The Bandon Awards & Civic Medal

Last week in Ireland the 4 of the Beyond Endurance team met up for the first time since we all left the ice in January. So soon after it had ended, we dispersed and got back to normal life, Clare and Pat were back at work on the Monday after we arrived. Shaun had a week off and is now back at work in Dublin. When I saw him over the weekend - he said he had not really thought much about the 2 months on the ice since we had finished, he has put the whole experience away into a 'cupboard' and forgotten about it, leaving it there until he is more ready to look back and reminisce about our time together in the cold.

It was great to see them all again, but it was somehow.....actually obviously very different, this wasn't expedition life, our clothes smelt and looked nice for a start and we had all shaved. We were gathered in West Cork for the Annual Community and Sports awards. The team were rumoured to be up for an award for the 1st Irish Team to the South Pole and Clare was up for an individual award too.

It was especially great to see Shaun again after so many months. We had spent such a huge amount of time together on the ice in such close confinement, never arguing or falling out and to think we didn't even know each other before the expedition started - quite incredible really. The first few minutes were a bit strange, but then the ice broke and the banter started - we were straight back on the ice. It was great to see him again - you can create such bonds of friendship on expedition (also hatred, but not in our case) that when you go your separate ways there is vacuum. For me especially as I have found it difficult to recuperate, I have been quite ill and the post expedition low has hit me quite hard. I realised that I had actually been on 3 back to back expeditions last year from June onwards, with no break. I had lost and gained over 4 stone in 9 months and in March and April I really struggled to find any rhythm in life. Seeing the team again and celebrating some of the accolades together has been good rehab.

Anyway we won the Supreme Achievement Award as a team, and Clare won Person of the Year, this is the second time she has won this as in 2004 she got it for climbing Everest - well deserved that is what I say, she should have got an award for putting up with the three of us boys too. She has also had a footpath/walkway named after her in her home town of Bandon - how great is that?

On the Monday, 3 of us (Shaun had to go back to Dublin) were presented the Lord Mayors Civic Medal at a special ceremony in County Hall in Cork. I am very honored and very flattered, my thanks to the people of Cork, never having won a medal before for anything (I was terrible at sports at school, along with most other things) this means a lot to me.