Three experienced cavers walked underground for three miles as they tried to escape a flooded cave network in the Burren, Co Clare.
The men, all from Co Clare, entered the renowned system near Doolin yesterday afternoon and finally came back up with the help of rescuers shortly before midday today.
Initially it was feared they had been trapped by rising flood water after flash floods blocked their exit from the Fisher Street pothole.
But the men, Brian Lillis and Brian Mac Coitir from Ennis and Robin Sheen from Corrofin who have explored the caves for years, turned back to find another way out.
The trio, all aged in their late forties, tried to walk through the extensive network to another exit known as St Catherine’s but after several hours they discovered floods had also blocked that way out.
The men only planned to be underground for an hour and a half and ending up spending the night in near freezing conditions.
The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation, gardai and the Doolin Coast Guard joined the search and rescue operation after the wife of one of the men raised the alarm.
Conor McGrath, ICRO spokesman, said the men were in good shape despite spending the night in near freezing conditions.
“They were grand. Cold, wet and hungry but physically fine,” he said.
“There wasn’t particularly heavy rain but the cave did flood extensively. It was quite unexpected.”
Mr McGrath insisted that the floods only affected the two entrances as they are some of the shallowest points in the entire 10km cave network.
Inside the caves under the Burren caverns can be as deep as 100ft.
“They were happy. They knew that there would have been a search on for them,” Mr McGrath said.
“The were never in any danger of drowning, they were a bit uncomfortable but the lowest section of the cave network at the two entrances flooded.”
PA