Lynam Award
Background of the Mountaineering Ireland Lynam Award
The Lynam Award was inaugurated in 2011 in the memory of Joss Lynam, (1924 - 2011), one of Ireland's best-known mountaineers, in recognition of his enormous achievements in hillwalking, climbing and mountaineering in Ireland and overseas over some 60 years.
During his lifetime, Joss initiated numerous developments in these different areas of our sport in Ireland and he was an inspiration to a number of generations of Irish mountaineers.
Joss Lynam’s achievements included many mountaineering expeditions to the Greater Ranges and an outstanding voluntary contribution to the development of adventure sports in Ireland. Joss was known to many Irish and international walking enthusiasts for his many hillwalking guidebooks. He was also the editor of the Irish Mountain Log (IML) for more than 20 years. Joss continued as the Literary Editor of the IML up to the time of his death.
2023 Lynam Award
We are delighted to announce that Calvin Torrans will be the recipient of the 2023 Mountaineering Ireland Lynam Award, honouring a mountaineer who has been at the heart of Irish climbing for over half a century.
Calvin has put up new routes all over Ireland and has done first ascents in the Alps and the Andes. He has climbed extensively in North America and among his Himalayan trips was the first Irish K2 expedition in 1998. His contribution to Irish climbing over many decades is immeasurable. He is a founding member of Dal Riada Climbing Club and also of the Irish Bouldering League and has edited various rock climbing guidebooks for Mountaineering Ireland, along with his wife Clare Sheridan. Before retirement he worked as an outdoor pursuits instructor and IFMGA mountain guide. This is your chance to hear tales of an extraordinary climbing life that began when Calvin first left the road to follow a little path into the Mourne mountains in 1957.
Calvin will share his story in conversation with Niall Grimes, a Derry-born climber, writer and podcaster. Since the inauguration of the Lynam Award in 2011 in memory of Joss Lynam, many leading national and international mountaineers have delivered enthralling lectures. This evening is set to be among the most memorable of these.
The Mountaineering Ireland Lynam Lecture and Award 2023 will take place in the Chartered Accountants Ireland Lecture Hall, 47-49 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, on Thursday 7th December, doors open at 18:30 with the lecture commencing at 19:30 sharp. You can register for the event
here.
Lynam Award Alumni
Since it was inaugurated in 2011, the Lynam Award has been presented to both national and international recipients for their outstanding achievements and contribution to mountaineering. Each recipient has also delivered a lecture on the evening. These have been outstanding lectures that have generally reflected on their achievements but also the development of our sport and how it might progress in coming years.
Past Lynam Award recipients:
2011 – Harish Karpadia
2012 – Dawson Stelfox
2013 – Stephen Venables
2014 – Claire Sheridan
2015 – Ines Papert
2016 – Paul Swail and John McCune
2017 – Frank Nugent
2018 - Paddy O Leary
2019 - Sir Chris Bonington
2020 - Dr Clare O Leary
2021 - Noel Hanna
2022 - Leo Houlding
The Mountaineering Ireland Lynam Lecture is delivered in December each year.
If you would like to nominate a person you believe should receive this prestigious award please email ruth@mountaineering.ie.
