'It was so cold that my phone shut down'

Knee deep snowdrifts, risks of avalanche and phone-numbing freezes, were encountered by a local trekker on Cuilcagh's slopes this week.

While the photos may look more akin to Pyeong Chang, where South Korea is hosting the Winter Olympics, they were actually taken on the West Cavan/South Fermanagh border.

"I climbed Cuilcagh last Tuesday in the most incredible snow conditions I’ve ever walked in," said former garda, Kevin Dockery. "Snow was knee deep and deeper in other places all the way to the summit. Massive snowdrifts with highly dangerous cornices which could lead to avalanches had accumulated on the edge of the steep slopes."

The Longford man who now lives in Cavan reported that while temperature at the summit was -2.2c, it felt decidedly chillier. 

"The considerable windchill made it feel like minus 20c or lower. It was so cold that my phone shut down. The water in my bottles half froze and when I finished the walk my boots were frozen solid on my feet. I had great difficulty taking them off. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable walk in glorious sunshine."