Athy to welcomes visitors from the Falkland Islands

Athy will warmly welcome four winners of the Ernest Shackleton essay competition from the Falkland Islands to visit the new Shackleton Museum during their tour of the UK and Ireland.

On August 19, Ruby Marsh, Alice-May Curtis, Benjamin Goodwin and Theo Young will come to Athy after winning an article writing competition on Kilkea’s own Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton and the rescue of his men from Antarctica after their ship, Endurance was crushed in the ice in 1915 during Shackleton's 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

The children will be accompanied by Falkland Islands Museum Outreach Assistant, Sandra Alazia and Falkland College Manager, Trustee of Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust, and Geologist Emma Brook.

The generous support of Polar Seafish Ltd and Argos Group Ltd, Falkland Island fishing companies, has made this incredible opportunity possible.

Organisers would like to thank the committee, board and staff of the Shackleton Museum, Jonathan Shackleton, Joe O’Farrell, Eamon McNeill and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council.

The prize for the 4 winners was a sponsored trip to Bristol to see the restored S S Great Britain and then to Ireland to visit the Shackleton Museum and Shackleton’s birthplace in Kilkea.

They will also be able to travel to Northern Ireland and see the Crozier Memorials and homeplace in Banbridge, Co Down on August 20.

There they will be hosted by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council.

They will finish that part of their visit with a visit to the nearby Game of Thrones Studio Tour.