From KLASS KONNECTIONSSunniva Ní Raghallaigh and Emma Prendiville The Nosey ParkerMeánscoil na Toirbhirte, Co Kerry
Clare O'Leary by Sunniva Ní Raghallaigh
Clare O'Leary, the first Irish woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest - in 2004, as part of the Seven Peaks Challenge - is my second cousin. Originally from Bandon, she now lives in Clonmel, where she is a medical doctor. I asked her a few questions about mountaineering and herself.
What qualities do you need to be a good mountaineer?Endurance is one of the main strengths you need for high-altitude walking. Mount Everest took 56 days to climb!
Can you fill me in on what the Seven Peaks Challenge is about?It's reaching the summit of the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
What has been your most frightening experience while mountaineering?This guy who was on our team got bad altitude sickness, which is severe swelling of the brain, and was minutes from death when he was rescued by a helicopter. He was extremely lucky that it wasn't too cloudy for him to be rescued.
What has been your most difficult climb so far?It was a technical climb in the Himalayas. It took three weeks and I was on my own with a Sherpa who only had a little English, so it was difficult to find motivation.
Do you get anxious coming up to a big climb?You are very aware of how dangerous it is going to be, as one in 10 people die on the way up Mount Everest. It was very upsetting when a guy in the team next to us died on the way up, because you get to know everyone on the other teams.
Which has been your favourite climb so far?The most beautiful climb I've been on was the climb in the Himalayas. As you trek in towards the mountain the beauty of the place really takes your breath away.
Gregory Peck by Emma Prendiville
Gregory Peck is my grandfather's third cousin. He was born on April 5th, 1916, in La Jolla, California. At the age of five Gregory's parents divorced, and he was then raised by his grandmother Catherine Ashe, who was closely related to Tomás Ághas, an Irish patriot of my parish.
Gregory Peck attended the college of Berkeley as a pre-med student majoring in English. Gregory struggled to pay his yearly tuition fee of $26; therefore he helped out in the kitchens in exchange for his meals. He later said: "It was a very special experience for me and three of the greatest years of my life. It woke me up and made me a human being."
One of the many movies that Gregory performed in was the adaptation of the astounding To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which we are now studying in class. Gregory had the role of the very influential character of Atticus Finch, a lawyer and widowed father in the Deep South. For this role he was awarded with an Oscar in 1963, an outstanding achievement.
Before his death, in 2003, Gregory was offered the role of Grandpa Joe in the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - my favourite movie. Unfortunately, he died before he could accept it.
To finish off I would like to make you aware of the words of a wise and, in my opinion, a true Hollywood star: "You have to dream, you have to have a vision and you have to set a goal for yourself that might even scare you a little because sometimes that seems far beyond your reach. Then, I think, you have to develop a resistance to rejection and to the disappointments that are sure to come your way."
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