Tim Foley · tomcreanbook.com
The Tom Crean Blog
Original research, untold stories and discoveries from fifteen years of documenting Ireland's greatest Antarctic hero.
35+ Original Posts
Primary Source Research
The Campaign That Won
Stories Never Told Before
The South Pole Inn — Tom Crean’s Pub: Full History and Current Status
Whatever plans the new owners have in mind, the South Pole Inn remains the hub of pilgrimage for Tom Crean fans worldwide. I believe the place should retain the authenticity of its era, as it...
Tom Crean and the Elephant Island Rescue
Tom Crean and the Elephant Island Rescue Endurance Expedition Tom Crean and the Elephant Island Rescue By Tim Foley April-September 1916 9 min read The Elephant Island rescue, illustrated for Tom The...
Rare and Restored Photos of Tom Crean: The Real Visual History
Over the years I've gathered a large collection of Tom Crean images. Among them I've tracked down a few rare photographs, and it's only through the recent, rapid advancement in technology that I've...
Tom Crean in 1914 — Churchill, Stackhouse, Shackleton and the Lusitania
In the annals of Tom Crean's remarkable life, there is perhaps no single year more consequential, more dramatic or more revealing of the extraordinary circumstances that shaped his destiny than 1914...
How Ireland Finally Honoured Tom Crean | RV Tom Crean
There are things about this story that remain frustrating, and I won't pretend otherwise. The campaign was written out of the official narrative by those who should have known better. The supporters...
Why did Tom Crean join the British Navy?
Back then words such as ‘traitor’ and phrases like ‘taking the kings shilling’ didn’t sit right with what I had discovered about Tom Crean. Those accusations also displayed a lack of knowledge about...
Tadhg Gahan Tom Crean
Knowing, as I now do, the immense preparatory efforts that went into it prior to publication, Tadhg's account is best defined not as a labour of love, but as a labour-intensive work of love...
Tom Crean – The Antarctic Marine
An Unsung Hero – Tom Crean – The Antarctic Marine Being an average singer and a below average but enthusiastic strummer of my acoustic guitar, in 2015, I wrote a song about Tom Crean and...
The acquaintance of Tom Crean who preserved Kerry’s Antiquities
Tom Crean – Who Preserved Kerry’s Antiquities? Among the many names included in those mentioned at the funeral announcement of Tom Crean in 1938, was one who appeared in the messages of...
The Death of Tom Crean – 27th July 1938
The Death and Funeral of Tom Crean – 27th July 1938 Retirement & Passing The Death and Funeral of Tom Crean – 27th July 1938 By Tim Foley 27 July 1938 5 min read The last known photograph of Tom...
The Sad Fate of Tom Crean’s Friend
The need to escape Tom Crean’s is an epic story and its beginnings were born out of a need to better his fortunes at a time when there were no opportunities to do so in his homeland. Like Crean, many...
Tom Crean in Seattle – Independence Day 1897
Moored nearby, rather less conspicuously, was HMS Wild Swan — a three-masted iron screw steamer that had been described, even before she had departed for the Pacific Station three years earlier, as...
It’s Official – Substantial Revisions Made To Tom Crean’s Story
A Momentous St Patrick’s Day Update March 17th, 2021, just as every St Patrick’s Day, is cause for celebration but on a personal note, today is a special day as it marks official...
Tom Crean - From Boy 2nd Class to Hero 1st Class
Using colourised images, this is the incredible story of Tom Crean...
Oral History – Coming to Shackleton’s Aid
One of the sources I used when researching and writing Tom Crean’s biography was the Oral history archive compiled and created by Irish Life and Lore. (1) The importance of these interviews cannot be...
HMS Ringarooma and a time Tom Crean was in Quarantine
Before Tom Crean set out on his first expedition to Antarctica in December 1901, his time in the Navy until he walked up the gangplank of RRS Discovery had been pretty eventful yet its a period in the...
Tom Crean – The facts from the fiction
In 2023, after years of archival research, Tim Foley published Crean — The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero (Merrion Press). This Tom Crean biography uncovered substantial errors in the existing...
Tom Crean Quizzes
There are two quizzes to try, both based around Tom Crean, one for the kids and another for the grown-ups. The correct answers appear as soon as you submit so you can determine your score immediately...
The Discovery of Antarctica
The Discovery of Antarctica As world first’s go there’s none more important than the discovery of a continent that, before its discovery, had long been considered a myth. The term...
The Gorgeous Gael
The Gorgeous Gael and the Irish Giant You’d be forgiven, by its title, for expecting this post to be a tale from Irish mythology but no, it isn’t the stuff of Irish legend despite two...
John Mara – Ireland’s First Antarctic Explorer?
John Mara – The Irishman who ‘Cooked Captain Cook’s Books’. Now it may seem a little strange to see among the posts here, one that isn’t about Tom Crean but this...
Am I related to Tom Crean? A Genealogical Guide
Among the growing numbers of people hungry for more information about Tom Crean are those seeking to learn whether they may have a family connection to him. This guide, compiled by genealogist Dr...
Tom Crean’s Lifesaving Solo March
Tom Crean’s Lifesaving Solo March – 35 Miles to Save a Life Antarctic Expeditions Tom Crean’s Lifesaving Solo March By Tim Foley 18-19 February 1912 7 min read Tom Crean’s...
Gortacurraun – Tom Crean’s birthplace
Compiling a picture from the 1901 Census It’s unfortunate for us that Census records for the era closest to Tom Crean’s birth date aren’t available – both the 1881 and 1891 Censuses, which would...
Tom Crean on Discovery expedition 1901-1904
Tom Crean on Discovery expedition 1901-1904 Of all the images of Tom Crean that I’ve posted over the years, the vast majority originate from his last two expeditions, Terra Nova and Endurance. They...
Timeline of Tom Crean
Timeline of Tom Crean’s Life This chronological record tracks the life of Irish Antarctic explorer Tom Crean (1877–1938) from his birth in Annascaul to his vital roles in the Discovery (1901), Terra...
The Story of Tom Crean deserves a fitting end.
A story that resulted in a fitting end A man his leaders relied on To the men he served under, Tom Crean was a vital cog in the wheel that saw them pioneer exploration of the most inhospitable...
Yelcho – The Lifesaving Tug
At first glance it’s nothing much to look at but the importance of this ship’s bow as a monument of remembrance cannot be understated – why? Because this happens to be a remnant of a tug built...
Tom Crean’s True Birthdate
When Was Tom Crean Born? The True Birthdate Established | tomcreanbook.com tomcreanbook.com · Research & Biography When WasTom Crean Born? 16th February 1877 Three dates have been cited for Tom...
Tom Crean’s biography – why and how I wrote it.
Tom Crean’s biography – Why and How I wrote it Writing the book was a natural evolution for me after all my years posting stories about Tom Crean to the supporters of the Facebook page and...
The Heroism of Tom Crean
The sheer magnitude of what Tom Crean achieved is evident when you document what he actually did. He’s not just a national treasure, he’s an international hero. His actions, in coming to...
Tom Crean and Sir Ernest Shackleton
Tom Crean and Sir Ernest Shackleton Men from different classes who were a class Irish double act. There’s little doubt that song and humour played a vital part in the historic story of survival...
Newsclippings that relate to Tom Crean
Tom Crean related newsclippings Probably the most recognisable of newsclippings, this one attributed to Ernest Shackleton, never actually appeared as an advert purportedly reading as...
The Young Tom Crean
Life in the latter part of 19th century Ireland was, for most, merely an existence. With memories of the earlier, devastating famine which robbed the country of many of its inhabitants either, through...