THE TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has extended his condolences over the sudden death of record-breaking mountain climber and adventurer Ian McKeever.
McKeever, 42, was leading a group of charity fundraisers up Mount Kilimanjaro when they were struck by lightning during a storm yesterday.
A statement on the Ian McKeever’s Kilimanjaro Achievers 2012 Facebook page read: “It is with deep regret, that we, Ian’s family, fiancée Anna and friends, advise of his sudden death on Kilimanjaro, today, doing what he loved best.”
This afternoon, Kenny released a statement expressing his sadness over McKeever’s passing:
I had come to know him over recent years and I admired him not only for his own achievements and charity work but also for his work with young people in challenging them to achieve their full potential.Ian led students from schools in Castlebar to the summit Kilimanjaro and managed to text me updates on their progress en-route.
He was extremely passionate about what he did and driven in his belief that everybody can achieve their potential during their lifetime. Ian said to me once that there was no place he would rather be than in the mountains.
I would like to extend my sympathies to his fiancée Anna and his family, friends and fellow adventurers.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam uasal.
The death of the renowned adventurer has provoked tributes across the country today, with Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh describing him as a “modern day hero”.
“He was an inspirational character who helped all those who joined him to reach strengths many didn’t know they had”, he said.
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