Hingston and Everest Centenary Exhibition Now on at Passage West Maritime Museum

Writes Leo McMahon

Running until mid-September at Passage West Maritime Museum is the exhibition ‘Richard Hingston – From Cork to Everest’ which was officially opened recently by Deputy County Mayor Cllr Seamus McGrath.

The opening was preceded by a boat trip from Custom House Quay in Cork to the pontoon at Passage West for invited guests on board a Cork Harbour Cruises vessel crewed by Trish Harris, Trudy and Mike McIntyre.

They were greeted on arrival with music from Passage West Community Choir comprising Donal Dalton, Walty Murphy Noel Jeffers, Peter McManamon, Anita Howard, Joe and Liz Barrett, John and Helen Fox. A welcome was extended by one of the founders and joint co-ordinator of the museum Jim Murphy who spoke briefly about Richard Hingston and his family.

Pictured at the PACE Hall, Passage West for the lecture ‘From Cork to Everest’ about Richard Hingston, Passage West (l-r); Marc Menamin, RTE documentary maker who delivered the lecture; Jim Murphy, author of a book about Hingston and co maritime museum co-ordinator; Angela Murphy-Kirby, museum chairperson; Deputy County Mayor Cllr Seamus McGrath, who officially opened the museum about Hingston in the 100th anniversary year of the Everest Expedition and Gavin Murphy, museum board member who also gave a lecture about Hingston – photo Leo McMahon.

Officially opening the exhibition, Cllr McGrath, who is also Cataoirleach of Carrigaline Municipal District said: ‘Major Richard Hingston was an extraordinary man. He lived an incredible life and we have such a strong connection with him here in Passage West that it is so appropriate that the museum is honouring him with this exhibition. It provides an opportunity for to everybody locally and visitors to learn about this amazing individual who lived at Horsehead, Passage West.

‘He was a person who loved nature, was before his time, had a big input into the creation of national parks many years ago and we realise how important that is today. He was also a person of medicine, a skilled surgeon, author of many books, an adventurer and explorer’, said Cllr McGrath who paid tribute to the museum volunteers, adding: ‘It’s so important that his story is told and that everybody has an opportunity to learn about this extraordinary life’.

The attendance (several of whom enjoyed the cruise) at the opening also included museum volunteers Angela Murphy-Kirby, chairperson; Margaret O’Mahony, vice chairperson; Maire Corr-Kelly, treasurer; Miguel Reccio, Donie Madden and Martin Collins as well as Noel O’Sullivan, Aidan O’Riordan, Alan and Linda Murphy, Ann Bevan and Tony Bevan, Judith Graepel, Anne and Eoin O’Reilly, Mary Bluett, Mike Bluett and Oliver Bluett; Jason Byrne, Catherine O’Regan, Paddy O’Regan, Abby Greaves and Archie Greaves and Landy Hill. 

The exhibition has excellent illustrated panels charting the life of Hingston, his Military Cross medal (second only in importance to the Victoria Cross),  plus covers from some of his books, the symbol of the Ghurka regiment, kukris (crossed short swords) in which the doctor, naturalist, explorer and hero served, and other artefacts.

Everest Lecture

At the well attended exhibition and lecture in the adjoining PACE Hall later that day, Gavin Murphy, museum board member, gave an excellent illustrated talk about the life of Major Richard Kingston (1887-1966) describing him as ‘a polymath, a man of many talents and immense courage’ who spent his early life at Horsehead House with his aunt and ended up living in Passage West in later life.

In between times, he graduated from University College Cork in 1910, worked with the Indian Medical Service, was awarded with the Military Cross for bravery at the Battle of Nasiriyah in Mesopotamia (Iraq) in World War 1, was a world renowned naturalist and the author of over 200 books and articles mainly to do with flora and fauna and wild life; was on scientific expeditions to Greenland (1928) and British Guiana (1929); served in World War 2 and played a major role in creating the national park movement to save endangered species, most notably Serengeti in East Africa. He returned to Passage West in 1946 and is buried locally in Marmullane Graveyard.

In particular, Hingston was a member of the ill-fated British Everest Expedition led by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine 100 years ago during which, at an altitude of 23,000 feet, he heroically rescued then team leader Edward F Norton who was suffering from snow blindness, said Gavin who referred to the valuable information contained in Hingston’s diaries.

Special guest historian and documentary maker Marc Menamin from Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, gave a comprehensive illustrated lecture entitled ‘29,000 feet above the sea’. He spoke about previous expeditions that mapped the world’s tallest mountain (29,031feet/8,848 metres) as well as  climbs in the early 1920s leading up to the British one in 1924 about which it still remains a mystery as to whether or not Mallory and Irvine, (whom Marc profiles) who perished on the mountain, actually reached the summit.

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