Mary Wilson to lead climb of famous Tipperary mountain

The broadcaster and journalist Mary Wilson will lead this year’s Slievenamon Day climb on Sunday, 19 July.

The climb starts from Kilcash village at 12 noon.

Mary Wilson, a native of Drangan, retired last year from a long and distinguished career of frontline duties with RTE. She will be welcomed to Kilcash and after opening remarks will lead the climb to the top of Slievenamon.

This year’s theme is the ‘Mountain of the Women’ and she will speak on the role of women in contemporary Ireland.

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This is the fifth year of the Slievenamon Day climb which celebrates the history, heritage and environment of one of Ireland’s most famous mountains.

The Day honours the mountain in its totality. It takes place every year on the third Sunday in July recalling the historical fact that the largest meeting every held on the summit was by the Young Irelanders in the middle of the Famine on the same Sunday in 1848 less than two weeks before the Rising in Ballingarry.

In her speech at the summit Mary Wilson will speak on how women are faring now in Ireland.

At the finish Kickham’s Tipperary anthem ‘Slievenamon’ will be sung and the climbers will come down the mountain for tea and sandwiches in Kilcash Community Hall.

The climbers will be down in good time to watch the All Ireland hurling final in Kehoes next door.

The event is organised by the Slievenamon/Kilcash Community and Lingaun Valley Tourism with support from Tipperary County Council.