Irishman’s incomparable story remained in the dark due to his modesty and political necessity
While the tragedy of Scott’s failure is central in the history of Polar exploration, the Kerry man’s extraordinary achievements during three expeditions to the Antarctic at the start of the last century lay dormant for almost 80 years until the publication of Michael Smith’s An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean – Antarctic Explorer in 2000.
Crean’s epic survival has been belatedly recognised by the erection of a statue opposite his home and a themed Guinness TV advert but the author is most pleased by one consequence of his work: “I’m particularly gratified that Tom is on the school curriculum in Ireland.”
The Irishman’s incomparable story remained almost unknown due to both his modesty and political necessity: Crean left the British navy and returned to Ireland in March 1920, at the height of the War of Independence, when links to British-sponsored Polar expeditions would have been viewed with hostility.
As the author discovered, Crean rarely spoke about his adventures – even to his family. “It was fascinating to speak to Tom’s eldest daughter, Mary,” Smith says. “I was asking her questions about Tom when she interrupted me and politely said: ‘You know more about my father than I do.’ He was a closed book.”