Tuesday 8 September 2009

Annual Brian Keenan challenge 2009


So we once again found ourselves at the Brian Keenan Mourne Mountain Challenge on Saturday afternoon; this time thankfully, we were on the right mountain!!

This was the second year of the event and the second time that our small team from Short Strand took part, in what is truly a formidable challenge!

Brian Keenan was himself a formidable man, an inspirational Republican and leader. I had the privilege of meeting him a number of times, his passion, commitment and dedication to our struggle was palpable.
He spoke and be sure, you listened!

It isn't surprising therefore that Brian's friends and family started this annual event in his memory. Brian faced many difficult challenges in life and faced them all head on; he remains a figure of great inspiration for those of us who continue in struggle.

The walk itself is a 26 mile track across the Mournes, for those of us less 'out-doorish' we can drop off at 13 mile (which I still maintain is an achievement in itself!!)

The walk itself allows us to meet up with friends and comrades from across the country, it also gives us the chance to make new friends. Both years have given our team great memories of great craic, tough challenges but working and sticking together all the while.
It also gave our team from the strand a chance to bring new people along and get to know them, and also allow them to get to know us. It gave the them the opportunity to learn about Brian and directly flowing from that Irish Republicanism.

I suppose as we track through the mountains we all inevitable think of Brian and the life that he led, it certainly spurs us on to complete the challenge of the day but more importantly the challenge that faces us all and the challenge that Brian committed his life to, the establishment of a 32 county, democratic and socialist republic.

No comments:

Post a Comment