Reaching new horizons at Connemara Sea Week

Arts Week with Judy Murphy

The first Irishman to climb Mount Everest, Dawson Stelfox, will be in Connemara on October Bank Holiday weekend to take part in Connemara Sea Week 2018.  The Belfast mountaineer is one of several adventurers speaking at the annual multi-disciplinary festival in Letterfrack, which is the biggest annual celebration of Ireland’s coastal communities.

Sea Week kicks off this Sunday, October 21, and will run until Monday, October 29, in the North Connemara village.  The programme includes a broad mix of music from top local and national artists, as well as a visual art exhibition and a schools’ programme. There will also be ecology talks and walks, sporting events, a light-spectacle and a range of events celebrating local food.

Dawson Stelfox and Galway’s own Damian Brown will be in the Connemara National Park HQ at Letterfrack on Sunday, October 28, to speak on ‘The Quest for Adventure’.

Dawson, who became first Irish man to climb Mount Everest – in May 1993 – will share his experiences and memories of the world’s highest mountain with the audience.

Former Connacht Rugby man and ultra-marathon runner Damian Browne, meanwhile, will discuss his most recent exploit, rowing solo across the Atlantic for 64 days last Winter in the Atlantic Challenge race.

Their talk will be at 3pm in the National Park on October 28. This is a free event but spaces are limited.

Meanwhile, ocean expert Simon Berrow will be among the speakers at Sea Week’s one-day conference on sustainability, which takes place the previous day.

Simon has travelled the world’s oceans studying, marine wildlife including albatrosses, seals, penguins and sharks.

A passionate scientist and advocate for Ireland’s natural heritage, he founded the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and the Irish Basking Shark Study Group.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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