Rewriting the Record
The digitisation of Irish civil records, parish registers, and Naval service documents in the years since the first biography of Crean was published in 2000 opened up possibilities for verification that simply hadn't existed before. When I began working through the primary sources, it became clear that a number of things presented as factual in the existing account were incorrect — in some cases significantly so.
The errors ranged from Tom Crean's birthdate and the number of siblings he had, to the opening date of the South Pole Inn, the name of the ship that brought the Endurance crew home, and the date of his mother's death. But more significant than any individual correction was the discovery of approximately six and a half years of Tom Crean's Naval career that had never been referenced in any published account — service on the Pacific Station covering the entire West Coast of the Americas, involvement in an international naval incident at Corinto, service in Sierra Leone, presence at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, and much more.
Official recognition of the corrections: After submitting my complete research folders and a 7,000-word document to the Royal Irish Academy, it was confirmed in March 2021 that the Academy had, in light of the sources I provided, substantially revised Tom Crean's story in the Dictionary of Irish Biography — the authoritative national biographical record for Ireland. Those changes were officially applied on 17th March 2021. I am listed as co-author of the revised entry.
The biography, Crean: The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero, was published by Merrion Press — an imprint of Irish Academic Press — in May 2023. It is the only biography of Tom Crean based on the fully corrected and expanded historical record. I also wrote an illustrated version for younger readers, Tom The Mighty Explorer, which was subsequently selected as the featured resource on the Scoilnet Tom Crean theme page, having been commissioned by the Irish Department of Education to revise their national curriculum materials on Crean.
Where the Research Has Been Recognised
Tim Foley is listed as co-author of the Dictionary of Irish Biography entry for Tom Crean, revised on 17th March 2021 following submission of his research to the Royal Irish Academy. The DIB is the authoritative national biographical reference for Ireland.
View the DIB entry →Tim Foley was invited to write about Tom Crean for the Royal Society's History of Science blog. The Royal Society describes him as "a foremost authority on the life and career of Tom Crean."
Read the Royal Society article →Tim Foley co-authored a feature article on Tom Crean for the Royal Irish Academy website alongside RIA Deputy Librarian Meadhbh Murphy, drawing on the RIA Library's Antarctic expedition collections.
Read the RIA article →Tim Foley was commissioned by Scoilnet, the official educational portal of the Irish Department of Education, to revise existing Tom Crean resources and provide new images and materials for Irish schoolchildren. His children's book Tom The Mighty Explorer is the featured source on the Scoilnet Tom Crean theme page.
View the Scoilnet page →Honouring Tom Crean — A Fifteen-Year Mission
The research and biography have always been part of a wider mission. In 2010 I created a Facebook page to support a campaign dedicated to achieving official national recognition for Tom Crean — a man who had been overlooked by the country he served for far too long.
Facebook page established to campaign for official national recognition for Tom Crean. The initial aim was for Kerry Airport to carry Crean's name in its title.
A petition signed by over 10,000 supporters, calling for a new Irish Naval Flagship to be named in honour of Tom Crean, was formally received by the Irish Minister for Defence at Government Buildings in Dublin.
In January 2021, it was announced that a government-funded research vessel would be named RV Tom Crean in his honour — a great victory for over 50,000 worldwide supporters. In the same year, the Dictionary of Irish Biography was officially revised to reflect the corrected record.
On 6th October 2022, RV Tom Crean moored in Dingle, County Kerry — close to where Crean was born. A sailor, finally home.
Crean: The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero published by Merrion Press — after five years of research, the most complete and accurate biography of Tom Crean ever written.
Historian Dan Snow released a podcast drawing on Tim Foley's research to tell Tom Crean's story, extending the reach of the corrected historical record to a new international audience.
Author School Visits
Tim Foley visits primary schools to introduce young children to Tom Crean's story through an educational and interactive slideshow presentation. The sessions are both entertaining and informative, bringing Ireland's greatest unsung hero to life for the next generation.
To arrange a school visit, contact Tim at timfoley50@googlemail.com or visit the school visits page for more information.
Tim Foley's Research — Published & Recognised
The Books
Whether you are discovering Tom Crean for the first time or looking for the fully corrected and authoritative account of his remarkable life, both books are available to order now.
Find out more & buy the books Read the corrected historical record