In recent years the Shannon Group have found themselves increasingly drawn to some of the lesser visited caving regions in Ireland, particularly Counties Sligo and Leitrim.  Following some prospecting and exploration this summer in the Largy townland on the Truskmore Massif, between Glencar and...

The Shannon Group has recently been doing a lot of exploration in Co. Leitrim.  During a couple of trips to Deep Pot On Largy (yes that's what it's called!) we found a couple of old flashbulbs like this: i have no idea if it can be dated, perhaps the design hasn't changed much.  However they...

A film made of one of Artur Kozłowski's major dive projects in Co. Galway, compiled after his death last year.. Riders on the Storm - Artur Kozlowski - underwater exploration beneath Gort Lowland - full movie on Vimeo

Does anyone have any information on the strength of Rawlbolt eyebolts?  I can only find strength data for the projecting-shield type.  While the internals of the bolts are the same, the anchor point on the eyebolt type will be further from the wall and i want to know how much this will affect...

Black Burn Cave on Garron Point in County Antrim is an interesting and usual cave developed in the Ulster White Limestone (chalk) that underlies the basalt of the Antrim plateau.  It has great potential, and diving in the 1980s led to c. 300m of streamway through 4 sumps to a 5th sump.  In the...

Please be aware that there has been significant and extensive rock movement in Shannon Cave, affecting at least 300 m of passage.  The collapses were discovered yesterday (11 September), and occur from the end of the Rebirth Canal (Polltullyard connection) to the Pollahune Inlet (old entrance). ...

The story of four DMM Shield wire-gate alloy karabiners... As named below, left to right: the grey, the silver, the silver-pink, and the grey-pink (the grey colouring i think is anodising of some sort, the silver ones seem to be self-coloured and uncoated). Grey and silver were a pair on a...

Does anyone have any knowledge of caving equipment suppliers in Australia?  Google isn't very helpful for what i want.  Primarily looking for a supplier of static caving rope.  Cheers, Al

Petzl Stop for sale, ?27, inc. UK postage.  It's in good condition, not badly worn (i estimate about 600m of abseiling), and has been well cared for.  Al

In November and December 2010 the Creature's End aven in the further reaches of Cascades Rising Cave in Co. Fermanagh was climbed.  Although no high-level passages were discovered the climb was very pretty and we terminated it in the beautiful Sistine Chapel... (Note: there are no further leads...

Another new cave for Co. Monaghan!  A flood-debris blocked rift in the Tullyvaragh sink was opened in a few hours to give approximately 15 m of passage with a large rift chamber.  Tullyvaragh sink - river enters from the left and sinks in the floor (when there's some water!), Polltullyvaragh...

Would like to take some dry gear through a sump, wondering if anyone has any experience of using rocket tubes for this and knows how deep they can be taken without leaking?  :shrug:

A couple of weeks ago Artur and i visited Creevy Rising with the intention of exploring the sump behind the entrance chamber recorded in 1965 by the Irish Caving Club.  To our surprise there wasn't a sump behind the entrance chamber, but a canal passage.  Artur swam down it, looking for a sump. ...

Does anyone use one of these and have any good or bad comments?  What is the material like and how does it compare to cordura and PVC?  Is it a sort of half-way house between them?  :-\ Thanks!  :)

I've an old Petzl Duo halogen / 5 LED, which is about as bright as a fish supper.  It's still in very good condition though, and i'm wondering about upgrading it with the 14 LED module.  However i don't want to buy the 14 LED module and find that it doesn't fit the 5 LED or that my torch is too...