photo: Copyright and thanks to Robin Campbell

Elly Moriarty was one of Scotland’s most colourful climbing personalities - he was even something of a legend, and a member of infamous group of enthusiastic and talented climbers known as the Currie Lads.

Currie is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh where Elly and his inseparable climbing friend, Dougal Haston, both lived. Through a local youth club they were introduced to the great outdoors, and shortly after they started climbing on a proliferation of railway embankment walls close to their homes. Initially ‘The Wa’s’ provided a vital stepping stone, enabling them to cope with bigger and better things such as Agags Groove in Glencoe. But it wasn’t long before far more ferocious arm-wrecking traverses well completed and desperate straight-up problems all of which are exposed to a collection of urban objective dangers that doesn’t bare thinking about. Some time later, Haston documented these boulder problems (which were essentially put up by Elly and Dougal, and another member of the Currrie Lads, Jim Stenhouse), all of whom according to Jimmy Marshall were the big three and couldn’t be bettered within the group. Haston’s work appeared in and early (1967) edition of the Creag Dubh and Eastern Outcrops guidebook, which provided a fascinating insight into Elly and Dougal’s dedication to training. The fruits of their efforts are reflected in what was, a new generation of climber in the 50’s and 60’s, and the many superb first ascents they climbed on the big Scottish crags and their successes in the Alps, Dolomites and Greater Ranges.

Jimmy Marshall, who was a life long friend of Elly’s described him as a marvel. Jimmy recalls “we did Sibboleth and the True Finish together, it was just fantastic. It wasn’t a case of who was better, we were equal and we were having a great time. There were a few exciting moments though. And you have to remember that we didn’t have the gear in those days, just a nylon rope tied round the waist and two or three runners. Elly traversed out into the big crack on the last pitch. There was a great gasp as a hold snapped off. Elly keel hauled but somehow managed to stay on. Although he was very big he was incredibly agile and elegant, thus his nickname. That was the first complete ascent after Robin (Smith)”.

Apparently he didn’t do so much in winter - he often had other things on his mind like drinking and partying. He was a great fighter and many of his contemporaries are of the opinion that he should have participated professionally but there’s a dark side to the man too, which together with his impressive physical stature and immense strength earned him a reputation as a force to reckon with. He was in many respects a guardian angle, or if you like, a bodyguard who would always be there to protect Dougal and the boys. Marshall recalls another incidence where Elly fell off and broke his wrist after attempting to traverse the lintel of his girlfriend’s Georgian flat in Edinburgh. “We left for the Dolomites after that with Elly still in plaster we did some great routes. But he was advised to get a check up while we were away so when the Italian doctor asked Elly to try and grip his hand, Elly replied are you sure you want me to do this? A great yelp echoed throughout the hospital as the doctor lay mortified on the floor!

Elly may not have done as much in winter but that didn’t mean to say he was any less capable, and with Haston they made the second winter traverse of the much sought after Cullin Ridge on Skye.

He was an engineer to trade but both Dougal and Elly were forever trying their hand at other things and for a while they operated a business in London called Odd Job Enterprises – the mind boggles! Financing the idea was Bev Clarke who was a popular figure on the climbing scene at that time. He had inherited a considerable sum of money (I think from his grandfather who had invented carbon paper), but it didn’t last long for climbing as always took pride of place.

The path taken by many climbers in the 50’s and 60’s never ceases to amaze me. Just as a committed climber today might follow a career in outdoor Education or guiding, Elly and Dougal started yet another business (based in Edinburgh) called The Scottish School of Mountaineering. That was in 1964. It all ended in a tragedy associated with Haston knocking down a pedestrian in Glencoe. Elly resumed his engineering work but never really climbed to the same level of commitment again.

Having been cured of Leukaemia, he died in Edinburgh of a chest infection on the 31st October 2005, aged 65.

Jim Elly Moirairty and his band of brothers were an inspiration. They paved the way for the next generation to follow in their footsteps. Elly may no longer be with us in a physical sense, but his legacy of climbs and climbing folklore lives on.

Cubby