Volunteer rescue crews responded to more than 270 call-outs in 2017
2017 was a busy year for Mountain Rescue teams across the country.
Volunteer rescue crews responded to more than 270 call-outs, with a quarter of these taking place during the night.
Teams in eleven locations across the Republic and Northern Ireland dealt with 154 injury cases and ran search operations for 88 people who got lost while hill-walking and hiking.
Several of these searches were carried out on Ireland's highest mountain, Carrauntoohil in County Kerry.
"Our team consists of 35 volunteers and over the last year, between us, we've spent over 1,100 hours rescuing people and, actually, 1,115 hours training for all those eventualities as well," said Kerry Mountain Rescue PRO Alan Wallace.
The vast majority of call-outs were linked to difficulties encountered by people who were hiking.
Lower body injuries were the most commonly reported problems.
"So, yeah - it's been a busy year in Kerry as it has been all over the country and some good work done as well," he added.
