A Waterford man has become the youngest Irish person to ever climb Mount Everest.
photo:Daniel Prudek
An Irish mountaineering team featuring former Mayo footballer Pádraig O'Hora has successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest following a demanding 47-day expedition in Nepal. O’Hora was joined by Dublin climber Éanna McGowan and Waterford native Adam Sweeney, with the trio reaching the top of the world in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The achievement was confirmed by expedition leader Jason Black, who was unable to complete the climb himself after suffering an ankle injury earlier in the journey. Sharing the news on Instagram, Black described the summit as a historic moment for Irish mountaineering and praised the determination shown by the team throughout the expedition.
He said the climb represented far more than simply standing on the highest point on Earth, highlighting the resilience, teamwork and belief displayed by everyone involved. Black also paid tribute to the climbers’ families, their Sherpa guides and the many supporters who followed the expedition from home.
Reflecting on the wider significance of the achievement, he said the journey carried an important message for young people — encouraging them to dream big, believe in themselves and pursue their ambitions fearlessly. He added that, at a time when the world can often feel divided by conflict and negativity, the expedition served as a reminder that unity, hope and peace still exist.
The successful ascent is particularly meaningful for O’Hora, who spent seven years playing with the Mayo senior football team and undertook the challenge in support of Mayo Mental Health Services.
Meanwhile, Adam Sweeney, aged just 22, has made history by becoming the youngest Irish man ever to climb Everest. His sister Katie said the family were overwhelmed with pride after following the team’s progress over the past seven weeks. She described the expedition as an emotional rollercoaster and said they always believed he had the determination and mindset needed to succeed.
The climbers reached the summit alongside their Sherpa team — Pemba, Milan and Sona — after enduring several difficult days on the mountain. Earlier this week, the group had been forced to turn back just 400 metres from the peak during an initial summit attempt. After recovering at camp, they decided to make one final push, which ultimately proved successful.
Their accomplishment marks the first time an Irish team has summited Everest since the Ireland-on-Everest expedition in 2019. The climbers are now descending safely towards Camp 4 as tributes and messages of congratulations continue to pour in from across Ireland.
