Name Joss Lynam | Role Writer | |
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Died 2011, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Books Leisure Walks Near Dublin, Easy Walks Near Dublin, Sli an Iarthair - Or - the Weste, Mountaineering in Ireland, Walking in the Blackstairs | ||
Joss Lynam (James Perry O’Flaherty Lynam; 29 June 1924 – 9 January 2011) was an Irish mountaineer, hillwalker, orienteer, writer and sports administrator.
Lynam was a civil engineer by profession but he devoted most of his life to developing the sport of mountaineering in Ireland. He climbed extensively in Ireland, Britain, the Alps and in India. He was leader or deputy leader of expeditions to Greenland, the Andes, Kashmir, Tien Shan, Garhwal, Tibet and India, including the 1987 expedition to Changtse, which was the forerunner to the successful first Irish ascent of Everest in 1993.
He was heavily involved in developing adventure sport in Ireland and also in promoting access and developing waymarked trails. He was involved in the creation and administration of the Federation of Mountaineering Clubs in Ireland (now Mountaineering Ireland), the Association for Adventure Sports, Bord Oiliúint Sléibhte (Irish Mountain Training Board), Tiglin (National Outdoor Training Centre [now defunct]), Outdoor Education Ireland, and Cospóir (now the Irish Sports Council) and the National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee ( part of the Irish Sports Council).
He was a founder member of the Irish Mountaineering Club serving as president from 1982-1984. and he was also a founder member of both the Irish Orienteers and Three Rock Orienteering club. He was president of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme's expeditions commission in the 1990s.
He wrote and edited many guide books to walking and climbing in Ireland. He also helped create and was editor of The Mountain Log (the journal of Mountaineering Ireland).