Mountaineer Derek Mahon launches “One Step from Heaven”

The Panel joined Derek Mahon, our long-time sponsored mountaineer and endurance athlete, to celebrate the launch of his Everest memoir at Fallon & Byrne in Dublin.

On Monday, 26 October, our colleagues Alan Bluett and Paul McArdle joined Derek Mahon, his friends and fellow climbers at Fallon & Byrne in Dublin for the launch of One Step from Heaven: Climbing Mount Everest, Goddess of the Himalayas.

It was very much a family affair. Derek’s wife, Michelle, was by his side, his son Daniel was MC for the evening, and his son Alex looked after audio, camera and check-ins. Derek’s third son, Craig, tuned in all the way from Brisbane, Australia.

Derek is The Panel’s sponsored mountaineer and endurance athlete, and we’ve been proud to support him for many years on his 7 Summits Challenge. Seeing him launch a book about the climb that defined so much of that journey was a special moment for everyone at The Panel.

A journey to the top of every continent

Derek came to high-altitude mountaineering later than most, with no trekking experience behind him. What he did have was the drive to keep setting himself new challenges and the discipline to see them through.

His 7 Summits Challenge began on Elbrus in 2012 and took him from Mont Blanc to Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Denali and Mount Kosciuszko. It ended in December 2024 on Mount Vinson in Antarctica, the most remote of all seven. That final summit made Derek the oldest Irishman to complete the 7 Summits.

The climb at the heart of it all

One Step from Heaven takes readers back to May 2014, when Derek stood on the summit of Mount Everest. The book covers the freezing temperatures, the dangers of altitude sickness and the knowledge that a single slip could be fatal. It also shows how much of the climb happens in the mind as well as the body.

With more than 140 colour photographs, it’s a vivid account of what it takes to reach the highest point on earth, and of the resolve needed to chase a dream that most people only ever imagine.

Remembering Noel Hanna

The evening’s guest speaker was Lynne Hanna, an accomplished mountaineer and adventure racer. Lynne’s late husband, Noel Hanna, led Derek’s expedition to the top of Everest.

Noel was one of Ireland’s most accomplished mountaineers. He summited Everest ten times and was the first person from the island of Ireland to climb and descend K2. He sadly passed away in the Himalayas in 2023. Having Lynne there to mark the occasion made the launch a fitting tribute to the part Noel played in Derek’s story.

Congratulations, Derek

We’re so proud of everything Derek has achieved, and it was a real pleasure to be part of the celebration. We wish him every success with the book. It’s well worth a read.

One Step from Heaven is published by Liffey Press.

Hear Derek in his own words

Derek recently joined Gerry Kelly on The Lite Lunch from LMFM Radio to talk about his journey to the highest peak on every continent and the story behind One Step from Heaven. Listen to the interview here.

Follow Derek’s journey with The Panel

Catch up on Derek’s story so far, from his earliest appearances on our news page to the final summit: