TWO CLIMBERS bound for Nepal later this week hope to become the youngest Irish men to ascend Mount Everest. Graham Kinch and Ian Taylor, both 29, plan to scale the mountain despite political unrest in the region which has made it a temporary no-go area.
Their attempt to scale Everest from its southern side is part of a fundraising effort to raise money for a school in Uganda, run by the Irish Fields of Life charity.
Their target of €85,000 represents about "a euro for every foot climbed together" on four peaks, selected as the highest on four continents. Last night Graham Kinch confirmed to The Irish Timesthat despite current violence in Tibet, it was their intention to continue with their travel plans.
Seventeen Irish people have already climbed the world's highest mountain since Belfast architect Dawson Stelfox recorded the first such ascent in May 1993. One of four female summiteers in that group - Samantha O'Carroll of Cork - already holds the record for the youngest Irish person.
Ms O'Carroll was in her late 20s when she became the second Irishwoman to ascend the 8,850m (29,035 foot) peak in 2004.
A 15-year-old Nepalese, Temba Tsheri, set the "youngest Everest summit" record in 1992, and the following year, India's Dicky Dolma (19) reached the top as part of an Indo-Nepal women's expedition.
Graham Kinch is a telecoms strategist from Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, while Ian Taylor is a leisure centre assistant manager from Leixlip, Co Kildare. Both men are members of the Church of Ireland Core (City Outreach for Renewal and Evangelism) congregation, based at St Catherine's Church on Dublin's Thomas Street.
Their ascent of Everest with support of a seven-strong team of sherpas will be made in May, once they acclimatise. They leave Dublin this Easter Saturday.
Mr Taylor said that the fact that the northern routes via Tibet had been closed to climbers this year by the Chinese authorities would put extra pressure on the south side of the mountain.
To further complicate matters, Nepalese authorities say they have closed Mount Everest to climbers until after May 10th to allow the Olympic flame to be carried to the top without "being troubled" by protesters marking the 49th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against China.
The pair have commercial support, but are still seeking a main sponsor. People wishing to make donations may do so through the climbers' website at www.everest2008.ie