Team Geared Up

TheShortSpan - Bouldering in Ireland tells the story of the words IRA 26 chipped into one of the famous bouldering rocks “Big Jim” or “Running Rock!” as some people know it…

Two weekends ago a large group hanging around Big Jim in Glendalough noticed this etching on the easy angled slab (see photos). It seems to say IRA 26, it is obviously very old as it had lichen on it and is the exact same texture and tone as the rock surrounding it. What was strange was that none of the group - about a dozen glendo regulars - had ever noticed it before, probably something to do with the angle of the sun.

I’m 100% sure that did not exist a year ago. I spent a long time scaling up that face handsfree and knew every little bump. Sad people feel they need to do this…