Derry father-and-son Andy and Shae conquer Leinster scaling 43 mountains in province

Andrew Maguire and his 16-year-old son Shae recently finished the year-long challenge, which they nicknamed #LeapLeinster, after one year and three weeks of exploring mountains, forests, historic sites and hidden corners of Ireland’s Ancient East.

The challenge concluded with what the pair called the ‘Big Lug Finale’ saving Lugnaquilla, Leinster’s highest mountain, until the very end – our highest peak to date. Fittingly, they combined the ascent with three additional summits, bagging four peaks in a single day’s hiking.

The achievement means the father and son have now completed the Vandeleur-Lynam mountains in Ulster, Connacht and Leinster, leaving only Munster remaining.

In total, they have now climbed 130 Irish peaks together. Over the course of #LeapLeinster, they covered approximately 119 miles on foot, climbed more than 31,000 feet of elevation and reached all 43 qualifying summits across Leinster.

Andrew said the challenge was about much more than simply collecting mountains.

"The peaks give us a goal, but the real reward comes from the places you discover, the history you encounter and the people you meet along the way. The mountains have been an excuse to spend quality time together and create memories that will last a lifetime,” he said.

The journey also became a voyage through Irish history. During their travels they visited Avondale House, the former estate of Charles Stewart Parnell, whose campaign for Home Rule helped shape modern Ireland.

They explored Vinegar Hill, one of the most significant sites of the 1798 Rebellion, and visited the Glen of Imaal, where the legendary rebel Michael Dwyer made his dramatic escape from Crown forces.

They also spent time at the ancient monastic settlement of Glendalough, explored abandoned mining villages and visited the Neolithic passage tomb at Seefin.

Wicklow’s status as Ireland’s most forested county provided countless opportunities for exploration, while lakes and rivers along the route offered the chance for refreshing open-water swims after long days in the hills.

Andrew’s daughter Freya also played her part in the challenge, joining three hikes and helping them bag seven peaks together.

The pair were particularly impressed by County Wicklow.

"Wicklow has everything. It has incredible mountains, beautiful forests, fascinating history and some of the friendliest people we’ve met anywhere in Ireland. Every trip felt like an adventure,” said Andrew.

One of the most memorable aspects of the challenge was the hospitality they encountered along the way. While staying near Avoca and Redcross, the family became regular visitors to Finn’s of Conary.

After hearing about their challenge, the owner generously offered them free camping in a field behind the premises, making future trips to Wicklow far easier to organise.

"The kindness we experienced was unbelievable. We met so many people in villages and townlands throughout Leinster who took an interest in what we were doing. By the end we almost felt like locals ourselves. The people really made the journey special,” Andrew acknowledged.

Not every adventure was straightforward. Some routes brought them close to military training areas in the Glen of Imaal, requiring careful planning to stay clear of exclusion zones.

On one occasion live firing exercises were taking place nearby, adding an extra sense of excitement to the day. Having now climbed 130 peaks across three provinces, the pair are already turning their attention to what will be their biggest challenge yet.

For Andrew, however, the achievement is not measured in miles, elevation or summits.

"When we look back, it won’t be the statistics that matter most. It will be the adventures we’ve shared, the history we’ve discovered and the friendships we’ve made. That’s what these journeys are really about. People keep telling me we’re making memories – and they’re right, we really are,” he said.

Munster remains the final frontier, with 144 Vandeleur-Lynam peaks still to complete. Shae added that he hopes to complete all of Munster’s Vandeleur-Lynam peaks within the next two years, which would make him the youngest person to finish the all-Ireland challenge.

The current record stands at 20 years and eight months.

"Munster is going to be a completely different challenge. There are more mountains there than in the other three provinces combined, and they’re generally higher, tougher and more technically demanding. We know it will be difficult, but we’re really looking forward to getting stuck in,” said Andrew.

The Maguires’ completion of their #LeapLeinster, comes five years after they conquered Ulster.

Between 2018 and 2021 the father-and-son climbed every single mountain on the Vandeleur-Lynams in the province – 36 peaks, all over 600 metres, in total.

Their epic journey began when in November 2018 when they were looking up at their home peak of Sawel from their house in Claudy.

“We took the notion that we would hike Sawel Mountain in the Sperrins. This came about partly due to boredom, but we were fascinated with a dominating peak that we could see from our home,” said Andrew at the time.

Despite being aged only eight-and-a-half at the time Shae battled through the cold and the wet to reach the top and take in the beautiful views with his father.

The rest is history. After finishing Ulster, they were crowned Kings of Connacht in July 2025, having climbed all 51 mountains in the province.

With three provinces and 130 Vandeleur-Lynam peaks under their belt it is now on to Munster, which has more qualifying summits than Ulster, Connacht and Leinster combined.