Speaker:Dermot Cosgrove

In July of 2017 Dermot solo hiked along one of the remotest hiking trails in the world, the Arctic Circle Trail. This trail is located 40 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle crossing over the coastal mountains in the tundra of Western Greenland as far as the Ice Sheet.
In 2018 Dermot continued his trekking activities by tackling the first stage of the GR10 trail in the French Pyrenees; as part of his training for an ultra-long-distance trail in 2019. His latest endeavour has been to walk solo, and unsupported, from the most Northerly point on mainland Iceland to its most Southerly point, hiking 620 kilometres and crossing a variety of terrains from tundra to volcanic black sand deserts to mountains.
Solo, long-distance hiking requires a particular mind-set, resilience and self-reliance which Dermot attributes to a combination of his time in the French Foreign Legion and love of the great outdoors. He has combined his long-distance hiking and love of birdwatching with fundraising for charity. Dermot will talk about the training and preparation required for travelling solo in remote lands, and enduring harsh and physically demanding conditions, with photos, video footage and maps. Then; because there are more journeys ahead; Dermot will reveal his future plans for more adventures in the Arctic.

About the Speaker:

Dermot Cosgrove is an Ennis native who at 19 years of age enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, where he served six years deploying operationally in Africa and the Middle East; including the First Gulf War.
After leaving the French Foreign Legion Dermot entered the world of private security; frequently working with clients, such as the media, in conflict zones in Africa and the Middle East. He moved to Kilkee in the late 1990´s where he rekindled his love of birdwatching which, ultimately, led him to remote solo hiking. His sister’s involvement with the charity Irish Dogs for the Disabled led him to starting the “Walk for the Dogs fundraising initiative”,Facebook through which he has raised more than €15,000 to date, and continues to provide him with the motivation to plan further treks with newer, more testing, conditions.

Admission is FREE of charge
A donations box is available, at each KCT Talk, to assist us in defraying essential and necessary expenses
I have attached a copy of the “shop window poster” for this KCT Talk.

Admission is FREE of charge

A donations box is available, at each KCT Talk, to assist us in defraying essential and necessary expenses

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Website: www.kilkeecivictrust.org

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