Memorial service for Everest climber Seamus Lawless on Monday
As Mount Everest claimed the lives of two more climbers over the past few days, a memorial service celebrating the life of Bray man Seamus Lawless will take place in his hometown on Monday.
Seamus, or Shay, had climbed to the summit with Drumree woman Jenny Copeland as part of a fundraiser for the Barretstown Camp children's charity, but he fell from an altitude of 8,300 metres last Thursday week, as he descended, having achieved his lifelong dream of reaching the peak.
His climbing partner, Jenny, reached the relative safety of base camp on Sunday, with expedition leader, Noel Hanna.
Shay is survived by his wife, Pam, daughter, Emma, parents Betty and Jimmy, brother and sisters Ciarán, Deirdre, Sheila, Fidelma, Jemma and Eilis, large extended family and wide circle of friends.
A memorial service celebrating Shay’s life will be held in the Holy Redeemer Church in Bray on Monday 27th May, at 11 a.m. Donations, if desired, in memory of Shay, can be made to Barretstown Children’s Charity at https://www.barretstown.org/support/donate/
The deaths of an Irish and a British climber on Mount Everest in recent days bring the toll of fatalities on the world's highest peak to 10 in one week.
Expedition organisers said on Saturday that British climber Robin Fisher, 44, reached the summit on Saturday morning but collapsed when he had travelled just 150 metres back down the slope.
British-based Irish citizen, Kevin Hynes, 56, passed away on Friday on the northern Tibet side of the mountain during his descent.
A father of two, he turned back before reaching the mountain's peak and died in his tent at 7,000 metres.
It came during a season that has been plagued by bad weather and overcrowding on the peak.
Nepali officials said on Friday that some climbers were getting caught in the crowds on the mountain and this was leading to exhaustion, dehydration and in the worst cases death.
Nepal is facing criticism over the fact it has issued a record 381 permits for the spring season this year — costing $11,000 (€9,815) each.
Some are calling for a cap to be placed on the number of climbers permitted on the mountain.
Among the other deaths this week were four people from India, one from Nepal, an Austrian and an American.