by Rónán
Ho ho ho(ld)… OK, enough of that.
Last weekend saw the club’s annual Christmas dinner… for the first time, at Henry’s Cottage! This was the club’s first proper chance to make use of the cottage. and our new home didn’t disappoint.
Over the last few months of work, the lane down to the cottage had become impassable to anything short of a Sherman tank and we arrived on Saturday afternoon to Henry and a work crew putting the finishing touches to laying down stone with a digger. The whole shindig was organised by social sec, Lisa, who contacted everyone the week before to assign dishes to bring. Despite some confusion about ‘boiled pots’, whether ‘wood and turf’ was a starter or a main, and the appearance of cheese crackers rather than Christmas crackers, there was plenty of food and, for a bunch of itinerant climbers, food of a particularly high quality. Matt’s ham was perhaps most popular, possibly as it was roasted in the contents of a bottle of Black Bush and several beehives.
Dinner. We were to busy to remember to get an actual group photo.
Vicky, never disappointing, provided the evening’s entertainment through her annual organised fun extravaganza. Between courses of dinner we played pass the parcel, with dodgy jokes and game instructions between each layer. The notorious test of flexibility and floor licking that is the Box Game provided an amouse bouche, with a Mournes-themed quiz as starter (which is the highest car park in the Mournes?), the not-at-all inappropriate passing-an-orange-under-the-chin game as main, and ginat Jenga as dessert. Final victory in pass the parcel went to Ian, now the proud owner of a BCC mug.
The Box Game
Into the wee small hours the firewood, whiskey and numbers awake dwindled but the craic continued through playing dodgy board games and late night discussion. Henry managed an early morning walk up Eagle, while the rest of us were up bright and early for the stroke of midday on Sunday. Those still feeling energetic went for a short walk around Slievenamuck, Spaltha, Spelga, and Butter, testing the strength of frozen ponds and generally gallivanting off Matt’s ham and the pecan pie.
Lisa inspecting ice on Spelga
John and Kim testing the ice
Spelga Reservoir from Spelga Mountain
Thanks to Matt, Matt, Kim, John, Niall, Robyn, Eva, Lisa, Vicky, Ian, kyle, Alistair, pete and Henry for coming, thanks to Lisa for organising and Vicky for the activities, and particular thanks to Henry for making it all possible!
Next event will be New Year’s at the cottage - see you there!