A mountain rescue team has warned of treacherous conditions on upland walks.
The Kerry Mountain Rescue Team has had five rescue operations in the past three weeks. This weekend, an American man in his mid 40s had to be removed by stretcher from the Old Kenmare Road, half way between Killarney and Kenmare, after injuring himself while out walking.
The Old Kenmare Road, through red deer country, is a popular walking and hiking spot. The man had been accompanied by his wife who raised the alarm.
Some 15 members of the Kerry Mountain Rescue team carried the man, who broke his femur, several miles to a waiting ambulance.
On Friday night and Saturday morning, a 12-hour rescue operation, involving 30 members of the team, took place on the eastern Macgillycuddy's Reeks when two walkers tumbled 150 feet down Brassel Mountain in the Black Valley.
The two walkers, described as "late middle-aged" and believed to be from Cork, were both highly experienced and fit. However, it appeared one slipped on rocks and both ended up falling.
They were among a party of five, one of whom had a mobile phone. The two climbers were brought to Tralee General Hospital suffering from head injuries and a suspected punctured lung. Their conditions were described as comfortable by a hospital spokeswoman.
Members of the rescue operation said they were lucky to be alive and their fitness had sustained them until near dawn when the team managed to bring them down.
Ms Eileen Lucey, of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, said the whole uplands were "sodden" and one foot on the wrong rock could cause a serious accident. Rocks were greasy and lethal and most of the accidents were simply due to the conditions.
Walkers needed to be aware of the unusual conditions more associated with the New Year than with this time of year, she said.