Kilkee Civic Trust

Talk Description:
Desperate to conquer the frozen frontier, Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) undertook four dangerous journeys to Antarctica, including his famous failure-turned-successful survival mission on the Endurance.
One hundred years after Shackleton’s death, Neale Webb will provide a unique insight on the life and extraordinary times of his Explorer and Adventurer Relation Sir Ernest Shackleton.



2014 to 2017 marked the Centenary Years of the Endurance Expedition. The Centenary of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration has given rise to much research, analysis and reflection about this human endeavour, survival and achievements in the harshest of conditions. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of the heroes of that age.

Although there were some occasional claims for Kilkee, Co. Clare – Shackleton was actually born in Kilkea, Co Kildare, in 1874. Neale Webb’s Grandfather was a cousin of the great Irish Explorer and Neale himself has been to the Antarctic on three occasions. He will discuss Shackleton’s background, career and legacy and his interaction with Scott, Amundsen and other characters of the age.

The Endurance, the lost vessel of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, was crushed by sea-ice and sank on 21st November 1915, forcing Shackleton and his men to make an astonishing escape on foot and in small boats.
Endurance – Final Sinking 1915.

The wreck of Endurance was found on 5th March 2022, nearly 107 years after she sank, at the bottom of the Weddell Sea,

Endurance rests at a depth of 3,008m.

Video of the remains show Endurance to be in remarkable condition.

About the Speaker:
Neale Webb lives in Dublin and has a family connection to Shackleton!
He first travelled to the Antarctic in 2005 and the intervening years have been marked by several invitations from Local History Societies and Event Groups for Neale Webb to tell the story of his travels in Polar Regions. Webb says his most spectacular trip was in 2006 when he travelled on a Russian Icebreaker all the way to the Ross Ice Shelf – and McMurdo Sound – where the Huts of the Heroic Age are situated. Webb was even more fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to fly by helicopter to Shackleton’s Hut at Cape Royds, then, Scott’s Hut at Cape Evans, and the Discovery Hut beside the US McMurdo Base.
Neals Webb says he is particularly chuffed that the BBC are, in more recent times, describing Shackleton as ‘Anglo-Irish’ rather than the traditional ‘British’.
In January 2012, Neale Webb delivered his Talk to the Kildare Street and University Club.

A Review said: “It was a virtuoso performance by Neale and enjoyed by the huge attendance. He reclaimed Shackleton as a genuine Irish hero”.