28 September 2017, Thursday
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
The arduous trip to the Antarctic by Kerryman Tom Crean and his colleagues in 1916, will be recalled by his grand-daughter at tonight’s (28th September) Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage lecture at 8.30pm at the Parish Centre.
Aileen Crean-O’ Brien – who trekked in her grandfathers footsteps in 2016, will talk about “Emerging from the Shadow of Tom Crean”.
The story of the Kerryman, who along with Ernest Shackleton and four other crew-members, landed the “James Caird” lifeboat on the rocky isle of South Georgia in May 1916, having navigated the small boat, across 1,500kms through icy winds and towering seas in the Antarctic is regarded as the greatest feat of navigation ever.
The men then trekked across the forbidding and inhospitable mountains and glaciers of South Georgia to seek help for the rest of their crew, who were left behind on Elephant Island after their ship, “The Endurance”, was crushed by the Antarctic ice.
In May 2016, 100 years after her famous grandfather made the arduous journey, Aileen set off with her sons and partner to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps.
Aileen’s illustrated lecture this Thursday evening at 8.30pm at the Clonakilty Parish Centre, will tell the story of their adventures and misadventures on the Southern Ocean and the island of South Georgia. People are advised to arrive well before the starting time.
Further information on https://www.facebook.com/DuchasClon
