Three Rock Orienteering Club

The Rocket

February 2002Editor: Eoin DunneNewsletter No. 35

AGM

The 26th 3ROC AGM & Social will take place on Friday, February 22nd, 2002 at Glenalbyn House, Stillorgan at 8.00pm sharp.

Friday 22nd February is the date for our AGM. Will you be there? I hope so because it's an important event. A time for members to come together and plot a course for the club over the next 12 months. It's also a time when some members generously donate some of their hours by working on the committee for the benefit of the club and for orienteering in general. If you have a suggestion, we'd love to hear it. If you have an issue please tell us. Either way, your opinions matter. The club is nothing without its members and your presence at the AGM is a vital part of ensuring the viability of the club.

Of course, it's also a social occasion with a full bar available and you're welcome to bring your own food. Why not bring some of your orienteering photos, maps or scars and enjoy a good night out.

The venue, which is beside Glenalbyn swimming pool, is located off the Lower Kilmacud Road, to the left of the overflow car-park and opposite the Stillorgan Shopping centre. Drive down a small lane for around 200m and Glenalbyn House is the first building you come to. Parking is available to the side of the building.

Things that go "@%*&" in the night!

Orienteers were left in the dark recently after running courses set by first-time planner Gary Tully. However, being the last of the "Dublin by Night" series, there were no complaints and the small numbers that attended enjoyed themselves. On hand to provide assistance were Una May and the instigator of the DBN series, Martin Flynn of Ajax. After all his hard work, Gary has gone off on the piste so enjoy! Meanwhile on the competitive side of things, Brian Hollinshead was overall winner on the Short courses and wasn't going to let the minor detail of a flight to America the following morning put him off going to Ticknock to ensure victory. If you've never tried night orienteering before then I would definitely recommend giving it a go as it's a totally different experience. The League is now finished for this winter but will hopefully return at the end of the year.

Christmas run scores highly!

Una May manages to stand hair, head and shoulders above Nora Lalor of GEN, Nadya Hutchinson and Lindie Naughton.

The traditional Christmas Score event up in Three Rock Wood saw the usual head-cases out to shake off the indulgences of the previous 24 hours. Or perhaps it was the lure of mulled wine at the finish that brought so many people out. In any case, the event was a great success with a good crowd hanging around long after they finished, enjoying the atmosphere. You may not be aware of it but there is a reason why some people choose to dress up in strange costumes on that day and that is for the honour and glory of winning the fancy dress competition. This years winner was Gavin Doherty of GEN who was cunningly disguised as well... Gavin in an apron. Commiserations must go to Big Bird who obviously got worried that he was headed for the chop and took flight. Thanks to everyone who helped out on the day.

Three Rock before 3ROC! (part II)

In the previous Rocket, I printed an extract from an old book entitled "The Neighbourhood of Dublin" by Weston St. John Joyce (1920) which describes the area around Three Rock Mountain. I now include the remainder of the chapter for your enjoyment. Thanks must go to X who rediscovered this piece of historical work and put it up on the Internet. There are many more parts of Dublin explored in the book and anyone wishing to read more can go to www.???

From the Three Rocks a long and easy slope of about a mile conducts us to the top of the Two Rock Mountain, 1,763 feet high, the rocks from which the mountain derives its name, lying about half a mile to the south-east, at an elevation of 1,699 feet, and consequently not being visible from the Dublin side. On the summit is a carn of loose stones, called "Fairy Castle" on the Ordnance Survey maps, which assumes varying shapes from year to year according to the vagaries of the summer excursionists who find their way up here. The view, although more extended towards the west and south-west, is, on the whole, less pleasing and varied than that from the Three Rocks.

The walk from here to Tibradden along the ridge between the two mountains should not be attempted except in thoroughly dry weather, as the ground is inclined to be swampy, and after rain is often impassable. If it be decided to visit Tibradden, keep along a mearing running westward from the summit of the Two Rock Mountain for a considerable distance, and when it ends, bear to the right towards a plantation of firs and larches; and from this, take a straight course through what will be found to be a very rough and difficult piece of country, to the top of Tibradden, now immediately in front. The ground to be traversed immediately before reaching the rocks on the summit is very boggy, and in a pool which forms here in wet weather small lizards or newts are occasionally to be seen. The narrow defile of Glendoo appears from this point darker than it really is, deeply shadowed by its woods, with the brown slopes of Cruagh Mountain rising on the opposite side, while to the left will be seen the open valley of Glencullen and the road extending away over the hill beyond Glencullen Bridge.On the southern side of one of the rocks on top of Tibradden is a rude carving of a cross and a human face, which, judging roughly by the growth of moss upon it, would appear to be at least 100 years old. Adjoining are the remains of an ancient carn and beehive burial place, in which, when opened many years ago, was found an urn now preserved in the National Museum. Tigh-Bradden means Bradden's house or resting-place, and this name, which was no doubt in the first instance applied to the carn, in all probability commemorates the name of the old chieftain buried there, to whose memory the mountain is now an imperishable monument.

It should be mentioned that the summit of Tibradden is exactly in line with Rathmines Road, which, when viewed from here through a glass, presents with its trams and other vehicles a curious appearance of exaggerated width owing to the foreshortening. The descent into Glendoo may be made either directly to the road underneath - through the heather and forest, or by making one's way to a low wall northward of the summit, and thence descending by a rough, steep track joining the road just at the entrance to the wood. The direct descent from the top is rather dangerous, as the heather is high, and the slopes of the mountain abound in deep holes where one might easily suffer serious injury. The alternative route is in parts nearly as bad, so that any person coming here would do well to be provided with a stout stick, and to proceed very cautiously.

Should the Three Rock Mountain only be ascended, the return journey might with advantage be made down the eastern slope, towards the straggling village of Barnacullia, situated about half way up the mountain, from which point either Dundrum or Rathfarnham can readily be reached. The total distance to be walked in this excursion - viz., from Rathfarnham to the Three Rock Mountain, Two Rock Mountain, Tibradden and back to Rathfarnham is 12 miles; if Tibradden is omitted and the descent made from the Two Rock Mountain to Tiknock and back to Rathfarnham, the distance would be 10 miles, while the excursion to and from the Three Rock Mountain only, would entail a journey of 9 miles. These distances will vary according to the directness of the tracks taken, and on this account must be regarded as only approximate.

2002 membership fees are now due

Membership subs for 2002 are now due. For such a miserly amount think of all you get such as an annual subscription to the TIO, regular copies of the Rocket, reduced entry fees at events, training, social events, etc so don't delay, send it off today. Note the euro rates as follows:

Please send in your subs to:

Three Rock Orienteering Club,

13 Stamer Street,

Portobello,

Dublin 8.

Make sure that cheques/postal orders are made payable to Three Rock Orienteering Club.

Club shorts

On behalf of all members, I'd like to offer our condolences to Brendan and Ted McGrath whose mother passed away over the Christmas period. May she rest in peace.

Certain orienteers who shall remain nameless (definitely not 3ROC people)

demonstrate an inability to hold their mulled

wine while Lindie Naughton looks on with bemusement.

Good to see that Una May has full use of her arm again after being injured falling off her mountain bike in of all places, a car park. Better stick to ravines and crags Una, much safer.

Meanwhile, also on the injured list is Maire Walsh who tore her ligaments while skiing so hopefully you'll be back on your feet soon Maire.

Our next event will be up in Carlingford on April 28th. If you haven't orienteered here before then it is definitely worth the trip as the views of Carlingford Lough are superb. You may recall that this was the area stricken with Foot and Mouth last year and had to endure a terrible cull. One hopes that things are very different this year with lambs skipping around the fields once again.

Training? Surely that's for other people?

What do orienteers in GEN, Setanta and Ajax have in common? They regularly attend training so if you want to seriously compete this year then get in on the training programme now. Times and days are as follows:

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Merrion Cricket Club, Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge (just opposite the junction with Simmonscourt Road) from 6.30pm onwards. Running for all levels of fitness.

Wednesday: Sion Hill gym, Mount Merrion Avenue. If coming from Blackrock, look for an entrance and a high wall on the right just before the traffic lights at Cross Avenue. Circuit training for beginners and advanced starting at 7.00pm sharp. Cost 2.50 euro per session.

Gavin Doherty of GEN looks beside himself with happiness as Una May presents

the prize for best fancy dress prize up in Three Rock.

Rumours that he went as the Naked Chef should be discounted.