Ian McKeever: Pic by Bren Whelan
A DONEGAL mountaineer has paid tribute to the charity hero and adventurer Ian McKeever who died climbing in Tanzania yesterday.
Mr McKeever, 42, was struck by lightning as he led a group up Mount Kilimanjaro. Others in the group also hit by the lightning storm needed medical treatment for minor burns and shock, but their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.
Donegal Daily columnist Bren Whelan had trained Ian when he first began learning about mountain climbing.
And he took these pictures as Ian – who took many Donegal teenagers on expeditions – learned the ropes for the first time.
“I knew Ian through my clothing and equipment sponsors Berghaus. In 2006, prior to Ian’s Seven Summit trip, Tony Brodrick of Xtreme Agencies (Berghaus Agent) set up a meeting between us to discuss some training he would need for Everest & carstensz pyramid,” said Bren.
“Ian was instantly enthusiastic, way above the norm, yet at the same time he was really keen to know where my passion lay. I can clearly remember one of his first questions, it was…’Bren what’s your real graw when it comes to the outdoors?’
“We arranged to meet later that week to do some training. One skill he needed to refine was abseiling, so I had him for a day in Dalkey Quarry in Dublin.
“I showed him various skills and sent him down a variety of long and progressive more difficult abseils, trying to recreate what he would encounter. We also discussed equipment for the higher mountains and what would work at altitude, as I’ve climbed some of the Seven Summits I was able to give him some extra insight into what was needed.”
Bren said Ian was always “thinking big”.
“In December Ian contacted me to see if I would rig an abseil for him off the M50 bridge in Dublin, it was to launch the Seven Summits Challange. I went over to the bridge and got a tour, looked at the logistics and anchor points, but alas due to operation ‘free flow’ the Garda wouldn’t allow it due to the Christmas traffic and the problems at the Toll Bridge,” said Bren.
“I had various contact with him after that, always for some new and interesting adventure that he wanted launched! It was not unusual to get a random call from some PR company who would phone and say ‘Ian Mc Keever asked us to phone you about…’ For example an abseil down ten stories into a hotel in Dublin’s lobby in front of the national media.
“He was truly unique, he was not afraid to have a go, no challange was too big or too beyond his capabilities and in recent years that has been his core message.”
Added Bren: “I’m kind of sad that I’m only really realising that now, it’s terrible how hindsight is such an exact science.”
Ian McKeever in Dalkey: Pic by Bren Whelan
