At one time Dubliner Fergal Hingerty thought he may never walk again due to chronic sciatica.

But over the weekend he travelled to the island to climb more than 19 hills and mountain Snaefell.

Fergal said afterwards: ’I managed to complete all 20 hills/mountains over 100 metres prominence in the island (as defined by mountainview.ie), as well as a few other hills.

’I completed 11 climbs on Friday and nine on Saturday, plus seven other climbs which weren’t on the list.’

We previously reported how Fergal was diagnosed with back problems in 2001 with doctors telling him he could end up in a wheelchair due to spinal deterioration brought about by a historic back injury.

But after a nine-hour operation, during which a surgeon cut five discs and shaved the 53-year-old’s spine, he was able to walk again.

Fergal, who now lives in Bristol, hoped his story could inspire others and began walking short distances along canals before progressing to hills and mountains.

He trained doing 525 stretches a day, 2km swims each week and extensive physiotherapy.

And since then there has been no stopping him. He has climbed 2,016 hills and mountains in Ireland and the UK with a prominence of at least 100 metres, many of them twice. He has also climbed Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, as well as mountains in the Pyrenees, Poland and Georgia.

And from Friday to Sunday he completed another of his targets, to climb every hill or mountain in the Isle of Man with a prominence of at least 100 metres.

It is all a far cry from when Fergal thought he may never walk again.

He said: ’I know I was lucky not to be in a wheelchair. I hope my story can encourage other people.’