Life
1874-1922, b. 15 Feb., Kilrea, Co. Kildare; second-born of eleven children;
family moved to Dublin where his father studied medicine at TCD; moved
to London; ed. Dulwich College; joined merchant navy, 1890; met his older
wife Emma [var. Emily], June 1897; several affairs later but remained
passionately attached; joined Capt. Robert Scott on Discovery,
1901-04; distrusted Scott’s lack of leadership skills; led new Antarctic
expedition on Nimrod, 1907, ending 730 miles from base and 97 miles
short of the Pole; took Endurance and Aurora on Imperial
Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914; Endurance locked in ice; made
a boat out of remaining timbers, calling it James Caird, and hauled it
towards Elephant Island; sailed to S. Georgia at 800 miles distance with
six men, making a journey of three weeks (24 April-10 May 1916); crossed
the deserted island with Worsley and Crean; and effect rescue of entire
crew; issued The Heart of the Antaractic (1909) and South (1919);
died suddenly in Georgia, 5 Jan. DNB DIH
[ top ]
Criticism
Jonathan Shackleton & John McKenna, Shackleton: An Irishman in
Antarctica (Dublin: Lilliput Press 2003), 208pp.
Ernest Shackleton, Shackleton: The Polar Journeys (Collins Press 2003), 718pp., ill. [148pp. photos].
F. A. Worsley, Shackleton’s Boat Journey (Collins Press 2003), 162pp., ill. [42pp. photos].
[ top ]
Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)