15 people rescued from Reek during tough day for emergency services

ALTHOUGH  'baptised' by occasional rainbursts, thousands climbed Croagh Patrick today for the annual pilgrimage.

Numbers scaling the 'Holy Mountain' were steady despite the counter attraction of two All-Ireland football quarter finals in Croke Park in which three Connacht countiea. Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, were involved.

Mayo Mountain Rescue dealt with 15 casualties during the course of the day.

One of the first to take to the slopes was the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary.

He began the slippery ascent at 7 a.m. accompanied by Bishop Fintan Monahan, Bishop of Killaloe, and Gearóid Dullea, executive secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference.

Archbishop Neary celebrated Mass in the mountaintop oratory at 11 a.m.

In a homily to mark 'Reek Sunday 2017', which this year focuses on families as part of preparations for World Meeting of Families 2018, Dr. Neary criticised the consumerist nature of the society in which we live

He said consumerism is 'diluting our moral standards.â€

The archbishop continued: 'We are living at a time when there seems to be no limit to individual choice and human progress.

'We are part of a vast sea of change over which we have very little control.

'Many feel disorientated, threatened and traumatised. It is easy to become cynical.'

Dr. Neary spoke of the pressures facing families nationwide nowadays with busy schedules, dual-career marriages,and after school activities.

'Families are relatively time poor compared to previous generations', he continued.

'Prayer for many is confined to Church attendance and to socially required ceremonies such as baptisms, communions, confirmations, weddings and funerals.'

In a change to the usual format, Masses in the mountaintop oratory are being celebrated hourly rather than a half hourly basis as was traditional.

Mountain Rescue dealt with 15 casualties in tough conditions. Extremely heavy persistent showers this evening meant both the path and the cone were very rough under foot.

Most incidents happened either on the shoulder and cone of Croagh Patrick.

There was a lot of teams operating, thanks going to to Galway, SEMRA, Sligo/Leitrim, Donegal, Dublin/Wicklow, Glen of Imaal, North West, Mournes and ICRO. 

The full breakdown of those rescued is as follows:

* A 10-year-old boy with head and wrist injuries, stretchered off to awaiting ambulance. Mayo University Hospital.

* A 49-year-old male sustained head injuries, treated at medical tent and discharged.

* A 46-year- old male sustained serious upper body injuries, dislocated shoulder and facial injuries. Treated and evacuated by the Air Corps to Mayo University Hospital.

* Male in his 70s suffered a heart attack, he was resuscitated and airlifted by Coast Guard helicopter 118 to Galway University Hospital.

* A 68-year-old male suffered broken left wrist. Treated and stretchered off to an awaiting ambulance.

* A 14-year-old male suffered a knee injury. Treated and stretchered down the cone.

* Female casualty treated for nausea at medical tent, being escorted off the hill.

*A 70-year-old male sustained a head injury, evacuated with the assistance of the Order Of Malta.

*A 70-year-old female casualty with head injury assessed at the medical tent and being airlifted to hospital

* A 13-year-old female sustained minor injuries, treated at medical tent and discharged

* A 82-year-old male suffered an arm injury, escorted off the hill by Order Of Malta

* A 60-year-old female with lower arm injury, treated at the medical tent and assisted off the hill by Order of Malta

* Galway MR treating a 44 year old female suffering from exhaustion. Casualty being stretchered to the medical tent for further treatment.

* A 17-year-old girl sustained a knee injury, she was treated and assisted off the hill.

* Male in his 70s suffering from exhaustion and hyperthermia at the front of Croagh Patrick. First response and stretcher party .