The area where Cormac landed when he fell on Slieve League in South East Donegal
THE OWNERS of Texaco Garage in Bunclody have spoken of their relief that their family member who plunged 300 metres down Europe’s tallest sea cliffs managed to survive.
28-year-old Cormac Nolan of Ballon, Co. Carlow, who also runs Nolan’s Tyres in Ballon, made the huge fall down Slieve League in south-west Donegal whilst out for a stroll on New Year’s Day.
During the walk he managed to slip and tumble tho-thirds the way down the 601-metre cliff, only avoiding falling into the icy Atlantic when he landed on to a rocky ledge.
A dramatic 12-hour rescue operation was then launched to get Mr. Nolan to safety.
Mr. Nolan said that his fall “felt like it lasted a couple of minutes but it must have been quicker.”
He said: “I was slipping and sliding all the way down, unable to hold on to anything with my bare hands to stop the fall until suddenly I was on a ledge.
“Although I am a bit messed up now, I didn’t have any major impact when I slid to a stop. But honest to God, it was a miracle. When I look back up, I wonder how on Earth I survived.”
Speaking to The Echo, his sister Bridget Nolan who co-owns Texaco Garage in Bunclody said that the family couldn’t believe it when they got the phone-call on New Year’s Day.
[For full story, see this week’s Echo]