A group of eight Blackhall Place trainee solicitors have reached the summit of Africa’s highest mountain – Kilimanjaro.

The climb was aimed at raising funds for and awareness of the Ballymun Community Law Centre (BCLC), which works to ensure that access to justice is available to all who need it.

One of the trainees behind the project, Matthew Mulrooney of RDJ LLP, had described its €10,000 target as “ambitious”, but the group has exceeded expectations, raising €10,542 for the centre.

Seven-day trek

The trainees left Ireland for the climb on 4 August, and began their seven-day trek on 7 August.

The group – a mix of experienced hikers and people who were relatively new to the activity – battled a wind chill of -16 degrees and altitude sickness to reach the summit.

Those taking part were:

• Matthew Mulrooney (RDJ LLP),
• Eoghan Davis (Ogier),
• Sophie Walsh (A&L Goodbody),
• Dylan Byrne (Matheson),
• Oliver Dunne (Addleshaw Goddard),
• Fearghal Ryan (Addleshaw Goddard),
• Hamzza Khosa (McKeever Rowan), and
• Daniel Donoghue (McCann Fitzgerald).