The 2012 Art O'Neill Challenge...

The Art O'Neill Challenge starts in Dublin Castle next Friday, the 13th of January 2012. I first heard of this event back around 2004 when it was mainly an walking event for a few hardy souls. I think the numbers back then were around 20-30? Looking at it again recently, it has evolved into a much bigger event with walkers and ultra runners taking part.

What is it?.....Starting at Dublin Castle in the heart of Dublin City at midnight, the route goes south through the streets of Dublin, up into the foothills and ends up in the Wicklow mountains. The route is 53 kms or 32 miles in length and in places, goes as high as 2,000 feet (~600 metres) in altitude. Roughly 50% of the course is off road. With the midnight start, the fact it is in mid-Winter, the long distance and the altitude, it's certainly a challenge and only suitable for people who have trained properly for it.

Historical Context....So who was Art O'Neill? In the late 16th century, Hugh O'Donnell and the brothers Art and Henry O'Neill were imprisoned for years in Dublin Castle in an attempt to prevent an alliance between the O'Donnell and O'Neill clans. On the night of the 6th of January 1592, they escaped from the castle and walked in freezing weather conditions to Glenmalure in the Wicklow Mountains which was the then stronghold of Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne, an allie of the O'Neill's. Along the way, Art O'Neill died of exposure in the mountains while O'Donnell himself lost both his big toes due to frostbite. As a result of the events on this night, Hugh O'Donnell would go on to take control of the O'Donnell clan, forge an alliance with the O'Neills and culminate almost exactly a decade later in the Battle of Kinsale in the winter of 1601.

This video clip below gives a good idea of what the 2011 event was like...