MOUNTAINEERING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professional Nature Conservation and Wildlife Projects Specialist
Alan Lauder is a professional nature conservation and wildlife projects specialist. He has worked across state and non-governmental wildlife and conservation organisations in Ireland and the UK since 1989. Hailing from Scotland, his experience in the mountains started at the age of thirteen when he went hillwalking for his Duke of Edinburgh's Award in the Southern Uplands. While he was at Stirling University in the 1980s, he took up rock and winter climbing, with occasional trips to Wales and northern England. Alan continued trad climbing into his thirties and the onset of family life. More recently, he has been balancing a lifelong interest in birds and other wildlife with hillwalking and his other outdoor interests. Alan is the Chairperson of Mountaineering Ireland's Access & Conservation Committee.
Alistair Wilson joined the Board of Mountaineering Ireland in early 2022 and comes from a legal background. He has been a keen rock climber for over twenty- five years and enjoys traditional climbing, bouldering and sport climbing. He has climbed extensively in the Mournes and at Fair Head. Outside of climbing, he enjoys hillwalking, canoeing and swimming.
Brian Kennan is a family man with four children in their twenties. He loves the outdoors and enjoys walking, running. cycling and motorcycling. He is a very active member of the Irish Ramblers Club and is the coordinator for their Thursday Grade 2 hikes. Brian has recently retired from a career in the technology sector and happily swapped his briefcase for a backpack. He has considerable experience in team building and in transforming organisations. He is excited to have the chance to put his organisational and leadership skills to work in support of Mountaineering Ireland's hillwalking ambitions. Brian is the Chairperson of Mountaineering Ireland's Hillwalking Committee.
Caoilainn joined the Mountaineering Ireland team in 2023 in the new role of Administrator, in which she provides administrative support to the Hillwalking Development Officer, the Access and Conservation Officer, and the Administration Officer. Last year, she completed a six-month thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in the US. When she's not out on the hills, Caoilainn enjoys climbing, sea swimming, and playing tag rugby.
Job Titles:
- Child Safeguarding Officer
Catherine is the new National Children's Officer working part-time with Mountaineering Ireland. Catherine's background includes over ten years' experience working in the early years sector, both as a leader for inclusion and most recently, as a Tutor. Her current focus is to renew and build upon Mountaineering Ireland's safeguarding commitment, particularly through the provision of support to our clubs, training providers and coaches. Catherine's aim is to ensure we promote, adopt and implement an inclusive culture encompassing children's voices and their right to meaningful participation in a safe and enjoyable environment.
Christina Petris works in the healthcare industry with commercial, operations, business strategy and change experience. She enjoys working in an industry that seeks to improve health and healthcare outcomes.
Christina was introduced to hillwalking by a good friend and really enjoys getting out into the mountains. She is a big believer in getting out of your head and into your body, and feels that hillwalking has really helped her to do that. The world is a different place 300m plus above sea level!
Claire enjoys the outdoors, particularly hiking and cycling. She is always happy to combine hiking with travelling to new destinations! On a professional level, she works in the pharmaceutical industry and has held roles in Operations and Program Management. She is passionate about making hillwalking accessible to everyone and has been an active member of Club Cualann for over ten years.
Dave Ayton and his wife Caroline live on a hill in Wicklow with their three active kids. Dave has been obsessed with climbing from an early age and he quickly got consumed with exploring traditional climbing at crags around Ireland, the UK and Europe.
He is now equally happy hillwalking, mountaineering, bouldering, sports climbing or winter climbing Dave has been a member of Mountaineering Ireland for over twenty years, gaining experience and qualifications as a climbing instructor, coach and mountain leader.
Professionally, Dave has a background as an aerospace test and development engineer and as a maths and physics teacher, and he now owns and manages indoor climbing centres.
David Pollard joined the Board of Mountaineering Ireland in summer 2020 and took on the role of Chairperson in April 2022. He is a member of the Access and Conservation Committee and is passionate about protecting our mountain environment.
David has been a regular hillwalker all his adult life, having first got involved at university. He is currently an active member of both Wicklow-based Club Cualann and the Dingle Hillwalking Club in Kerry. He has walked extensively in Ireland as well as in Wales, Scotland, France, Austria, Italy, Slovakia and Iceland. In addition to being a hillwalker, David is a keen cyclist and, over the years, has dabbled in various water-based outdoor sports.
He is a scientist by training and has spent most of his professional career working in the public sector.
Job Titles:
- Founder of an Outdoor Community Siúl Linn
Elaine Nic Réamoinn is a keen hill walker and founder of an outdoor community Siúl Linn, based in the South East. She is currently a trainee Mountain Leader and is excited about her training journey with Mountaineering Ireland. Elaine has hiked extensively across the Irish hills and further afield, including completing the 4-peak challenge with 53 Degrees North, the 3-peak challenge of the UK, and Mt. Toubkal in Morocco. She has many more adventures planned, including the Tour du Mont Blanc this summer. Elaine is a brand ambassador with 53 Degrees North and is an active participant of their adventure club. Elaine loves uniting people in nature and has organised singles events, parents events, LGBTQ+ events and wellbeing events over the past two and a half years.
Job Titles:
- Member of Ballyvaughan Fanore Walking Club
Gerard has been a member of Ballyvaughan Fanore Walking Club since its foundation in 2006. Based in the Burren region of Co. Clare, the club's ambition is to encourage responsible, organised hillwalking and mountaineering activity. Gerard's experience has taken him on many international expeditions, including Mt. Denali in Alaska, Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina, Mt. Manuslu and Island Peak in Nepal, Mont Blanc in the Alps. He was the club mountain leader on expeditions to Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Elbrus in Russia and to Everest Base Camp. Gerard believes that there is a huge reservoir of knowledge, experience and leadership in the hillwalking and climbing community. His ambition is to support the progression of club networking, effective communications and information sharing among all stakeholders, to deliver significant benefits to our members and to our activity.
Job Titles:
- Access & Conservation Officer
Helen considers herself to be in the really lucky position of being able to combine her love of mountains with her work for Mountaineering Ireland. Her job is focused on maintaining and improving our ability to get access to the places where we walk and climb, and helping to protect the mountains we all enjoy. Outside of work, she is an active hillwalker, with a passion for wild and rugged landscapes, and a curiosity about all aspects of the mountain environment. She holds both the Mountain Leader and International Mountain Leader awards.
lan Lawler is a marine zoologist, whose primary adventure sport over the past forty years has been scuba diving. However, that changed when his daughter threw herself into climbing with the Dublin Cliffhangers Youth Climbing Club in 2017 and he had little choice but to follow. lan is now the outgoing Chair of the Cliffhangers, having taken up the position in 2018, the same year he completed the Irish Mountaineering Club new members' INTRO2TRAD programme and started leading trad.
He now leads at VS/HVS and he qualified as a rock climbing instructor in 2021. He has put his professional experience to good use in securing funding for Cliffhangers, who have been supporting high performance climbing for talented young climbers.
Jane has been an Outdoor Education and Science Teacher and Instructor for 30 years, and has been Mountaineering Ireland's Training Officer for the last 10 years. She is a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, Winter Mountain Leader, Summer Mountain Leader, and Rock Climbing Instructor. Jane was a trainer and assessor of all Mountain Training Climbing and Walking Awards and Schemes for 15 years. She is the Chair of UIAA Youth Innovation Panel and she is a UIAA Youth Commission member. Jane is a member of the board of Mountain Rescue Ireland.
Job Titles:
- National Programme Manager, Get Ireland Walking
Jason is passionate about promoting Physical Activity and Health. His academic qualifications provide me with a wide skillset and expertise in Exercise, Health and Physical Activity Promotion, Community Education and Leadership and Management. In my spare time between work, travelling and family, I have a fond love for walking, research and running off road on trails and open mountains.
Jim started hillwalking when he joined Clare Outdoor Club in 2005 and he hasn't looked back since. Jim enjoys the club scene, getting out and about with friends and generally appreciating the great outdoors. He has walked extensively in all parts of Ireland, including all the "County Tops" and "600m Peaks", as well as further afield with trips to the Alps, Andes and Himalayas.? As a Mountain Leader and ?Mountain Skills provider, Jim delivers both formal and informal training to local clubs. He has served on the club committee in various roles over the years including a couple of years as Chair.? During the week, Jim works as an Electronic Engineer. ??While he is settled in Ennis, most people recognise the tell-tale Mayo name that points to his home county.?
Joan Mulloy grew up in the west of Ireland, where the sea and mountains shaped who she is. She started hillwalking and rock- climbing at the age of twelve and has maintained a connection with the sport ever since.
The past ten years have seen Joan pursuing a career in professional sailing, with the ambition to race solo around the world in the Vendée Globe race. She has experience of high performance sport, as well as managing her own sailing campaign.
Living in the hills of Connemara, Joan appreciates the value of the mountains and wants to ensure they are protected and enjoyed.
Job Titles:
- Training Administrator & Membership Support Officer
Laura joined the Mountaineering Ireland team in 2018 as a Training Administrator and has since taken on new responsibilities in membership support and other areas. Originally hailing from Finland, Laura was introduced to hiking after moving to Ireland in 2002. She has since tried her hand at climbing as well. Laura is a lover of dogs, photography and a Finnish delicacy of salted liquorice, which none of her Irish friends or family have yet come around to!
Job Titles:
- Communications & Administrative Officer, Get Ireland Walking
- Get Ireland Walking in 2019 As the First Communications Officer
Linda joined Get Ireland Walking in 2019 as the first Communications Officer with the initiative. Her original career was in Television Production and she then moved into working in Communications in the charity section. Outside of work Linda enjoys walking, cycling and climbing.
Marian is from the Ballyhoura Mountains and is a member of Ballyhoura Bears and Limerick Walking Club. She spends her time hiking, reading and being involved in local rural projects. As both a landowner and an avid walker, she is interested in the future of hillwalking as a co-operative enterprise between those who own and work the land and those who enjoy leisure time in the hills. Marian believes that walking in the mountains is a recipe for peace, tranquillity and "oneness" with creation.
Mary Lally has had extensive experience in the governance of commercial companies, non-commercial State agencies, sporting agencies and charities during her career. She is a chartered director with a range of leadership and interpersonal skills. Mary currently also sits on the board of Badminton Ireland. She feels that her professional expertise and her experience serving on boards, particularly on the board of Special Olympics Ireland, where she chaired the Governance Committee, gives her a full understanding of the necessity for the highest standards of governance, regulatory compliance and accountability. Mary is well-travelled and has a keen interest in healthy lifestyles and sport.
Job Titles:
- Climbing Development Officer
Having started climbing at the age of 12, Michael has always felt a strong connection to the Irish climbing community. In his climbing career he has had the opportunity to develop many climbing areas around Ireland, establishing climbs of the highest quality, and discovering new places along the way. Be it trad, bouldering or sport climbing, he aims to further support the development of all forms of climbing in Ireland, especially in the area of high-performance youth climbing.
Murrough joined Mountaineering Ireland as CEO in 2016, having previously worked as National Planning & Development Manager for the HSE Community Games. Murrough works closely with Mountaineering Ireland's Board of Directors to achieve the vision of making Mountaineering Ireland the ‘go to' organisation and the voice of hillwalkers, climbers and mountaineers on the island of Ireland. Murrough is a keen hillwalker.
Noel Caffrey started as a very young scout, with friends, repeating and leading easy new routes in the Burren, Co Clare. He has now been involved in rock-climbing, hillwalking and mountaineering for over fifty years and is looking forward to many more years participating in the sport. Noel has enjoyed trips to the mountains of Africa, South America, Canada and Europe. Being in the mountains is a central part of his life and one he hopes to continue.
Noel says that he is now trying to retire after forty plus years in industry, so that he can spend more time on all things mountain.
On holiday in the French Pyrenees in 1990 Pat wondered where all those people were going as they disappeared up mountain trails wearing boots and carrying packs. An attempt to join them wearing trainers and without any map was not very successful - so on returning home some decent boots and basic gear were purchased. Hiking in Wicklow only occasionally over the next 15 years led to membership of Siúl Walking club in 2006 and the "real start" of his hillwalking career. Pat completed MS1 and MS2 and progressed, with his wife Nuala, to enjoy route finding and walk leading. Hillwalking has become a core part of his holiday activities in Ireland and further afield, including the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand. Pat has served as Siul's Training Officer since 2016. Retired since 2017 from a lifetime of Senior Leadership roles in the Pharmaceutical sector, Pat is interested in "giving back" where he can.
Job Titles:
- Youth Development Officer Northern Ireland
Ricky has been pulling down and enjoying climbing in Ireland for nearly 30 years. He is passionate about rock climbing and our mountain environments. He likes to share the things he's learnt, and he loves seeing people enjoying their climbing. Ricky loves his role because it gives him the opportunity to work with young people and help develop the sport of climbing in Northern Ireland.
Rita Connell joined Blayney Ramblers in 1993 and has been their Club Secretary for many years. She has built up years of experience helping to run the club and also a wide knowledge of hillwalking. A regular walker, she has visited many of the mountain areas in Ireland and Britain. Rita is a seasoned hiker, enjoys camping, and has completed many independent multi-day hikes, ranging from ones in the Alps and Pyrenees to others further afield in New Zealand, Peru, Iceland and Greenland. She is a former teacher and school principal.
Rita is a strong supporter of Mountaineering Ireland. She was Secretary from 2001-2006 and has been active with Women With Altitude since its inception. She was elected to the role of President in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Hillwalking Development Officer
Ruth considers herself to be one of the lucky ones, getting to marry her passion with her day job and having the opportunity to share her love for the mountains with others. Ruth has a degree in Sports Management and she completed a research masters on the perception of women leaders in sport. Ruth's current focus is on the development of hillwalking and supporting all our hillwalking members, and she is the staff lead for Women With Altitude. She has walked and climbed mountain ranges in Scotland, Africa, and in the French, Italian and Austrian Alps, however the Irish hills will always be closest to her heart for their rugged charm and wild beauty.
Job Titles:
- Administration Officer
- in 2017 As Administration Officer
Siobhán joined Mountaineering Ireland in 2017 as Administration Officer and also took on the role of Company Secretary in 2022. She first discovered the satisfaction of working with members, volunteers and committees who are passionate about their activities while working for the Canadian Avalanche Association in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Siobhán enjoys getting out in the hills in her native Tipperary and is equally happy spending a Sunday on a good jigsaw puzzle.