Club trips are back!
Gola, with Errigal in the background. Photo: Robyn Scott
For the first time since November 2019 we were able to do a multi-day club trip. And where better than the spiritual home of Belfast climbing but Oileann Ghabhla (Gola Island), Donegal - a one-mile-square lump of pink granite steeped in history situated off the coast of Bunbeg, Gaoth Dobhair. On what other Atlantic island will you find a Marian shrine, a 9/11 memorial, a memorial to the Irish Revolution, and a Suzuki Jimny with the keys left in it that the owner allows you to use?
Although the last permanent residents left Gola in 1970, the island has quite a lot of life about it in the summer these days with summer camps, daytrippers, climbers and walkers. There is freshwater piped from the mianland and the holiday homes even mave mains electricity.
Gola was were we held the very first club trip in 2017 and is a very special place to a lot of club members, some of whom have been going there for more than 10 years.
Ten club members met up at the busy pier of Machaire Gathlán and boarded Sabba the ferryman's boat, loaded with provisions for 5 days off-grid. The crossing is short and Sabba made life easier again by offering us the use of his Suzuki to help transport kit to the campsite on the far side of the island, whereupon we set up camp and headed straight(ish) to the Inland crag to round out the first day.
A social day at Easter Wall
To the bemusement of some hardened Gola regulars who fully anticipated an authentic wilderness experience the island is now even equipped with portable loos which appear to be emptied on a regular basis. Much to the disdain of said old hands, this led some first-timers to eschew the delights of Gola's natural flushing loo situated at the end of the beach ("sh*t creek") and opt instead for the blue plastic opulent delights courtesy of PolyJohn of Indiana, USA.
Lisa at Machaire na nGall
The beach, with the campsite just out of view on the left. The “creek” is on the right hand end of the beach. Photo: Robyn Scott.
The weather was on the whole kind to us. Gola often remains dry while waves of cloud wash over the nearby mainland, butting up against Errigal and the Derryveagh Mountains before emptying on the good folk of Gaoth Dobhair. This famed microclimate leaves more opportunity for shredding your fingers on the unusual pink granite of these Donegal islands which manages to be both gripy and slippy at the same time, and always feels a bit greasy from the maritime humidity. This makes everything feel hard and gives climbers what they secretly most want - an excuse for subpar performance.
Rowan belaying at Gripple Wall
We had 5 days of exploring the sea-side and inland crags of Gola, one particularly highlight of which was a day where the full party climbed together in the sun at Easter Wall on the southern peninsula of Maol Mór. Evenings were spent running round the island, swimming in the sea, by the fireside and socialising with other climbers from Cork (who had been to Henry's Cottage recently), QUBMC and another ex-QUBMC-adjacent group from Belfast who have been to Gola every year since 2009. Mike told tales of his time as an English teacher in Siberia, Rónán quoted passages from a book about Gola he found on the shelf at home, Chris built an extravagant and popular cooking setup out of an old lobster pot and a hole in the ground, Chemie walked up routes that more experienced climbers struggled on, and everyone forgot about the virus thing for a while. Everyone agreed on an excellent trip, and we won't leave it 4 years until the next visit again.
Go raibh maith agat Gabhla - until next time.
Rónán on Asgard. Photo: Neil Dickson
Gabhla galánta. Photo: Robyn Scott