A mother of three who went missing for more than 18 hours in the Galtee Mountains in Co Tipperary yesterday told of her ordeal.
Ms Rita Hickey, from Oola in east Limerick, praised local rescue services who spent the night looking for her after she lost contact with her walking companion while trekking on the northern side of the mountains near the Glen of Aherlow at around 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Her male companion alerted gardaí when he discovered that she had not returned to their car, and a full rescue operation, co-ordinated by the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association, got under way at around 7 p.m.
The weather worsened overnight, with high winds and rain. The search intensified at dawn yesterday when a search-and-rescue helicopter was scrambled and members of the Civil Defence, the Tramore Cliff Rescue Group, the Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Group and members of local walking clubs searched for Ms Hickey.
The search was called off when she found her way on to a public road at around 11 a.m.
She sheltered in a wooded area overnight before undertaking a five-mile trek at daybreak through rough terrain to a road on the southern side of the mountain near the Co Limerick village of Kilbeheny.
Wet, tired, hungry but uninjured, she reached a road and met a local, Mr Pat O'Boyle, who gave her a lift to Tipperary town before she was examined by a local doctor.
Ms Hickey said she and her friend became separated in the Galtee Lakes area. "I was very worried because I did not know the route that well. I went over the verge of the hill and kept shouting for my friend to come back, but there seemed to be no reply," she said.
She walked for five miles towards a forest, but there were many gullies to cross and it was dark.
Ms Hickey, who was wearing a woollen hat, Aran sweater, jacket and trousers, said she slept for about two hours in the forest. She had a Mars bar with her and a bottle of water.
"I knew there were people looking for me because I saw helicopters fly over. I tried to beckon them but obviously they did not see me," she said.
Search dogs from the Irish Red Cross as well as mountain rescue teams from Kerry and Wicklow were on their way to the area yesterday when the search was called off. Locals said the terrain crossed by Ms Hickey was very boggy and covered an area of over six miles.
A Garda spokesman warned climbers to always carry a mobile phone and a compass, and to wear highly visible clothing.