2013 Art O'Neill Challenge

mr spuckler

i've only come across this event now...is what i'm reading correct, in that there are no more places available?

Donny5

mr spuckler wrote: »

i've only come across this event now...is what i'm reading correct, in that there are no more places available?

Yeah, the numbers were limited by the National Park.

mr spuckler

cheers donny, is the message on the front page of their site stale or will there actually be an update this friday?

"We are desperately trying to get an increase and will announce the ultimate decision on Friday. "

Donny5

mr spuckler wrote: »

cheers donny, is the message on the front page of their site stale or will there actually be an update this friday?

"We are desperately trying to get an increase and will announce the ultimate decision on Friday. "

I'm pretty sure that was posted last week, so Friday has come and gone.

loobylou

The AON website has been updated, looks like the numbers allowed will not be increased.
http://www.artoneillchallenge.ie/
Shame really, was looking forward to it.

Gravale

Gather a few friends with navigational skills and hillwalking/running experience and do it yourselves - but NOT on the same night as the official event.

Donny5

Gravale wrote: »

Gather a few friends with navigational skills and hillwalking/running experience and do it yourselves - but NOT on the same night as the official event.

Well, people doing this will probably put the last nail in the Art O'Neill coffin, but from a different source. The course goes through private land, who allow the Art Challenge guys to go through it, but if people start doing it themselves whenever they like, that'll probably make them less amicable.

That said, I don't really mind if the organized challenge is no longer run, seeing as, like you say, we can just do it, and it's not like Art wasn't known to break a law or two.

Micilin Muc

Donny5 wrote: »

Well, people doing this will probably put the last nail in the Art O'Neill coffin, but from a different source. The course goes through private land, who allow the Art Challenge guys to go through it, but if people start doing it themselves whenever they like, that'll probably make them less amicable.

That said, I don't really mind if the organized challenge is no longer run, seeing as, like you say, we can just do it, and it's not like Art wasn't known to break a law or two.

I don't think Gravale meant going through private land, as anyone with navigational skills and hillwalking/running experience will know not to go through private land when access hasn't been given beforehand. There is only one section that goes through private land, and it is totally avoidable, although with a longer detour.

Gravale, how many times have you walked the entire route now?

Donny5

Micilin Muc wrote: »

I don't think Gravale meant this, as anyone with navigational skills and hillwalking/running experience will no not to go through private land when access hasn't been given beforehand. There is only one section that goes through private land, and it is totally avoidable, although with a longer detour.

Gravale, how many times have you walked the entire route now?

Yeah, that's fair enough. The challenge is on my to-do list and I think I'd prefer to do it unsupported or outside of an organised event. I get that the ultra runners are greatly helped by not having to carry food, but for a walker (as I'd be) there shouldn't be any difficulty is carrying whatever you need for one day on the hills.

Gravale

There is only one area (the fields after Kilbride) which needs to be avoided - and it can be by taking the road around to Ballysmuttan. The other area (the fields on the west side of the Glenbride Valley leading down to Ballinagee Bridge) can be avoided by taking the route on the east side leading down to the Ballinagee forestry. Problem solved!

mr spuckler

when you say it's on your to-do list donny, do you mean as a daytime or nighttime hike? since i came across it the other day, myself and my mates have been trying to figure out if we could do it ourselves.

Gravale

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Gravale, how many times have you walked the entire route now?

26 at the last count.

Donny5

mr spuckler wrote: »

when you say it's on your to-do list donny, do you mean as a daytime or nighttime hike? since i came across it the other day, myself and my mates have been trying to figure out if we could do it ourselves.

I'd be looking to do the same midnight start from Dublin Castle in January. I'm thinking about trying it next year, or maybe this December just before Christmas.

Gravale

In the spirit of the event I always start at midnight from Dublin Castle. The advantage in doing that is that when you finish in Glenmalure you can climb over the hills to Glendalough and get the St. Kevin's bus at 4.30pm back to Dublin. No fussing with arranging transport at all!

loobylou

Gravale wrote: »

Gather a few friends with navigational skills and hillwalking/running experience and do it yourselves - but NOT on the same night as the official event.

In a bit of a bind. My wifes entry was accepted, mine wasn't. (Guess she was entry no. 200). So, either I walk with her "unofficially", or we both give up on the idea and waste €100+.
She won't do it on her own.
BTW Have a look at the sort of damage being done to the Wicklow hills by another state agency http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056810195
Sort of puts this decision in perspective.

Donny5

loobylou wrote: »

In a bit of a bind. My wifes entry was accepted, mine wasn't. (Guess she was entry no. 200). So, either I walk with her "unofficially", or we both give up on the idea and waste €100+.
She won't do it on her own.
BTW Have a look at the sort of damage being done to the Wicklow hills by another state agency http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056810195
Sort of puts this decision in perspective.

Well, that damage, if it is done by the DF, is in the artillery range, which is their land set aside for training and firing. The new signs are being put up because the old ones apparently weren't sufficient since people would ignore them.

ThisRegard

A google didn't give me the answer but does anyone know whom Billy Byrnes gap is named after?

Gravale

Billy Byrne led the second Battle of Arklow which took place during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. On 9 June a force of United Irishmen from Wexford, estimated at 10,000 strong, launched an assault into County Wicklow in an attempt to spread the rebellion and to threaten the capital of Dublin.

ThisRegard

I knew if someone had the answer it would be yourself! Thanks.

Poc ar Buile

Just looking at the route info on the website. It says that CP1 is Kilbride Army Camp and then the route will be marked as far as Ballysmuttan Bridge due to the private lands. BUT looking at the Garmin routes and race reports, CP1 was at Kippure House previously and the runners re-joined the road a little south of Ballysmuttan Bridge. Does anybody know which route will be run this time round? Or I'm I missing something here?

Gravale

The route which was followed last year entered some fields a few kilometres after CP1 at Kilbride Army Camp. The exit from these field left the participant abour five minutes from Ballysmuttan Bridge.

The year previously CP1 was at Kippure House. From Kippure House the route went over Ballinabrocky Mountain and down to the road leading to Ballylow Bridge and around to Ballynultagh Gap.

These are the two routes. I don't know what route they'll be doing in January. It may not be either of them.

See the two routes here:

CP1 - Ballynultagh.jpg The route via Kippure House and Ballinabrocky Mountain

Kilbride-B'nultagh.jpg The route via the fields and Ballysmuttan Bridge

Poc ar Buile

Thanks for clearing that up Gravale!

Gravale

I've added the maps to the post above.

Enduro

I think they will be using last year's route, but with CP1 moved closer to the end of the road.

Gravale

So do you reckon we'll still be using the same fields to get to Ballysmuttan Bridge?

McWotever

Got this reply from the parks that I sent on the 14th November


Dear Sir,

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your recent e-mail. Kindly note, the organisers of the Art O'Neill Challenge have sought a review of the grant of permit associated with the proposed 2013 event. This is under active consideration and it is anticipated that a final decision will issue to the applicants in due course.

Regards,

Paul McMahon,

Parks and Reserves Unit,

National Parks and Wildlife Service,

aigster

McWotever wrote: »

Got this reply from the parks that I sent on the 14th November


Dear Sir,

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your recent e-mail. Kindly note, the organisers of the Art O'Neill Challenge have sought a review of the grant of permit associated with the proposed 2013 event. This is under active consideration and it is anticipated that a final decision will issue to the applicants in due course.

Regards,

Paul McMahon,

Parks and Reserves Unit,

National Parks and Wildlife Service,

Does that mean race in jeopardy ?... Or just the addition of numbers unlikely ?..

Kurt Godel

It's a bit sh*tty that the organizers of this for-profit race are encouraging would-be entrants to write and email to the National Parks looking for more places. The NP&WS do a great job of controlling access to sensitive areas- every other organization who holds races/treks in the Wicklow mountains respects their judgements on number caps. It's for good reason; several hundred people trekking the same route at the same time means a brand new path will be ploughed through a wilderness area. If the NP&WS decided on a cap, the organizers should respect that, rather than encouraging people to help maximise their profits (the race was originally held to support an individual charity; thats not the case anymore).

A better course of action would be to encourage self-motivated groups for the 364 other nights when people can do this route themselves (free of charge, and timed to coincide with a full moon if you like).

nerraw1111

I'd be surprised if the motivation behind looking for an increase is down to profit. After all, the first race was for charity.

And to be fair, they are encouraging people to run the route, just not on the same day.

There will always be the access vs conservation debates.

Someone got off the arse and decided to put on a race, and it may not be down to simply making money. No problem with someone getting a bit of money in return for their time and effort.

Be interesting to see what happens in 2013 re access to mountains.

I do agree it's good to see NPWS being proactive and actually caring about the areas.

Gravale

For those of you doing the AON in January but NOT on the night of official event, you might be interested to know that the only full moon will be on Sunday the 27th January. There will be absolutely no moonlight on the night of the Challenge, but there will be a half-moon on Friday 4th and Sunday 20th.