Runners ruin serenity

Wild Garlic

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/diarmaid-ferriter-refreshing-to-hear-priest-fulminate-against-sinful-excesses-of-sky-athletes-1.2288886

Krusty_Clown

Jaysus wept. People were running and walking up Croagh Patrick long before gods and religions arrived to these shores. Sure, the erosion caused by pilgrims, runners and hikers is worrying, but you need to take a proactive approach to addressing it, rather than excluding one of the groups that contributes to the damage, while allowing the pilgrims and walkers to continue the pattern of damage. I'd imagine that the runners and the walkers are amongst the better off the conservationists, embracing philosophies like 'leave no trace', while those who travel far afield for the annual pilgrimage jump onto their bus as soon as their walk is done, leaving behind a trail of tinfoil-wrapped sandwiches and empty bottles of holy water.

DubOnHoliday

Which one of these activities will make you feel awesome:
A) mountain running
praying

It's a toughie

johnruns

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

Which one of these activities will make you feel awesome:
A) mountain running
praying

It's a toughie

Sometimes when mountain running I ask God for help so that's kinda doing A and B:D

DubOnHoliday

I should've included
C) reading the Irish times

Just to cover all possibilities!

libelula

"These ultra-runners may be super in fitness terms, but they are also selfish exhibitionists, not content with wrecking their own joints and family life through their constant long training sessions, but also prepared to disproportionately contribute to the erosion of what Fr King called “nature’s greatest cathedral of the west”, commonly known as the Reek."


-Ehhh, fcuk off tbh.

An_Reathai

I think the article was probably written tongue-in-cheek in response to the priest's ridiculous comments. At least I hope so...

hillsiderunner

An_Reathai wrote: »

I think the article was probably written tongue-in-cheek in response to the priest's ridiculous comments. At least I hope so...

I thought so too ...

And a quick google brings up another article :

http://www.norway.ie/News_and_events/Events/Norwegian-author-Thor-Gotaas-at-Mountains-to-Sea-dlr-Book-Festival/#.VaqPVSpViko

ThisRegard

So he calls himself, or lets himself be called anyway, an avid runner and he writes that shoite?

I don't get it, up until now I saw him as an intelligent man, but is he putting his devotion to the church first or something? I wouldn't think he's like that, it's just bizarre.

hillsiderunner

ThisRegard wrote: »

So he calls himself, or lets himself be called anyway, an avid runner and he writes that shoite?

Irony! Also known as taking the p*ss

(maybe a bit too subtle this time ... )

ThisRegard

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Irony! Also known as taking the p*ss

(maybe a bit too subtle this time ... )

There's nothing subtle about something that's not there. If it's meant to be ironic it's still an incredibly bad piece of writing.

ultrapercy

1000 strong congregation ? In Westport ? I wouldn't think so, it wasn't the Pope saying mass.

Krusty_Clown

ultrapercy wrote: »

1000 strong congregation ? In Westport ? I wouldn't think so, it wasn't the Pope saying mass.

That was the one comment that made me question whether or not it was an ironic piece. They'd have greater numbers in their congregation if they said mass before the start of the Croagh Patrick IMRA race.

pgmcpq

Oh come on ... It's funny and meant to be so. Read in with a bishop Brennen voice ( reference. father ted in case anyone is reaching for google)

Ososlo

pgmcpq wrote: »

Oh come on ... It's funny and meant to be so. Read in with a bishop Brennen voice ( reference. father ted in case anyone is reaching for google)

Totally. It's quite funny how anyone would read it in any other way. He's a runner himself and is totally taking the piss.

ultrapercy

Ososlo wrote: »

Totally. It's quite funny how anyone would read it in any other way. He's a runner himself and is totally taking the piss.

Maybe, but it should still be factually correct. No way there was 1000 people in the congregation. Drop a zero and it's still a stretch.

ThisRegard

Honestly, it's not a bit funny, and if it was meant to be it's a spectacular failure.

Smartguy

Funny how some people missed the point and are now too embarrassed to admit it!

rainbow kirby

Religious loopers being whiny. What's new?

Krusty_Clown

Smartguy wrote: »

Funny how some people missed the point and are now too embarrassed to admit it!

The article may be tongue in cheek, but the subject matter of the article is not.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/priest-calls-for-closure-of-eroded-croagh-patrick-peak-1.2252940

To be fair to Fr. King, he's also calling out to have the annual pilgrimages postponed, until restorative work has been carried out, so his heart seems to be in the right place. The 'ironic' piece of journalism has kind of sensationalised the whole thing and skewed the viewpoints.

ThisRegard

Smartguy wrote: »

Funny how some people missed the point and are now too embarrassed to admit it!

I'm not embarrassed to admit anything, it's an awfully written op piece that itself is confused as to what it's trying to be. If it's satire it's more by accident than design.

rom

Reminds me of a group that are trying to stop trailing running in the US of some famous trails for similar reasons. The group that are trying to stop it ride horses on those trails.

snailsong

ultrapercy wrote: »

Maybe, but it should still be factually correct. No way there was 1000 people in the congregation. Drop a zero and it's still a stretch.

In fairness, we have a big church in Westport. We're down to three masses on a Sunday, lots of tourists attend and there's a large Polish community. Add in a celebrity preacher like Tony King and well, you never know.

chrislad

Running ruins serenity? Is there a count somewhere for wars caused, running vs religion?

martyboy48

snailsong wrote: »

In fairness, we have a big church in Westport. We're down to three masses on a Sunday, lots of tourists attend and there's a large Polish community. Add in a celebrity preacher like Tony King and well, you never know.

Don't be showin' off......

Our church in Galway is way bigger. There isn't enough hours in the day do do all the masses that out congregation requires. We now have a lottery system for entry, but there is now a webcam which can be viewed for a small donation.
We can't get enough of mass....

vanderlyle

martyboy48 wrote: »

Don't be showin' off......

Our church in Galway is way bigger. There isn't enough hours in the day do do all the masses that out congregation requires. We now have a lottery system for entry, but there is now a webcam which can be viewed for a small donation.
We can't get enough of mass....

Good-for-age entries maybe?

The only bit in the article that hinted at comedy for me was the runners should do a "modest 5km, or 10km on a hard day" bit. I thought to myself, what would Enduro say to that?

Reading the last line of the article doesn't strike me as someone being satirical. "... Leave the reek for those who seek serenity in hurried noisy Ireland"

snailsong

martyboy48 wrote: »

Don't be showin' off......

Our church in Galway is way bigger. There isn't enough hours in the day do do all the masses that out congregation requires. We now have a lottery system for entry, but there is now a webcam which can be viewed for a small donation.
We can't get enough of mass....

Most of us go to all three, myself and Ultrapercy sit in the first pew. That Tony King, he gives great mass.

Cabaal

chrislad wrote: »

Running ruins serenity? Is there a count somewhere for wars caused, running vs religion?

Murders caused because of running: 0
Murders caused because of religion: millions if not hitting a billion by now (if not more)

Cabaal

snailsong wrote: »

In fairness, we have a big church in Westport. We're down to three masses on a Sunday, lots of tourists attend and there's a large Polish community. Add in a celebrity preacher like Tony King and well, you never know.

Between massive church's and blessing the roads to stop deaths on the roads, Mayo has all the cool religious stuff :pac:

snailsong

Cabaal wrote: »

Between massive church's and blessing the roads to stop deaths on the roads, Mayo has all the cool religious stuff :pac:

Have you heard of the sacred stump, it's a class three holy site.

Rega

SERENITY NOW!!!

adrian522

As for running versus serenity, I'm issuing a restraining order. Running must stay 500 yards from serenity at all times.

Slogger Jogger

We all share the mountains. No one owns them. The article was a bit pointless in my view. Best for him to stick to unsarcastic factual writing I think.

I ran the IMRA Croagh Patrick race last week and I've done so many times. Last weeks race had 56 participants. The route has changed in recent years. We used to go up and down the pilgrim path but coming down that stretch with the crowds of walkers, both ascending and descending, was becoming more perilous and the route is becoming more eroded from years of traverses. The IMRA race now descends off the far side of the summit and takes a less travelled route down towards Lecanvey. Its a great event. The record time on the old route starting and finishing at Campbells pub is an incredible sub 43 mins by the mighty John Brooks, one of John Lenihan's great rivals over the years.

6781

Think I'll run up it this Sunday

gucci

Is there anything to be said for saying another mass?

HelenAnne

Some good responses from IMRA-ers here:

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/runners-and-croagh-patrick-1.2291277

ThisRegard

I see God stepped in to voice his disapproval in a If they can't have it then neither can you kinda way by sending weather over so that Reek Sunday is cancelled.

sconhome

ThisRegard wrote: »

I see God stepped in to voice his disapproval in a If they can't have it then neither can you kinda way by sending weather over so that Reek Sunday is cancelled.

Yet still some fervents felt a sacrificial child at the summit was in order.

A THREE YEAR old was among at least eight people who were treated for hypothermia after climbing Croagh Patrick yesterday – despite warnings not to do so because of adverse weather conditions.

http://www.thejournal.ie/croagh-patrick-hypothermia-2237366-Jul2015/?utm_content=buffer07a6e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

What a bunch of idiots.

rainbow kirby

^ Darwin award territory, right there.

chrislad

AKW wrote: »

Yet still some fervents felt a sacrificial child at the summit was in order.



http://www.thejournal.ie/croagh-patrick-hypothermia-2237366-Jul2015/?utm_content=buffer07a6e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

What a bunch of idiots.

Not to mention the couple with the 12 week old baby who were warned directly and went up anyway.

6781

I don't think that mountain is suitable for anyone under 12 on a good day, never mind yesterday.

Cabaal

chrislad wrote: »

Not to mention the couple with the 12 week old baby who were warned directly and went up anyway.

maybe they think god will protect them?
Can't see any other reason why you'd think its ok to walk up a mountain during a yellow alert weather warning?

I have to ask though, shouldn't the HSE/Gardai bring charges against the child's parents for willful endangerment?

Djoucer

Cabaal wrote: »

maybe they think god will protect them?
Can't see any other reason why you'd think its ok to walk up a mountain during a yellow alert weather warning?

I have to ask though, shouldn't the HSE/Gardai bring charges against the child's parents for willful endangerment?

They took the child up on the Saturday, when the weather was fine. They went up and down without any problems.

walshb

Cabaal wrote: »

I have to ask though, shouldn't the HSE/Gardai bring charges against the child's parents for willful endangerment?

In a just and fair society they would be brought to book for that.

chrislad

Cabaal wrote: »

maybe they think god will protect them?
Can't see any other reason why you'd think its ok to walk up a mountain during a yellow alert weather warning?

I have to ask though, shouldn't the HSE/Gardai bring charges against the child's parents for willful endangerment?

They really should be, as should the parents of the child who got hypothermia.

clear thinking

No, irony is that Croak Partick was a pre christian fertility pilgrimage, so all those christians are effectively walking up a giant phallus. Maybe that's why they enjoy it so much.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

rainbow kirby wrote: »

^ Darwin award territory, right there.

...i'll allow it.