Day 6: Tralee
On the way to Tralee, capital of County Kerry, the southwest corner of Ireland, we detour inland to the Limerick region to try to locate an Irish friend of my wife’s. They hadn’t met for nigh on 40 years. The search becomes a minisaga of Irish affability and community connection. In a rural village post office, a retired dairy farmer overhears my wife’s inquiry. Next thing, he’s leading us for 15 minutes in his car to the friend of the family concerned, who makes a phone call or two and bingo, the link is made.
Tralee’s city centre, where we book into a hotel, is still lit up for the worldfamous Rose of Tralee event but the crowds have gone, thank goodness. I have an Irish polar legend in mind because of my own modest Antarctic experience. Tom Crean performed valiantly on Captain Scott’s two
Antarctic expeditions, which passed through Dunedin in the first decade of the 20th century, and the Irishman was also with Sir Ernest Shackleton for the 191417 drama of the
Endurance expedition. Making use of the lingering dusk, we set out for the township of Anascaul on nearby Dingle Peninsula, where Crean was born and set up not only a home for his young family but also a pub, the colourful South Pole Inn. Today, it’s a convivial memorial to Crean along with a new statue of him cuddling husky pups plus a couple of plaques and his grave site not far away. We toast him in his old pub and leave for Tralee before darkness settles.