PAT FALVEY, the first Irishman to scale the highest peak in each of the seven continents, was honoured yesterday by his native city.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Mr Jim Corr, presented Mr Falvey with a bronze sculpture by John McKenna. It depicts the globe pierced at the point of Mount Everest with an ice pick.
By climbing Mount Kosciousku in Australia last January, Mr Falvey became one of an elite group of 40 people who have climbed the seven summits.
He began the attempt three years ago, sponsored by BOC Gases. Since then, he has climbed Mount McKinley (20,320 feet) in North America; Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet) in Africa; Mount Everest (29,028 feet) in Asia; Acoa (22,834 feet) in South America; Mount Elbrus (18,482 feet) in Europe; the Vinson Massif (16,864 feet) in the Antarctic; and Mount Kosciousku (7,310 feet) in Australia.
Mr Falvey is also the only climber from the Republic to have placed a Tricolour on the summit of Mount Everest.