DIZZY HEIGHTS Ultra Runner, Sean Clifford, from Killarney, set an Irish record reaching the dizzy heights of 10,000 m of positive ascent in 23 hours and 53 minutes. Joe O'Leary is pictured behind him. times. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

Killarney man sets impressive Irish record

By Sean Moriarty

An exhausted Killarney man is resting this week following his impressive Irish record – for running up and down Carrauntoohil 10 times in less than 24 hours.

Killarney adventure racer Sean Clifford successfully climbed the equivalent height of Mount Everest - reaching heights of 10,000 metres of positive ascent in 23 hours and 53 minutes.

Clifford was joined throughout his record breaking quest by fellow Killarney Ultra Runners, Joe O’Leary, Damien Courtney, Neil Kelders and Harold Clifford, between Friday night and Saturday night last.

Sean set about his challenge, on Caher Mountain, on Friday night, running through the night, ascending, Carrauntoohil, Cnoc an Toinne, using the Devil’s Ladder for ascents, and Bothar na Gige (The ’Zig Zags’) for descents.

“I knew half way through, at around 6am, that I was not happy with the time,” the Woodlawn native told the Killarney Advertiser. “I knew I would need a big push through the day to make the time and height gain.”

“It was a huge team effort,” Sean, who bases himself in Nancy, France on the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, said. “Joe deserves a lot of accolades. He joined me with 12 hours to go, and pushed me every step of the way. We knew we were under pressure to make the time and Joe was working out the mathematics on what route up and down we should take to keep on target.”

Sean returned to a hero’s welcome at Cronin’s Yard late on Saturday night. Joe contested the Munster mountain bike event at Shronaboy, Glenflesk on Sunday.

Sean has competed in races across the globe, the UTMB in France, Diagonal des Fous on Reunion Island, El Cruce in Chile and Ankor Ultra in Cambodia. More recently he has placed second in Ireland’s longest and toughest ultra-marathon, the Kerry Way Ultra last September.

The team are also preparing a documentary on their achievement and, subject to editing, should air later this year or earlier next year.

His record breaking run raised funds for Dementia and Alzheimer awareness.

“A lot of people donated and I promised myself that if I failed I would return all the donations,” he added. “I wanted to hold myself accountable.”