The course will run in Killarney National Park. There will be hands-on scenario-based learning along with classroom lectures which will be taught by two army special forces medics and PHECC paramedics. The course costs €700. For further details, email RemoteMedicine@gmail.com; tel. (066) 9481944.

Amateur and professional filmmakers are invited to submit short films (max 10 minutes and HD if possible). This is your best opportunity to share your adventures with an adrenaline-addicted live audience. WAFF Awards for Best Amateur Film, Best Professional Film and Audience Favourite will be presented on the night. Check out www.waff.ie for more info, terms and conditions, or get in touch with the festival director john@waff.ie. Closing date for film submission is the 6 January 2012.

Expert instructors will be on hand to guide you through the basic skills you need to get on the water. Participants will be taught how to set up the boat to your specifications, the basic strokes and how to get in and out of the boat – even when you upside-down in the water. Further details about the course are available at www.tollymore.com

The Irish competitors put in an impressive performance last year with Richie Fitzgerald, Peter Conroy and Glyn Ovens showing off the skills they have acquired from years of practice on big waves. Easkey Britton stole the show however, as the only woman in the competition. She proved to be fearless as she took on a 30ft wave which subsequently saw her nominated for a Performance of the Year award at the Billabong XXL Big Wave Global awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of surfing.

These surfers are now again be on call for the invite-only event and will be joined by an elite collection of the world’s best big-wave surfers. The event is supported by Monster Energy, the Irish Surfing Association and the Irish Surf Rescue Club.

Setting off from Christchurch, the group climbed the Southern Alps heading across Porter’s Pass, Haast Pass, Arthur’s Pass and the Otira Gorge around Death’s Corner. Many were unprepared for the severe weather conditions thrown at them, and several suffering from stage-one hypothermia in the early stages of the challenge.

The IRFU Charitable Trust was set up to support seriously injured rugby players. The tour jersey can still be purchased from irfucyclejersey.com and 2Wheels Cycles with all proceeds going to the Trust.

This 55km hiking/hill running adventure runs from Dublin Castle to Glenmalure Valley starting at midnight. Participants keep going through dawn and deep into the Wicklow Mountains. Eoin Keith, last year’s winner, described it as the gnarliest event on the hill running calendar in Ireland.
Although the challenge is one of the toughest events on the calendar, it is achievable by a wide range of folk and organisers revel in helping everyone achieve personal milestones by finishing this epic journey.

The challenge marks a defining moment in Irish history as participants retrace the 1592 prison escape of Red Hugh O Donnell and Art O’Neill from Dublin Castle.

Due to environmental reasons, there is a limit to the amount of participants who can take part in the Art O’Neill Challenge. To avoid disappointment visit: www.artoneillchallenge.ie to sign up. The site also has lots of information on what kit you’ll need and will detail when talks on the challenge will take place in Great Outdoors, Chatham St, Dublin 2.

The majority of participants walked as part of a group with the exception of a few hardcore soles who chose to run the route solo. The hike followed the Wicklow Way for 24km before heading towards the summit of Paddock Hill and on to the finish line in Trooperstown Woods.

The Moonlight Challenge is the main fundraising event for the Glen of Imaal
Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team. It was started in 2010 to assist with sponsorship to construct a rescue base. The base will allow the rescue team to fully protect precious equipment and manage every aspect of the team’s activities more efficiently. Funds raised from this event will allow the rescue team to finish the construction of the base. To take part in next year’s challenge, visit: www.wmr.ie

Likewise some are impressive because the feat of the protagonist is so far beyond our ability or reality. And others are stirring because they demonstrate such depth of human spirit. Either way, we want to know about them and we want to applaud them.

So if you know of some extraordinary person who we should feature in our annual Outsider People of the Year list – PLEASE LET US KNOW! Put Outsider People of the Year in the subject head and email editor@outsider.ie with your suggestions or post on facebook.com/outsidermag. Give us as much detail as possible.

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