Annascaul loses one of its most iconic figures
TRIBUTES have poured in this week for the South Pole Inn’s Eileen Percival, a champion of Annascaul and of her bar’s most famous-ever proprietor, Antarctic explore Tom Crean.
Eileen passed away in the UK on Sunday morning, her son, Gary, explained to The Kerryman. She would have been 73 next month.
“We moved to Annascaul in April 1999, with me; my dad, Trevor; mum; and my uncle and aunt taking up the running of the South Pole Inn,” Gary said.
“She was born on April 21, 1947, and was originally from Bantry. Her father, Gerard O’Shea from Tralee, was the cinema manager in Bantry, and her mum, Mary Cournane, was from the Back Road in Annascaul.”
Eileen moved to Annascaul aged three, where she was brought up by her grandmother and aunt. Her parents and three siblings emigrated to England.
She herself moved to England when she was 13, where she lived for 40 years in Hertfordshire.
Gary explained that his mum never lost her love for Annascaul over all those years, however, regularly visiting her home patch and expressing her desire to live there again in retirement.
Faith would bring her back to west Kerry before retirement age however. She moved there over 20 years ago after being left land by her uncle, and so began her family’s heading up of the South Pole Inn, an involvement which continues to this day.
While other members of the family retired from the role, she and Gary took the helm on their own in 2007. She stepped down just one month ago.
“I only recently took over the licence from her,” Gary said. “She had been ill for some time with COPD and other ailments.
She was a passionate champion of Tom Crean and the campaign for the legendary Annascaul explorer to be given the recognition he deserved for his exploits in the 1900s.
She also loved Annascaul deeply, and those are twin passions of hers that Gary feels Eileen will be remembered for at local level.
“She was very passionate about Tom Crean, and also about Annascaul. She loved coming back here,” Gary said.
“Last year, she and my dad celebrated their golden anniversary in the South Pole Inn. They came to Annascaul in 1969 on their honeymoon, and they had ambitions to retire here. Of course, moving back happened sooner than that.”
Her son, Martin, explained that she had travelled to Hertfordshire recently with her husband and Gary to bury her mother-in-law’s ashes. Eileen fell ill while over in the UK and was treated in hospital in the lead-up to her passing, but she lost her battle on Sunday morning. Martin explained that his aunt and father were with her when she died. When news of her passing came through, many took to social media and contacted the Percival family to extend their condolences.
Gary said that she will be cremated in Hertfordshire at a date yet to be confirmed. A celebration of her life will take place in Annascaul at a date yet to be decided.
Eileen Percival is survived by her husband, Trevor; her sons, Gary and Martin; her six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She is also mourned by family, extended family, neighbours, and many friends.