Munster MPC 1997 - De La Salle Scout Group Expeditions Series

Munster MPC 1997

The 1997 Munster MPC was held from April 4th to 6th in the Galtee Mountains in Co. Tiperrary, an area which is quite familiar to Scouts from De La Salle. The team from the 7th Scout Troop which is pictured below at basecamp on Sunday morning was PL Barry O'Neill, Owen Griffin, Diarmuid Whittle and Stephen Mullowney accompanied by ASL Colm Ennis. The team from the 13th was PL Traolach O'Sullivan, Mark Casey, Brian Casey and Paul Cunningham accompanied by ASL Ian Sinnott. Tom Casey the Scoutleader of the 13th was also on staff for the weekend.

Friday nights walk into basecamp was handy enough but there was an early and windy start for the walk the next morning. The Route was changed from the one which had been originally planned and now it was hoped that all teams could take in Galtymore which is the country's highest peak outside of Kerry. However very strong winds meant that only a few brave staff members (who had to be over 14 stone and carrying a 30 pound rucksack) made it on their hands and knees to the summit. There, just below the cairn, lies a plaque which quotes a wise phrase from the Old Testement - "Get thee up upon a high mountain".

Saturday's route still took in the peaks of Ladhar an Chapaill (825m), Carraig na Binne (822m) and Sliabh Cois na Binne(766m). We dropped down along the Knockduff Spur and from there we hiked back to basecamp. There all Trangias were put into full operation in the preparation of Tagettelli, Chicken Curries, Beef Casserole and the reliable half pound of sausages much favoured by ASL Colm Ennis. Mass was celebrated by Fr. John Paul Sheridan and prayers were offered for the SICSI Scoutleader, Donal Fitzgerald who had been a familiar face on the MPCs and who died recently while on an expedition in Kenya.

The Saturday Night Scrabble Championship was particularly challenging and even after such triple word scores as "Annex" by Ian Sinnott, Mark Casey of the 13th emerged as victor. On Sunday morning the hike back from basecamp was no problem and exclusive photos were taken of all participating DLS members for this website (more coming soon!). Despite protests from some members of the 7th troop at the playing of Roger Whitaker in the car on the way home, all in all it was another great weekend.

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