A Galway man who died in a fall after the annual Maumturks Walk at the weekend had been instrumental in ensuring the safety of over 200 participants.
Mr Michael Crosby, of Peterswell, Co Galway, was a father of two and member of the Galway Radio Club. He had provided radio cover at Leenane Hill, the final check point on the arduous walk, throughout Saturday for the walk organisers, NUI Galway Mountaineering Club.
Only when all 209 participants were accounted for did he leave to make his way down from the mountain. He was in the company of several members of the university club when he slipped and fell about 50 feet. As he had been carrying the radio and mobile telephone, his companions raised the alarm with torches.
Galway and Mayo mountain rescue teams took part in the search, and Mr Crosby's body was eventually found by Mayo Mountain Rescue. It was taken by stretcher to a point where the Shannon-based IMES helicopter could airlift it out.
Mr Ronan Concannon, captain of NUI Galway MC, expressed sympathy to Mr Crosby's family yesterday and said that it had been a tragic accident. Mr Crosby had completed the Maumturks walk for the past four years, and had been very instrumental in the safe organisation of the event, he said. In 26 years of the walk, this had been the only fatality.
