Pennod 6 Blwyddyn y Bugail: Ioan Doyle

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-Ioan Doyle from Bethesda is

-one of Wales's best young climbers.

-But after school, rather than

-be a professional climber...

-..he chose sheep farming

-on the Carneddau.

-It feels like a path to me. I'm

-in charge of that path in my life.

-It was a varied and busy year

-for Ioan and girlfriend Helen.

-Their business enterprise

-was a success.

-But because of work, Ioan hasn't

-had many opportunities to climb.

-Is he fit enough to accept

-friend John McCune's challenge...

-..and be the second person ever...

-..to climb this very

-difficult cliff in Donegal?

-Can he still climb

-at the highest level?

-He's still got it.

-Ioan and Helen are on holiday.

-This is Owey Island

-off the coast of Donegal, Ireland.

-At first glance, it's a small,

-unremarkable red granite island...

-..a mile from the mainland.

-People don't live here all year now.

-But in summer, the islanders'

-descendents return to the old homes.

-Come on, Darcy! How are you?

-Ioan and Helen are staying with

-Pauline Cowan, originally from Owey.

-This is rainwater.

-We don't have any

-piped water on the island.

-So it's straight from the sky.

-I have four children.

-So making dinner

-for six is just normal.

-Staying in the house

-with Ioan, Helen and John...

-..are two more friends

-from Wales, Gareth and Llyr.

-Some cottages are kept

-as they were in the old days.

-This is the last house that was

-occupied by the real islanders.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-

-Other cottages are being renovated.

-We've had two housewarming parties.

-The soil on Owey is marvellous

-for growing vegetables.

-Look at that for a turnip.

-Look at that for a turnip.

-

-Wow.

-That's mega!

-Life is still simple

-and self-sufficient here.

-It's turnip and carrots for tea.

-It's turnip and carrots for tea.

-

-Shall we pick a few?

-If you like.

-As well as relaxing

-after a busy year...

-..their main purpose is climbing.

-John has challenged Ioan

-to be the second person ever...

-..to climb the Holy Jesus Wall

-on Owey's northern coast.

-A horseshoe of cliffs

-are hidden from the mainland.

-They were discovered

-only recently by John McCune.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-

-Hi.

-The weather is fine.

-They must go to

-the Holy Jesus Wall without delay.

-The weather rules everything.

-Pauline's daughter, Sosha...

-..drives the team's climbing

-equipment across the island.

-Two months previously in June,

-John came here with a partner...

-..and climbed these amazing cliffs.

-They were the first ever

-to climb them.

-This is the best cliff of all,

-named the Holy Jesus Wall by John.

-That's a serious bit

-of wall. Soaked, isn't it?

-At the time, he thought

-it was an E7 climb.

-But John is keen for Ioan to climb

-it too and have a second opinion.

-This is the custom

-in the climbing world.

-That bottom chimney

-looks like a battle.

-It looks so greasy.

-It looks good.

-It looks good.

-

-Yes.

-Great.

-I don't fancy it if it's greasy.

-The atmosphere

-of the place is brilliant.

-The first step

-is to abseil down and have a look.

-When I was at the top of the climb,

-sorting stuff out to go down...

-..we placed the ropes

-and threw the rope down.

-We saw the rope hovering in the air

-and realized how steep it is.

-The rope was sticking

-out of the rock.

-It put me off quite a bit.

-WHISTLES

-Jesus.

-It looks good, Gar.

-It's damp at the back of the cracks.

-In the back of the cracks,

-it feels slimy.

-I don't know

-if that's just how it is anyway.

-If you're fit, it's alright.

-It's like that, on both sides.

-Make big moves, maybe.

-Just go up like that.

-You don't have many places to stop.

-Once you're at the bottom,

-you have to just go.

-Before taking the risk,

-he has to gather his thoughts.

-Ioan isn't too fond of sea cliffs.

-There's a lot of pressure

-to try it today.

-That's the kind

-of thing that happens...

-..when you try a tough route...

-..or climbing in general.

-Many things play on your mind,

-like not doing it!

-But you want to do it too.

-That's it, it's always been a fight.

-I haven't climbed

-at this standard for a long time.

-It scared me a little.

-I'm very nervous.

-Shall we have a go?

-Shall we have a go?

-

-Yes.

-Have you got doubles on greens,

-reds and purples?

-Yes.

-John goes down first.

-Ioan is tense

-and worried about Helen.

-He thinks she's too

-close to the edge.

-Back!

-Just going down

-is enough of a worry for me.

-Oh!

-Chill.

-When I think about it,

-climbing above the sea...

-..makes it three grades

-more difficult for me...

-..because of the way

-it makes me feel.

-Going down to the place

-where you start the main climb...

-..is quite an experience in itself.

-The climber in me

-is still intense and wants to do it.

-It will mean more to me

-because it's new.

-It involves the ego,

-but there was no ego any more.

-You just think about it

-and that's that.

-In the end, I thought,

-what do I have to lose?

-The climb is steep from the outset.

-There is no easy start here.

-The rock felt as if

-it hadn't been often climbed.

-A lot of small pieces came off.

-I popped a few footholds.

-There was a lot of salt

-and sand in the holes.

-It felt very fresh.

-It felt quite greasy.

-I think that was because

-I was gripping tightly.

-When you're climbing,

-you have to do it cleanly...

-..that is, without falling...

-..or holding a piece of gear...

-..and not taking

-any tension on the rope.

-If you fall, that's it.

-You have to go down or try to find

-your way to the top of the rock...

-..pull the ropes and start again.

-You can't fall, go back on

-and then say you did it.

-It has to be without falling,

-and clean.

-If you fall, you've failed.

-It's not an option.

-GASPS

-Ha!

-That's so pumpy, John!

-LAUGHTER

-LAUGHTER

-

-Jesus!

-I think I put in too much

-protection, really.

-That just tired me out totally.

-I was halfway up

-and took a bit of a fall.

-I was gripping very tightly too...

-..because I was nervous.

-I think it's definitely an E7 grade.

-I completely forgot

-how to climb...

-..how to do it.

-That's it.

-Ioan has been beaten...

-..for today at least.

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-The weather has turned,

-giving everyone a chance to relax.

-Owey a beautiful place.

-It's a small community

-in the mid-Atlantic.

-We're all here

-for the same reason...

-..to enjoy the place.

-There are amazing rocks

-for climbers to find.

-No, those are crab claws. Crab toes

-they call them, for some reason.

-It was nice to get away from it all.

-There's nothing else here, apart

-from rocks, the sea and a house.

-Oh!

-Oh!

-

-LAUGHTER

-I'd love to go back next summer.

-We made good friends.

-The improved weather gives Ioan and

-Helen the chance to climb together.

-I hate abseiling.

-Perhaps I don't like the fact

-I don't know what's beneath me.

-I'm going down to start the climb...

-..and I can see the wild waves.

-..and I can see the wild waves.

-

-Oh, those waves.

-There's no way out.

-If I can walk to the foot

-of a cliff or mountainside...

-..and something goes wrong...

-..I know I can walk or climb away...

-..or descend on the rope

-to a safe place.

-When you're on a tiny ledge...

-..above deep waters...

-..and pulling the ropes through...

-..you have to climb out of it.

-Right then.

-On your marks.

-This is another big cliff on Owey.

-Sron Tochasach means itchy nose.

-When I started climbing with

-Mills and Gareth, and at my best...

-..I was the one who dragged

-the lads to go climbing.

-That was the only thing in my life.

-When I wasn't climbing, I was upset.

-I had nothing else to do.

-Perhaps it has

-something to do with my age.

-I'm only twenty four...

-..but I seem to worry more.

-I'm more unsure.

-I know I have the experience.

-I have so much more to lose.

-Nothing is closer

-to my heart than my sheepdogs...

-..and the sheep.

-It brings me and Helen closer.

-We argue from time to time.

-It brings us closer, we're a team.

-There are a lot of people

-who depend on me...

-..and Helen, of course.

-I find it hard

-knowing she's watching me.

-When she was close to the edge,

-I told her to go back.

-It's only natural.

-It's good to have

-someone to worry about...

-..to think about what I have

-at home, and what I could lose.

-That comes with age.

-The sheep and climbing...

-..have taken over my life...

-..over the years.

-Climbing was always my priority.

-I'm very lucky.

-I wouldn't want to do anything else,

-or do things differently.

-I'm glad I did everything from

-scratch on my own and with friends.

-That gives me a greater buzz...

-..than any climb I've ever done.

-HELEN CHEERS

-Lovely!

-Nice one.

-Very nice.

-Very nice.

-

-Good!

-Ioan can't leave Owey...

-..without visiting

-the Holy Jesus Wall once more.

-It was just that niggle, the climber

-in me saying to try again.

-On the last day of the holiday,

-Ioan goes for it.

-It's the climber's instinct in me,

-to go back and try it.

-It was a half-finished task.

-Ioan is climbing

-with more confidence today.

-But he has 50 metres to go.

-On the highest part of the route...

-..as I searched

-for pinches to hold onto...

-..the autopilot took over.

-My body remembered how to move.

-I didn't have to stop to think.

-Everything fell into place.

-It's just in me...

-..remembering how to grip

-the different pinches.

-It took over. I was in autopilot

-and kept going up.

-I put the turbo on, got on with it,

-and didn't let go.

-Almost there.

-You can do it!

-Yes!

-It's good to know I can still do it.

-Yes!

-I feel like crying.

-Fantastic.

-I didn't think I could do it.

-I was negative yesterday,

-and hard on myself.

-I proved it to myself.

-It's a brilliant feeling.

-I thought I was out of it.

-I'm not.

-I'm still there.

-Whoo!

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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