SETU is delighted to congratulate Leadership Scholar and final-year Business student, Adam Sweeney, who has become the youngest Irish person in history to successfully summit Mount Everest.
The 22-year-old from Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, reached the summit of the world's highest mountain on 20 May as part of an all-Irish expedition team, achieving a remarkable milestone in Irish mountaineering and adding another chapter to an already impressive record of adventure and endurance.
Adam’s achievement comes following months of intensive preparation and training, supported through SETU's Leadership Scholarship Programme, which provides talented students with financial assistance, mentorship, and access to specialist supports to help them achieve their goals both on and off campus.
“It was fantastic to be the first all-Irish team in over 20 years to summit Everest, and we were so proud to carry the Irish flag with us along the way. The morale amongst the team was incredible and we had sight of Everest all the time we were climbing."
Adam Sweeney
The team faced significant challenges throughout the expedition, including difficult icefall conditions and the disappointment of missing their first weather window for a summit attempt. However, perseverance and teamwork ultimately paid off when they successfully reached the summit on their second attempt.
For Adam, the achievement is the culmination of a lifelong passion for adventure. Growing up in a family immersed in outdoor pursuits through the Dunmore Adventure Centre, he developed an early love of fitness and exploration. During Transition Year, he cycled the circumference of Ireland and climbed the highest mountain in every coastal county in aid of the Solas Centre and in memory of his two grandmothers. He later completed the Three Peaks Challenge with his brothers and has already made history as the youngest Irish person to summit Ama Dablam in Nepal, often referred to as the ‘Matterhorn of the Himalayas’.
Throughout his preparation for Everest, Adam drew heavily on the support available through SETU's Leadership Scholarship Programme.
"Using the facilities at the gym in the SETU Arena helped hugely with my training, as I could combine it with local hill climbing and a few trips abroad. The team at the Sports and Societies Office were extremely helpful, as were the lecturers on my course, who were so understanding about me deferring my exams.
Through the scholarship, I was also given access to an excellent nutritionist, Arthur Dunne, who gave me much-needed guidance ahead of the trip, as nutrition was something I'd struggled with on previous expeditions. Overall, the Leadership Scholarship Programme at SETU really took the pressure off me in terms of my preparation for Everest."
Adam Sweeney
Adam highlighted the value of having access to SETU's facilities and support network throughout the demanding training process.
"The scholarship at SETU gave me funding towards the trip, access to the SETU Arena gym, and a huge amount of support from the Sports and Societies Office whenever I needed it. Having that support behind me was a real relief and allowed me to focus on preparing for Everest."
Adam Sweeney
“I am delighted to congratulate fourth-year Business student and Leadership Scholar Adam Sweeney, together with Team Ireland, on an outstanding achievement.
At just 22 years of age, Adam has made history as the youngest Irish person to summit Mount Everest, an accomplishment that reflects exceptional resilience, preparation, teamwork, and leadership. Adam's success is a powerful example of the values fostered through the Leadership Scholarship Programme at SETU, and we are incredibly proud to see one of our scholars represent the university, Team Ireland, and Ireland on the world stage."
Katie Redmond Sports and Societies Manager, SETU
Adam's success reflects the ambition, determination, and leadership that SETU seeks to foster through its student support programmes. As he prepares to return to his studies and complete his degree, he has already begun looking towards future adventures, with expeditions to the North or South Pole among the possibilities he is considering.
Everyone at SETU extends their warmest congratulations to Adam on this extraordinary achievement and wishes him every success as he completes his studies and plans his next challenge.