Trail Run in Aid of Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Our mountains can be used for so much for the hardy among us – walking, climbing, camping, mountain-biking, kayaking and hillrunning. Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team aim to be there whenever anyone needs them. ‘Run the Line’ is their fund-raising event (on the 30th of November) which aims to cater for both the seasoned hill-runner and also those runners who want to give the hills a try – a choice of two routes, each with plenty of climbs and varied surfaces.
The Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team was set up to help people in need of assistance in the hills and mountains, and we cater for a broad range of recreational users of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. For the past three years we have successfully run a night and day time hikes over the mountains, to fund-raise for our life-saving activities. There is always a cadre of lean, hardy hill-runners who choose to do this event much faster than the majority, by running across the route. We decided that it might be worthwhile to run an event specifically for runners and so the idea for “Run the Line” was born.
The Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team is an entirely voluntarily operated 112 / 999 service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. While our team’s main area of operation is in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, we also cover as far as the Cooley Mountains in Co. Louth. On top of this, the team will also travel to other parts of the country when requested, to back up other Mountain Rescue Teams and the Gardaí. We also assist with searches for missing persons in all types of terrain and even in urban environments.
Our purpose is to provide a professional mountain rescue service for those who find themselves in need. This may include, Mountain or Crag accidents or lost /overdue / missing persons. Since January the team has responded to nearly 90 “call-outs” up to the end of September. This does not include the behind the scenes work of training and committee meetings, which takes a huge deal of time and energy, and when we’re not doing this, we’re working to raise funds to stay operational.
The Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team is made up of 40 volunteer members whose job is to lend a helping hand. Team members come from all walks of life e.g. outdoor instructors, doctors, ambulance personnel, engineers and farmers to name a few. They all have one thing in common and that is their desire to help other outdoor enthusiasts in need.