coast Guard with the assistance of Kerry Mountain Rescue. 

Ambulance services then took the man's body to the mortuary of Kerry University Hospital where a post mortem will take place. 

The cause of death has not been confirmed. Throughout the response from rescues services conditions on Mount Brandon were described as extremely poor. 

A man in his eighties is recovering after being rescued from Carrauntoohil in County Kerry this evening.

At 6pm, Valentia Coast Guard was notified that the climber needed medical assistance.

Kerry Mountain Rescue assisted the man who is understood to have suffered from exhaustion.  

Rescue Helicopter 115 was tasked and it landed at the Hag's Glen at 7pm.