Name: MI winter meet Onich
Start: 2025-02-08T08:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-02-15T17:00:00+00:00

Crag Number: 52

Culdaff - Dunowen (Campsite Area)
Dunowen Wall - A Whiter Shade of Pale, VS 4b. B Angels, VS 4c. C Kerry Widow, HVS 5a D Honeysuckle, E2 5a E Glengad Girls, HS 4b. F Blondes Have More Fun, VS 4c. G Graina's Groove, HS 4b
Directions: The campsite area describes the various walls on the headlands, that include the ancient promontory fort of Dunowen, and the tidal Sheep Island, on the East side of Mad Port. Approach from the pier at Bunagee, along a lane to a parking area just beyond (this and the land seaward of the wall are the property of Colmcille Climbers Wild Camping Trust, and you are welcome to camp there). Walk along a path by the wall, through a swing gate, a climb to a col, with the Dunowen Promontary Fort on your right. The first two climbs are on the left of the small rocky bay below. Thereafter, routes are described clockwise around the headland, beginning with Dunowen Wall. OS Grid Reference: C536513 Click here to view location in Google Maps
1 - Kernaptious Corner * HS 4c Length: 8m Alan Tees, Michael McGinty 24/04/08 Other side of the bay and just opposite "Misconception" is a short layback corner. Climb this to a platform, with a choice of finishes, the left one being easier and the one used on the first ascent, due to lack of light, lack of pre cleaning, and possibly cowardise!
53 - Peggy's Leg S 4a Length: 10m Alan Tees, Margaret Quinn 15.04.2023 Extreme right of the crag, just by the descent, is a rightward trending ramp. Climb this for a short distance, and divert up twin cracks. Scramble to the top. The easy alternative is to continue up the ramp, at about diff.
53 - Peggy's Leg S 4a Length: 10m Alan Tees, Margaret Quinn 15.04.2023 Extreme right of the crag, just by the descent, is a rightward trending ramp. Climb this for a short distance, and divert up twin cracks. Scramble to the top. The easy alternative is to continue up the ramp, at about diff.

The next routes are on Dunowen Wall, on the right of the bay, and are described seaward. The first is a poor route called Fernenst.

2 - Mearbeg Arete VD - Length: 50m Alan Tees, Neil Machon 26/05/20 The \'Integrale\' traverses the, mostly inland, stack with the middle finger, just below Dunowen West Wall. Better done landwards, provided the tide is out. Up the short wall, slab and around the Doight to the high point. Down climb or ab (using the Doight). Big holds, but don\'t swing on them. Or do it the other way, and descend easily from the Dioght, if the tide is in. Good fun.
2 - Hellfire and Herring * * E1 5b Length: 8m P.Cooper & M. McGuigan 26/04/08 Down on the left, as you look in from the land, a steep 8M arete can be found that has a pair cracks, which become 3 at the top. Scramble up right to ledge and climb these. Belay well back. 1 rest on 1st ascent. (Later led clean PC & GT 11/05/08.) FFA George Carleton and Michael Hasson 6th-ish May 08.
52 - Deliverance S 4a Length: 15m Alan Tees, Neil Machon, Eugene ? 27/02/21 At lowish tides, the small promontory opposite Dunowen West Wall can be walked around to a cave. Climb the steep black wall left of the cave to a gap between the cliff and a pinnacle. From the gap follow the obvious crack/line of weakness to the top on good holds and gear. Two belay stakes 10m back. At higher tides the gap can be reached from the Dunowen side.
3 - Fernenst S 4a Length: 20m Alan Tees, Peter Cooper 23/08/07 4 metres right of "Dreap" at base of big slanting ramp. climb up left to corner, which is climbed leftwards, and continue to ledge and directly to the top over large stepped rocks.
4 - Dreapadoireachta HS 4b Length: 20m Peter Cooper, Alan Tees .April 07 Two metres right of "Miss Conception" steep short wall, (Thin spike on top) leads to a rightward trending ramp. Follow this to twin cracks and ledge. Up left to top.
5 - Miss Conception S 4a Length: 20m Alan Tees, Michael McGinty 3/08/2000 At the right hand side of Dunowen West Wall is a fault line with a buldge at one quarter height.. This is the crux, easier climbing, and a bramble, above.
6 - Graina's Groove HS 4b Length: 22m Alan Tees, Michael McGinty 3/08/2000 Obvious groove 3m left of Miss Conception. Crux is eroded overhang half way up.
7 - Mingus Eyes VS 4b Length: 22m Michael McGinty, Pete Smith 3/08/2000 Taked the rib mid way between Miss Conception and Grainas Groove. Move up to a narrow hanging corner, which is climbed, before trending right to gain the rib. Continue to the top.
8 - Blondes (Have more fun) * * VS 4c Length: 30m Alan & Andrew Tees & Pete Smith, 26/05/99 About 3m right of Glengad Girls (and left of Grainas Groove)start at the next small corner and climb directly up, until a dynamic move is made onto the top of a small pillar. The crux is a poorly protected pull up on two slots. Finish up a well defined corner. Delicate and technical with just adequate protection.
9 - Jigs and Reels HVS 5a Length: 30m 23/10/07 P.Cooper & A. Tees Climbs the cleaned face between 'Graina's Groove' and 'Blondes have more fun'. Due to 'blankness' in the mid-section it's necessary to divert right at mid-height to use large holds at the edge of, and gear in, 'Graina's Groove' before continuing up the face. Good moves, with some nice exposure on fine rock do make this climb a worthwhile proposition.
10 - Glengad Girls * HS 4b Length: 30m Alan Tees, Pete Smith 27/04/99 Big, hairy, but not as loose as it might appear!! Almost at sea level lovate a corner, capped with an overhang. Start up the corner but move out right on good holds to the base of an obvious line of weakness. The crux is about 2/3 height where a delicate step out left from the corner to the wall. Thread runner above, and a narrow chimney leads to the top.
11 - Honeysuckle * E2 5a Length: 25m P.Cooper,N.Mahon Starts left of "Glengad Girls",in a niche with small roof above. Tackle this(gear on left) then continue direct up cleaned wall on edges to small cave feature. Finishes above cave & belay is a dream(little throne surrounded by Honeysuckle)
12 - Kerry Widow * HVS 5a Length: 30m Alan Tees, Pete Smith, Andrew Tees 26/05/99 Traversing out above the sea, left of Glengad Girls,the route takes the big left facing offwidth, in the corner high on the face. Make an awkwagd move onto a small ramp, and continue up to the bottom of the corner/offwidth. Bridge up as high as possible and climb the offwidth direct to good holds. Big hexes/Friends necessary.
13 - Angels VS 4c Length: 30m Alan Tees, Pete Smith, Andrew Tees 26/05/99 Approx. 3m left of Kerry Widow, scramble onto broad rightward trending ramp to base of obvious crack leading to slanting ledge. Climb the corner above, using left hand edge, and crystal pocket above on the right, to reach a concealed jug. An awkward move to the left leads to a graveyard of jugs and an optional chimney to the top.

The next routes are on the Newfoundland area, and are accessed by abseil down the obvious slab at the end of the headland to a big ledge, (safe in most seas). Newfoundland is the big off-width crack, to the LHS of the ledge facing inland.

14 - Whiter Shade of Pale VS 4b Length: 30m Alan Tees, Martin McGuigan 17/03/01 Left of Angels is a small overhang capped cove. Climb cracks up the slabs at the far side to gain arete. Turn right and continue up corner to the top.
15 - Holy Deadlock D Length: 20m Alan & Margaret Tees 6/05/01 Climb the slab right of St. Patricks Fleas, move up left onto jammed rocks and ledge. Step left again onto slab, and continue to the top.
16 - St Bodan's Boat S 4a Length: 18m Alan Tees, Bill S. Hunt 1/04/20 Start up 'Holy Deadlock', but do not move up into the corner, rather keep on up the slab to another corner/chimney (crux) where the route joins Whiter Shade of Pale. Climb the corner/chimney and exit up the slab to the right.
17 - St. Patrick's Fleas S 4a Length: 20m R.Harvey, Columba McLaughlin 17/03/01 Taked the obvious crack right of Foot'n Mouth to ledge.Surmount overhanging corner at back of ledge to gain good cracks on RHS of slab.
17 - Foot 'n' Mouth VS 4c Length: 20m Martin McGuigan, A. Tees 17/03/01 A couple of metres right of Newfoundland, climb shallow corner and gain slab above by "V" shaped notch on the right. Up the slab middle.

Around the corner from Newfoundland, is a gully, a steep cracked corner (Willies Black Corner) and a slab.
Hook Slab
18 - Newfoundland HS 4a Length: 20m Alan Tees, Martin McGuigan 17/03/01 Abseiling off the end of the promentary, down a slab and wall to a large ledge. The climb takes the obvious off width on the left hand side of the ledge (facing the crag). Begin steeply (protection on the right) to good jugs and follow big crack up the slab.
19 - Willie's Black Corner. E2 5c Length: 15m Willie Canning, F.McCloskey 8/08/99 Climbs a clean cut double cracked corner on the seaward face beyond Seventeen. Access is by seaward traverse or abseil at high tide or swell. Climb corner with increasing difficulty to get into worse trouble at overhang. Crux hard, committing and precarious and needs cleaning.
44 - Passage West. HS 4b Length: 15m A. Tees. Bill S.Hunt 1/04/20 At the other side of the slab by Willie’s Black corner, is a water worn gully, or rather a narrow chimney narrowing further to an off width. Above, there is another step/off width, followed by more worrying and unorthodox moves above. Highly educational for ‘Indoor wall climbers’, I would
45 - By Hook. VD 3c Length: 15m A.Tees, Bill S.Hunt 1/04/20 Start at the bottom centre of the slab and go straight up the middle to where it steepens at the top. Bridge up this easily on big jugs.

The next section of cliff is the east wall of Dunowen Fort, and most of the routes are accessible at low tide from the bouldery beach.
A) Chaos Sev 4a B) Bedlam Sev 4a C) Pandemonium VS 4c D) Seventeen VS 4c E) Ballyharry Boy VS 4b
46 - By Crooke. S 3c Length: 15m Finbarr Mullin, Alan Tees, Neil Machon 26/05/20 An alternate start to Hook. Off to the left(east) of the slab is a corner. Climb this and continue up the LHS of the slab to the steepening, where you join Hook for the last bit.
47 - Lockdown. * * HS 4b Length: 15m A.Tees, Finbarr Mullin, Neil Machon 26/05/20 Left (landward of Crooke) is a crack leading into a corner. Gain the crack, layback it until you can reach a jammed chockstone, and pull up into the corner. Easier then to the slab, and follow the LH edge to the steepening, where a committing move out left is made out onto the arete. Jugs to the top.
51 - Outbreak HVS 5a Length: 25m Andrew Tees, Rian O Murchu 21/6/2020 Start in a black corner 10m the right of Ballyharry Buoy, out along along a small ledge above the water (may be inaccessible in high tide). Climb the jagged crack above to a stance on a small spike, then follow the crack up and left, strenuously at first then easing. Gain the ledge above then more easily to the top.
20 - Ballyharry Buoy * * HS 4a Length: 15m N.Mahon, F.McCloskey 6/10/98 Takes the obvious corner just right of "Seventeen".
21 - Seventeen HVS 5a Length: 15m F.McCloskey, N.Mahone 6/10/98 On the East side of the Promentory Fort, on the East facing wall about half way out. Up crack yo detached block, onto ledge. Move into corner for gear and to avoid dodgy looking section. Move left and struggle up twin cracks to niche under roof of Ballyharry Buoy. Three variations now, left to rising crack/ramp, or two more direct variations have since been cleaned.
22 - Pandemonium VS 4c Length: 15m Alan Tees, Pamela Jane Monaghan, Columba McLaughlin 10/03/07 Right of "Bedlam", and left of "Seventeen" there is a prominent corner/chimney high on the face. This starts almost directly below, in a steep shallow diedre, and continues up the easier slab above, to the corner, which is mainly bridged. Good, varied, technical route. The
48 - Icelander S 4a Length: 25m AlanTees, Bill S Hunt 26/04/2020 Between Bedlam and Pandemonium. Start about 1m right of Bedlam, directly below a round hole about half height. Up a shallow corner and slab on good solid holds to where the angle steepens and the rock assumes a volcanic Icelandic character. Ascend the groove rightwards for a metre or two, then climb directly up on the Icelandic, black, volcanic, and disconcerting jugs to a corner and whitish slab, with a split ramp on its LHS. Climb the ramp, and up left to the top.
23 - Bedlam S 4a Length: 15m Alan Tees, Pamela Jane Monaghan, Columba McLaughlin 5m right of "Chaos" gain steep rightward trending crack (at half height), by easy climbing on good jugs. at the top of the crack, up left, to good flake/thread belay.

The next route is on the face opposite Dunowen East wall

24 - Chaos S 4a Length: 8m Alan Tees, 25/12/06 At the Left hand side if Ballyharry Wall, climb vertical crack to fork. Ignore rightward trending off width (original route which was awkward and unpleasant), and now continue straight up to the top.
25 - Hanging Corner E2 5c Length: 12m F.McCloskey, W.Canning 8/08/99 On the face opposite Seventeen, this tekes the obvious corner, with an overhang to start. Steep start to get established in corner, and move left at tongue. one rest point used at first ascent.

Waterboys Slab is at the end of the promontory of Hanging Corner. Descent is by abseil. There are 4 thin routes on the slab, and two others on the short dark wall just beyond.

49 - Dinky Dolmen D - Length: 12m Alan Tees, Bill S Hunt 16/05/20 At the end on the lower (east) Dunowen promontory, and just left of Waterboys Slab, there is a small Dolmen, (which is not immediately identifiable as such, but look underneath). Two metres of personal distancing to the left, abseil down a corner to the rocky platform below. Climb back up,- short central wide groove, big jugs on the left, and slab. Worth doing just to do the fissure through to the other side, and also as an escape route from one of Peter Cooper's much harder affairs.
26 - Touch VS 4c Length: 10m G.Yates, S.McDaid, N.Mahon, P.Cooper June 1999 As above, step right, and finish direct.
27 - Voiding the Touch VS 4c Length: 10m N.Mahon, G.Yates, S.McDaid,p.Cooper June 1999 On Waterboys Slab, an obvious "Shield-like" angled slab at the end of the point at Dogfish Bay. Descent by abseil. Through notch in lower wall, onto slab, trend right.
28 - Don't bang the drum * VS 5b Length: 8m N.Machon, P.Smith & P.Cooper 27/08/03 An eliminate line with good airey moves. Use top of notch to arrange gear, descend and step right onto toe of slab; using ripples go direct up to ramp (thin). Arrange gear on face and in crack of 'Voiding the Touch'(it is an eliminate afterall..hence VS 5b) and gingerly proceed up blank-ish slab between 'Touch' and 'Voiding..'
29 - Fisherman's Blues * * E2 5b Length: 10m Peter Cooper, G. Yates June 1999 Via notch at base of the slab access the face, then step left off face to arrange gear (RPs rock 1). Using arete pull delicately onto slab and follow arete to top. Thin and atmospheric climbing. Direct start added (to the left, below arete) during Climbfest 2007. Now over a decade old and still no known repeat!
30 - Curly * VS 4c Length: 8m P.Cooper (on sight solo) 2001 Stooges Wall, the dark wall behind Waterboys Slab. Access via abseil unless long,but fun, low water traverse used from Dog Fish Bay. Mantle onto start ledge and climb a steep leftward trending line which finishes at arete.

On the east side of the Waterboys headland are a number of routes, which were not recommended by the first ascentionist, (and probably done since).

31 - Larry HVS 5a Length: 9m P.Cooper & G.Yates 2001 Stooges Wall, the dark wall behind Waterboys Slab. Access via abseil unless using long low water traverse from Dog Fish Bay. Mantle onto start ledge and take line up centre of wall finish via steep overlap. Details for Curly and Larry both submitted in 2001 but somehow lost from new Donegal guide book.
33 - Orange Slash HS 4b Length: 10m Neil Mahon, F.McCloskey 9/03/99 Look for the wee orange slash in the rock. Climb the left hand wide crack, and finish straight up, right of fault
34 - The Dungpile. VS 4c Length: 12m F.McCloskey, N. Mahon 9/03/99 A good route for demolition experts. Takes crack right of corner, and traverses right over loose scary ground
35 - The Fred Dibnah Job. S 4a Length: 8m N.Mahon, F.McCloskey 10/03/99 Do a Fred job on the obvious chimney
35 - The Talkin Head. VS 4c Length: 8m F.McCloskey, N.Mahon 10/03/99 The next crack right of Fred,easy start, but gets harder
36 - Too Feckin Short! VS 5a Length: 5m Frankie McCloskey, N.Mahon In Dogfish Bay, this takes the slanting corner/ crackline, starting on a big ledge right of the "Fred Dibnah" job.

The cliff across Mad Port from Orange Slash etc. Cross some rocks onto a grassy island ( at high tide only). This is Sheep Island and belongs to Colmcille Climbers. Access a ramp on the LHS and descend to the base of a wall above the sea (known locally as Mad Port). This is Madrox. OS Grid Reference: C539 510
Inter-Route Note
37 - The Unused Rope E1 5b Length: 5m F. McCloskey, N.Mahon10/03/99 Take the next crack right of T.F.S. Hard moves but goog gear.
38 - Father Ted VS 4b Length: 10m Martin Mc Guigan, Alan Tees 19/06/19 Descend the rocky ramp until you arrive below the highest part of the wall. Father Ted goes straight up steep rock ( good finger holds on the right are not obvious), bridging, to a cracked bulge. Another awkward move, and easier to the top.
39 - Father Jack HVS 5a Length: 11m Alan Tees, Marty McGuigan 19/06/2019 Start as for Father Ted, but move left around a fin of rock (crux) to gain the first of two protrusions. Continue trending left ,up the face, by the second knobble, to a corner, which is climbed to the top.
40 - Dougal S 4a Length: 10m Alan Tees, Marty McGuigan 19/06/2019 Start at the corner just right of Fathers Ted and Jack. Climb the right hand side, laybacking the big flake, and finish up the corner/chimney.
41 - Dougal Direct VS 4c Length: 10m Martin McGuigan, Alan Tees 19/06/19 Start in the corner of Dougal, climb the corner direct, as best you can, (without using Dougal's big holds on your right), then take off up the left wall, finishing by the arete.
42 - Mrs Doyle S 4a Length: 8m Alan Tees, Geoff Thomas, Neil Mahone 26/06/19 Start about a metre right (landward) of Dougal. Climb up right, then left up some cracked rock into a narrow corner, thence to the top.
43 - Trustees VS 4b Length: 12m Alan Tees, Geoff Thomas 26/06/19 Continue along the top of Sheep Island beyond Father Ted etc for about 20m, then ab down to a small platform at sea level. Climb right and gain two parallel cracks, the right one having the best finger lock ever, and enough to get you up onto the slab above. The slab leads up right, to the bottom of a right angled corner, which is climbed to the top.
50 - Crow- Vid VS 4b Length: 15m Martin McGuigan, Alan Tees 29/05.20 Abseil down to the platform of 'Trustees' on Sheep Isle. Go directly up, and climb the diagonal off width into a corner. A bold move out onto the wall on the left (facing in) and up to a short wide crack, which is climbed to a grassy ledge. Easy to the top.