The story in music, words and pictures and song of explorer Ernest Shackleton’s life, the Endurance expedition and his extraordinary legacy

On his 100th anniversary, we celebrate the life of Ernest Shackleton and the legendary voyage of the Endurance on its expedition to cross the Antarctic.

A native of Kilkea, County Kildare, Shackleton led the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition on board the ship 'Endurance' in 1914. The ship was trapped by ice-floes in the Weddell Sea and sank.

Suddenly, what started as a great Antarctic adventure turned into a dramatic 18 month rescue mission, forever cementing Shackleton’s reputation as an exceptional leader.

Fellow Kildare man Brian Hughes composed the music and plays uilleann pipes and whistles, accompanied by the County Kildare Orchestra (conductor Lorcan Daly).

The narration, written and performed by John MacKenna, introduces the eight movements depicting different aspects of the voyage.

In the final movement, members of the Monasterevin Gospel Choir remind us of the power of courage, friendship, and the passion for adventure in a sea shanty based on a poem by St. John Lucas. The poem was one of Shackleton's favourites and he often quoted it.

Dramatic original photos set the atmosphere. The fusion of uilleann pipes and whistles with the full range of orchestral instruments produces a breathtaking and evocative evening of music.

Tickets: https://glor.ie/events/county-kildare-orchestra-presents-south-always-south/