Richard O’Neill-Dean, an esteemed 70-year-old Irish mountaineer, has tragically lost his life in a mountaineering incident in New Zealand. O’Neill-Dean had initially made his name being a part of the successful 1993 Everest expedition – the first Irish team to do so. Originally hailing from Stackallen, Co Meath, O’Neill-Dean fell while bravely descending alone from Mount D’Archiac’s peak, which stands at 2,875-metres. Subsequent to the alarm being sounded last Sunday, his body was retrieved and flown out to Christchurch for post-mortem examination. His wife, Frida, daughters named Esmé and Julie and young grandchildren survive him.
Having a noteworthy career in both mountaineering and psychotherapy, O’Neill-Dean had a plethora of accomplishments. He was instrumental in facilitating the Everest ascent of Dawson Stelfox, a Belfast architect and the first-ever Irish individual to reach the Everest peak, from Tibet on May 27th, 1993. Stelfox fondly remembers O’Neill-Dean as a trailblazing climber, registering first ascents in Patagonia and the Himalayas, along with new rock climbs in Ireland.
Stelfox recalls O’Neill-Dean’s recent exploits that consisted of daring ski trips all over the rugged New Zealand Alps, which had been his homestead since 1987. Stelfox recounts that during the seminal 1993 Everest mission, O’Neill-Dean was the first of the team to reach above the 8,000-metre mark, bearing a burdensome load of crucial food and equipment through severe weather conditions.
Stelfox further told how O’Neill-Dean, while recuperating from his physically taxing endeavours at the base camp, keenly observed Stelfox and deputy leader Frank Nugent’s attempt to reach the summit. Stelfox credits O’Neill-Dean’s cool, pondered and confident observations to be an immense source of comfort during his ascent. Stelfox stated that Richard O’Neill-Dean had an astute understanding of both mountains and the human spirit.
The late Mr O’Neill-Dean was always recognised for his wisdom, tranquility, and strength, qualities he frequently tapped into during demanding periods, according to a close associate. His long-time friend and mountaineering companion, Dermot Somers, who accompanied him during the 1993 Everest expedition, highlighted O’Neill-Dean’s impressive accomplishments which encompassed first-time rock climbs in Ireland and trailblazing alpine passages in Europe and New Zealand.
Being an expert ski-mountaineer, O’Neill-Dean frequently immersed himself in daunting tests in the secluded regions of the New Zealand Alps, mentioned Mr Somers. O’Neill-Dean’s life journey began as a hill sheep farmer and an instructor for outdoor adventures, later pivoting to psychotherapy.
He had embarked on his climbing journey as a teen. He recounted the initiation of his alpine climbing phase in the European Alps as a routine step in his progression. According to his biography, he considered himself fortunate to have scaled a few untouched peaks in the Indian Himalayas and Patagonia.
O’Neill-Dean and Dublin’s Richard Shackleton were the first to complete a now popular path in the Parque Nacional del Paine in Patagonia. His adventures continued following his migration to New Zealand accompanied by his spouse, Frida, in 1987. Here, he introduced a new winter ski mountaineering route traversing the Southern Alps from east to west.
A service in memory of O’Neill-Dean has been scheduled for next week in New Zealand.