At approx. 5.45pm mountain rescue services were called to assist in bringing 2 men down from Lugnaquillia.  They had become disoriented in the snow and poor visibility whilst descending.  A third member of the party had managed to descend to the Glenmalure lodge and raise the alarm.  Commnunication was difficult on the night, but mountain rescue members were quickly assembled and dispatched to the Fraughan Rock Glen where the men began their hike.

Both Irishmen were found at about 7pm and assisted in walking down.  The descent was quite slow as they were both in the early stages of hypothermia as they’d been in sub-zero conditions all day, and static above the Benleagh cliffs for several hours.  The operation was completed by 9pm with everyone safely off the hill.

Thanks go to the staff of the Glenmalure lodge, An Garda Síochána, and of course to both mountain rescue teams (the Glen team were celebrating our Christmas party at the time).

Mountain Rescue Teams ask people to ensure to prepare themselves fully when hiking in winter as conditions higher on the mountain can be deceptively harsh – indeed arctic at the moment, with the snow line extending down to 500m in places.