Mountaineer aims to be the first Irish person to climb world's third highest peak

A LONDON-IRISH mountaineer aims to make the first Irish ascent of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak, while two separate Irish expeditions aim to ascend several unclimbed mountains in Greenland.

Anselm Murphy was the youngest Irish passport holder to climb Everest, when he reached the 8,848m (29,000ft) summit in 2008 at the age of 24 with a commercial expedition company. He intends to leave for Nepal late next month as part of an international attempt on the south-west face of the 8,586m Kanchenjunga.

The “mountain of jewels”, as its name translates, lies on the Indian-Nepalese border and was first climbed by a British expedition in 1955. There have been just 242 summits since – compared to more than 4,000 ascents recorded for Everest.

Mr Murphy, whose father is from Rosslare, Co Wexford, says it is a more difficult mountain technically than Everest, and similar to K2. His sirdar or sherpa leader for Kanchenjunga will be Mingma Sherpa, who will become the first such guide to have climbed all 14 mountains higher than 8,000m in the world if he makes this summit.

“Mingma is the driving force, and some five Europeans will be with him, including ex-RAF officer Ted Atkins who asked me if I’d like to join the group. Mingma saved Atkins’s life when he ran short of oxygen after a successful ascent of Everest in 2004, so they are very close,” Mr Murphy explained.

Two groups of Irish-based mountaineers also plan to leave Ireland shortly to tackle previously unclimbed peaks in eastern Greenland, ranging in height from 800m to 1,200m.

Five Irish Mountaineering Club members are embarking on a self-guided expedition to eastern Greenland, where there are many unclimbed peaks. The group, including Declan Cunningham, Darach Ó Murchú, Rowan Kavanagh, Sinead Pollack and Padraic Gibbons, is supported by Mountaineering Ireland, the national governing body for the sport.

A separate group with Wicklow connections is also embarking on a similar expedition, but with an experienced guide, to raise funds for Irish charity Debra. It provides patient support services and encourage research into treatments and cures for those living with the genetic skin condition, epidermolysis bullosa.

Irish climber Myles Campion, Bill Roberts, who is originally from Scotland and Greg Slingerland from South Africa share connections with Delgany, Co Wicklow. Between them they have climbed Gunnbjornsfjeld, the highest mountain north of the Arctic circle, Mont Blanc, and the Eiger. Mr Roberts, a lawyer and non-executive director of investment funds, skied the last degree to the South Pole in 2005.