The Magnetic North

• Six Great Alpine North Faces
• The North Ridge of Everest

To help raise funds for the new Mourne Mountain Rescue Team base the mountaineer Dawson Stelfox will give an illustrated talk about climbing on the great Alpine North Faces and the Irish Everest Expedition of 1993 which enabled him to become the first Irish man to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Dawson has been exploring the hills sincehis school days and has climbed in ranges all around the world. He was a leading light in Queens University Mountaineering Club both as a climber and an organizer, skills which were to stand him in good stead for future expeditions. In the Eighties he qualified as an Alpine Guide and during that time tackled the great North Faces of the Alps including the most famous of them all – the Eiger.

Trips to the Himalayas were to follow culminating in the Irish expedition to the North Ridge of Everest in 1993 and the successful ascent of it.

Throughout his life Dawson has also been involved in the more mundane but non the less essential work of Mountaineering Ireland in representing the interests of all hill users, adapting to changing times and protecting our hills from all manner of outside pressures.

He will be joined by his good friend Paddy Mallon who will host the evening and Jim Brown the organizer of the Mourne Mountain Marathon (and recent bard) who will recite a few poems from his Shoe Box collection! There will also be a tribute to the late Denis Rankin and the challenging Denis Rankin Round created in his memory.

The evening will start at 19.30 and there will be an interval for tea and coffee and a chance to chat.