Joss Lynam 1924-2011

Joss Lynam was one of the founders of Irish orienteering back in the 1960’s. Before that he had been a founding member of the Irish Mountaineering Club and the Association for Adventure Sports (AFAS). He spent a lifetime working for outdoor activities and adventure sports, taking up kyaking in his ’40’s, climbing in the Alps and the Himalaya, writing multiple guidebooks to mountaineering and hillwalking in Ireland, editing the IMC journal “Mountain Log” for many years.
No doubt there will be many eloquent and glowing tributes to Joss, but for my part I came to know him first through AFAS and our respective editorships of the mountaineering and orienteering newsletters. Joss was ahead of his time in buying an early Macintosh computer back in the early ’80’s and I followed suit after seeing his.
He had a comprehensive collection of books and maps and was always happy to share his knowledge. I had enormous respect for him: the effort he put in to keeping Tiglin Adventure Centre running on a shoestring, the enthusiasm he showed for projects like the long distance walks and other Sports Council projects was remarkable.
In orienteering terms Joss was a well known face at events in Leinster and further afield; as an engineer he had an interest in surveying and put his skills to good use to produce some of our earliest orienteering maps and the first colour O-maps in Ireland.
Joss was a founder member of Irish Orienteers, the original Irish O-club, and later of Three Rock OC whose AGM he, and his wife Nora, rarely missed. He was recently in touch about the annual Christmas Score event run by 3ROC to apologise for not being able to help.
Joss’s orienteering legacy lives on through his daughter, Ruth, the IOA Junior Affairs Officer, and her sons Ruairí and Conor Short.
Our sympathy goes to his wife, Nora, daughters Ruth and Clodagh and their families.
Joss died on 9th January 2011. May he rest in peace.