Norah Maddison
By Colin Maddison
I am sure that, by now, most people in the club will know that Norah died in an abseiling accident at Saddle Head, Pembrokeshire, on 3rd of June. She was buried in her home town of Armagh, Northern Ireland. An inquest will be held at a date yet to be set, but I think it is unlikely that we will ever know exactly how the accident occurred.
Most of Norah's friends in the KMC will remember her as she is in the photograph on the front of this newsletter; happy, smiling, climbing, exhilarated by being in the mountains and, as in so many things, leading the way. The picture was taken on Cloggy one day in 1992, when we climbed "The Boulder", "The Corner" and "Llithrig". It was a modest day by her standards at the time, but a good one that we shared climbing classic routes on a great crag.
Like myself, Norah joined the KMC in 1986 and that is how we met. She was a Vice President, one of the club's best climbers (male or female), the life and soul of many KMC meets and parties and an inspiration to a lot of people. She led E3/E4 on rock (on sight), Grade V on Scottish ice and climbed routes up to TD in the Alps. As well as climbing extensively throughout Great Britain, Ireland and Europe, she climbed in Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
Norah had a free, loving, generous and determined spirit and her achievements went far beyond her climbing exploits, in both her personal and professional life. She was a wonderful wife and mother and a gifted and caring physiotherapist. There are many memories and much that I could write about Norah, but that is perhaps for a future newsletter when I have had time to think more clearly.
For now I just want to say thank you to everyone for all the cards, letters and telephone calls; there have been too many to respond to individually. Thank you to everybody who came to Norah's memorial service in Salford and packed the church. Thank you for all the offers of help and support, they are very much appreciated.
A lot of people have said they don't know what to say; that is fine, don't be embarrassed. Just talk the way we always have and don't be afraid to talk about Norah.
Colin.
