Sir, - May I please add my thanks, personally and on behalf of the Milton Mountaineers, to those of Philip Gormley whose letter you published on October 10th.
The Milton Mountaineers are a group of blind enthusiasts of all ages and both sexes who during the last 30 years have climbed all the highest mountains of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Members come from the south coast of England to Aberdeen in Scotland and westward to Dublin from where May Murphy and her escort friend Teresa Dolan have been regular members.
Several years ago, when the group planned the first visit to Ireland, I contacted Joss Lynam who took on all the arrangements for our assault on Lugnaquilla, the highest mountain in the Wicklow range. Joss mustered a large group of his friends to escort the blind climbers and even fixed a fine sunny day for the event!
Our next trip to Ireland was to tackle the highest mountain in the country, Carauntoohil, from our base at Killarney. Though Joss was not long back from one of his Everest journeys, he again made all the arrangements for us and travelled over from Dublin where some of the original escorts and several new friends joined us. After a late night drinking session at Killarney on the night before the climb, a group of young men went up to the foot of the mountain and built a plank bridge across a river for our benefit!
Joss Lynam is a quiet, unassuming man but has the power to inspire others to achieve great things. I speak from personal experience. Thank you Joss most sincerely on behalf of us all. - Yours, etc., The Milton Mountaineers,
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England.