Discovery of Shackleton's 'Endurance'

For many years I have been fascinated by the drama and the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic, partly inspired by a personal family connection to the event. I have written previously of my relation Ellen Corr, a third-class passenger, who survived the sinking and spent the rest of her life in New York. Invariably when a ship is lost at sea loss of life follows adding to the poignancy of these events. I well remember the excitement generated by the discovery of the Titanic in 1985 by the American Oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard, southeast off the coast of Newfoundland at a depth of 3,800 metres. I had a similar reaction when my phone ‘pinged’ early last Wednesday morning with the news of the finding of the polar exploration ship, Endurance. It had disappeared into the watery depths of the Antarctic Seas 107 years ago and few of us believed it would ever be seen again. The Endurance was the ship which brought Ernest Shackleton and 27 other souls south to the Antarctic in 1914 with the ambitious aim to cross the Antarctic continent, some 2,400 kilometres from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. The story is well known, how Endurance was crushed and sank beneath the ice in November 1915 and the epic journey to safety by Shackleton and his men over the following 9 months. It seemed unlikely, that after its mauling by the ice, that much of the Endurance would survive but like many of us I marvelled at the pristine imagery of the ship now sitting on the Antarctic seabed at a depth of 3,000 metres. Prominently in view was the lettering ‘Endurance’ on the stern of the ship above the five pointed star, a survival from its original name ‘Polaris’. Within hours the worlds media was in touch with the Shackleton Museum in Athy and contributions from the Museum’s directors featured in both print and television media both here and abroad. The Museum has in it’s collections a superb large scale model of the Endurance from the Channel 4 drama series ‘Shackleton’ which featured Belfast born Kenneth Branagh in the titular role. The Museum was delighted to be able to provide the ‘Irish’ angle to this breaking international story, a welcome respite to the darker stories that have dominated the news recently. With the return of the Shackleton Autumn School this October we will all have an opportunity to hear the full story of the search as Mensun Bound, one of the expeditions leaders, a distinguished Marine Archaeologist known as the ‘Indiana Jones of the Deep’, will be presenting a lecture at the weekend. Mensun, a proud Falkland Islander, came to Athy just before his departure on the Endurance 22 expedition, anxious to see Shackleton’s birthplace and to view the Museum’s expanding collection of Shackleton artefacts. The return of the Autumn School will be welcomed, marking as it will the renewal of acquaintances with visitors from here and abroad whom have made long lasting friendships with the town and its people. These connections have been sustained by virtual online events in 2020 and 2021 (Virtually Shackleton) but it is difficult to replicate the sense of togetherness which an ‘in person’ event gives to people. While the Endurance will remain on the seabed, I note press reports about the acquisition by the Irish state of two new ships for the Irish Naval Service from New Zealand. What better way to mark the centenary year of Shackleton’s death by having one of the ships named after the Kildare born explorer. His comrade in arms, Tom Crean, will be similarly celebrated with the launch of the marine research vessel ‘RV Tom Crean’ this summer which will be operated by the Marine Institute and other state agencies. Maybe 2022 will see the return of two Irish icons to the sea?