Everest-Pat on summit 1995
It was a proud moment for me at 9.10am on 27 May 1995, when I stood on the summit of Mount Everest for the first time with my friends, James Allen and Mike Smith. I now had the third – and highest – of the Seven Summits in the bag.
1st Irish female summit Everest
On 18 May 2004 at 6.45am, Clare and I reached the top of the world together. In this moment, Clare became the first Irish woman to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain. Pemba Gyalje, Lama Babu, Lama Jangbu and Nang Chemmi also reached the summit that day. Picture. Pat Clare Everest Summit 2004 in a vortex with winds 100km 5mt above them Pat Falvey Expedition Leader
Everest Summit ridge four die on return.
Shortly after we began our descent, this shot was taken before we reached the Hillary Step. I am standing there for a moment, taking in the stunning beauty of the highest mountains in the world. 15 reached the summit that day only 11 returned. Nils Antezan a Bolivian American and three Koreans Joon-Hoy Back, Ming Jang and Mu-taek Park died on the descent after reaching the summit,
First Irish team at South Pole
On 8 January 2008, we arrived at 90° south and became the first Irish team to reach the South Pole. Left to right: me, Shaun Menzies, Clare O’Leary, Jon Bradshaw. A 58 day 1035 Km journey in the most desolate, coldest and most beautiful places on earth. Expedition Leader Pat Falvey
Pat Falvey at North Pole
On our first trip to the North Pole, Clare O’Leary and I stood at 90° north on the pole in a sea of ice.
Beyond Endurance Team Salut there heroes at Cape Valentine
We had a full group of eighty-four people, including traverse and support team, on board the MV Ushuaia. Following our successful traverse, we sailed around the Antarctic waters, landing on various islands. The group is pictured with the infamous Elephant Island in the background.
Pats Family
Me as a snappily dressed eighteen-year-old businessman with all the family. Front, left to right: Majella, Barry, Mum. Back, left to right: Abina, Dad, Richard, Paul, me.
Pat_running_winning at munster cross country finals
Just about to be first across the finish line at the Munster Cross-country Championships in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, in the early 1970s.
Everest Base Camp 2017
It’s an honour and joy for me to bring groups of people beyond their comfort zones and into their full potential on treks to Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, South America, Antarctica and other destinations around the world.
Pat Hiking
Me crossing the ridge line from Waterville to Killarney on a three- day camp craft and skills training trip in 1988.
Khumbu Ice fall
Crossing the treacherous Khumbu Icefall after leaving Everest Base Camp is something that focuses the mind of even the most proficient of climbers.
Ama Dablam Food preparation
Left to right: Con Moriarty, Mike O’Shea and me in the Mountain Man shop in Killarney, Co Kerry, doing the final check on our food and gear for our 1991 Irish Himalayan Ama Dablam Expedition. Along with the pear drops, boxes of trifle and Tayto crisps, we had 2,400 bars of chocolate to share among six of us – 400 bars each to sustain us over a two-month period. Probably not the most scientifically based diet!
Ama Dablam team 91
Holding the Tricolour to mark the first summiting of Ama Dablam – and of a mountain in the Nepalese Himalaya – by an Irish team. On 4 April 1991, Mick Murphy was our sole climber to reach the summit. Front, left to right: Mike O’Shea, Ciaran Corrigan, Mick Murphy, Con Moriarty. Back, left to right: Tim Hickey (Base Camp manager), Kami Sherpa (tent assistant), me, Larpa Sherpa (assistant cook), Tony Farrell.
Mt Elbrus Summit 2017
It’s an honour and joy for me to bring groups of people beyond their comfort zones and into their full potential on treks to Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, South America, Antarctica and other destinations around the world.
88 degrees Shackleton
On the first day of 2008, we reached 180km from the South Pole, the distance from the Pole Shackleton reached when he made the heartbreaking but correct decision to turn back in order to save the lives of his crew. Jon cut his name out of the snow to honour a man who was a hero to us all.
Greenland team & John
In September 2007, Shaun Menzies, Clare O’Leary and I became the first Irish team to complete an unsupported ski traverse of the Greenland Ice Cap. Left to right: Shaun, Clare, Jon Bradshaw (whom we met while traversing Greenland and who later joined our South Pole team), me.
Rolf and Ger on South Georgia on the BE
Rolf Bae, my polar training partner and friend, also died on K2 in August 2008, just hours before Ger lost his life. Left to right: Rolf and Ger having a laugh on South Georgia during the 2006 Irish Beyond Endurance Expedition.
BE Group at Shackleton Grave
Our group remembered the legacy of Ernest Shackleton and all the crew of the Endurance when we visited his grave in Gryviken, South Georgia. Shackleton died in January 1922.
Irian Jaya-Pat with Dani-tribe
After completing the Seven Summits, I travelled to West Papua New Guinea where I was honoured to spend time with members of the Dani tribe and where I got the opportunity to immerse myself in their culture and traditions.
Kili 96
Despite what had happened in 1993, I was happy to return to Everest in 1995 with Jon Tinker as expedition leader. He and I are pictured in the airport at Gatwick before take-off for Kathmandu.
Pat Speaking
The stories of others were my first and abiding inspiration to become an adventurer and now I love to inspire others at seminars, courses and presentations around the world.
Ama Dablam climbing
Me carrying heavy loads and fixing ropes between Camp 1 and Camp 3 on Ama Dablam’s southwest ridge in 1991.
Highest Puc Fada
While at the top of Everest, I hit the highest puc fada in the world, remembering our national game of hurling and as a nod to all the brilliant hurlers who have come from Cork.
Looking back at camp 2 Everest 95
Me en route to the higher Camp 2 at 7,900m with Camp 1 on Everest’s North Col at 7,000m behind me.
Pat Falvey hauling sled – Greenland August 07
Pat Falvey – Greenland August 07 – First irish unsupported traverse team and female.
Boardroom Pat and father Tim
Directors’ meeting in the boardroom at our offices on Blarney Street in Cork in the late 1970s. Left to right: Frank Jackson (director, Tim Falvey & Sons), Finbar Falvey (director, Falvey Group), Kevin Reddy (director, Falvey Housing), Tim Falvey (chairman, Falvey Group), me (MD, Falvey Group), Pat Sheahan (financial director, Falvey Group).
Struggling in Antarctica
Pulling heavy loads for 58 days in Antarctica. Struggling in Katabatic winds and temperatures that went down to -60 in Antarctica
Hilary step nearly died 2003
Pat Falvey nearly died 1 hour from the summit here in 2003 at the Hilary step. Lucky escape fro dying and returned in 2004 to succeed. Pat was expedition leader on both expeditions.
Helicopter crash Everest Expedition 2003
Lucky escape for our Irish Team. Helicopter Crash Base Camp Everest 2003.
Pat Falvey on Ama Dablam
Pat Falvey team member on the 1st Irish team to climb a Nepalese/ Himalayan expedition Mountain 1991 Pat on Ama Dablam
Pat Falvey show Beyond Endurance 2
Everest, Antarctic and Beyond Endurance: Cork born, international adventurer Pat Falvey pictured performing his one man show, Everest, Antarctic and Beyond Endurance at The Cork Opera House on Thursday night. Pat shared his remarkable story from his early years in Corks North side, to reaching the top of Everest and touching the South Pole. On 27 May 1996, he became the second Irish climber and the first from the Republic of Ireland to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He was the first person in the world to complete the Seven Summits twice by reaching the summit of Mount Everest from both the Tibetan (1996) and Nepalese sides (2003). He was expedition leader of the team that saw Dr Clare OLeary become the first Irish woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest (2003). Pat also recalled his many up & downs in business life from millionaire to bust to rising again as Ireland’s greatest living adventurer. Photo: Don MacMonagle
Pat Falvey show Beyond Endurance
Everest, Antarctic and Beyond Endurance: Cork born, international adventurer Pat Falvey pictured performing his one man show, Everest, Antarctic and Beyond Endurance at The Cork Opera House on Thursday night. Pat shared his remarkable story from his early years in Corks North side, to reaching the top of Everest and touching the South Pole. On 27 May 1996, he became the second Irish climber and the first from the Republic of Ireland to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He was the first person in the world to complete the Seven Summits twice by reaching the summit of Mount Everest from both the Tibetan (1996) and Nepalese sides (2003). He was expedition leader of the team that saw Dr Clare OLeary become the first Irish woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest (2003). Pat also recalled his many up & downs in business life from millionaire to bust to rising again as Ireland’s greatest living adventurer. Photo: Don MacMonagle