Dunmore East RNLI is celebrating after crew member Adam Sweeney reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the youngest Irish person to do so at just 22 years old.
Adam, who joined the lifeboat crew in Dunmore East when he was 18, reached the summit in the early hours of Wednesday morning (20 May).
Adam spent the last two years preparing for the challenge. His training included a successful expedition to the Himalayas last year, where he summited Ama Dablam (6,170m).
His mother Karen Harris, launch authority at Dunmore East said: “[Ama Dablam] was when he fully decided that he wanted to go back and have a go at the big one.”
When Adam and the team reached Camp 4, they made an initial summit attempt but were forced to turn back due to severe weather conditions. Despite the setback, they remained focused and determined throughout.
When Adam heard there would be another summit window on Wednesday morning, everyone at home was incredibly excited and hopeful for the team.
Karen said: “People have been waiting up until three in the morning following Adam’s tracker from Camp 4 all the way to the summit. It must have taken some mental toughness to think he wasn’t going to make the summit to all of a sudden getting the chance at it. The whole of Dunmore East is so proud of him.”
Adam Sweeney joined the lifeboat crew in Dunmore East four years ago when he was 18 | Credit: RNLI/Ciaran Dixon
At the lifeboat station, the atmosphere was one of pride and relief. Peter Grogan, volunteer crew at Dunmore East said: “We are all absolutely over the moon for Adam. To do what he did, especially after bouncing back after a setback the day before, shows the exact kind of grit, determination and calm under pressure that makes him such a brilliant asset to our crew here in Dunmore East. We’ve following his progress like a soap opera.
“Watching one of our own stand on top of the world is a proud moment for the entire Dunmore East RNLI family. We can’t wait to get him safely back on Irish soil and celebrate properly.”
Peter added: “The whole crew in Dunmore East is bursting with pride today. To see Adam achieve history at just 22 years old is unbelievable. We’ve been supporting him from sea level the whole way, and we’re just relieved and thrilled that he’s made it. Huge congratulations, Adam we’re proud to call you crew.”
Adam and his colleagues on Team Ireland now make their descent back to base camp and await their return to Ireland.
His mother Karen said the whole village would come out his return: “We haven’t organised anything for his return yet, to not tempt fate. He’s going to be absolutely shattered on his return so we will give him a few days to get himself together.
“We would have to do something as a whole town as all of them have really supported him. It really does take a village.”
