Statue to Athy hero Shackleton to be unveiled

A statue to Co Kildare explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton will be unveiled in Athy mark the centenary of the rescue of the Endurance crew from Elephant Island.

Shackleton was on a mission to cross the Antarctica via the South Pole between 1914 and 1917.

However disaster struck this expedition when its ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and was slowly crushed before the shore parties could be landed.

In 1916, the crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island.

The Mayor of Kildare Cllr Ivan Keatley will be present with the artist Mark Richards for the unveiling in Emily Square on August 30 at 1pm.

The event is organised in conjunction with Kildare County Council's Decade of Commemorations Committee.

There will be an informal reception afterwards in the Athy Heritage Centre Museum.