Diners to ‘endure’ special Shackleton Christmas dinner

AN exclusive commemoration dinner for just 28 people, each representing the crew members of the famous 1914 Endurance expedition to Antarctica, is being staged in Dun Laoghaire later this month.

On December 23 diners will sit down to eat the delicacies served aboard the Endurance as exhibition curator, John O’Reilly recounts tales of how the men enjoyed that last Christmas dinner aboard the Endurance.

Theses

‘die-hard’ crew members can also sample hooch and dried meat, washed down by stout and rum in true Endurance tradition. Fine wine will also be served for the more delicate palates.

After the Anniversary Dinner the crew will be encouraged to enjoy a hearty songfest as they did in 1914 – and attendees are welcome to bring musical instruments along; especially a banjo.
Bookings will be based on first come/first served and pre-booking is essential as places are limited to just 28. Cost is

?¬100 per person.

The unique dinner is just part of a series of events being staged by the Shackleton Exhibition in Dún Laoghaire to celebrate the first Christmas aboard the Endurance 100 years ago.

Every weekend between now and Christmas families are invited to sample the foods eaten on board the Endurance and experience what they did for entertainment.

The renowned Shackleton Endurance expedition was led by the Irish explorer who aimed to be the first to cross the Antarctic on foot. But their ship was destroyed by ice and the 28 crew were stranded out in the middle of the Antarctic for months on end.

A tremendous rescue mission took place and every man survived against the odds in one of the greatest survival stories of all time.

This month, 100 years ago, 28 men were about to enjoy a hearty Christmas dinner in the middle of the Antarctic Ocean.

Three renowned Irish explorers including Shackleton, Tom Crean and Tim McCarthy were among the crew of what would become the most legendary Antarctic rescue mission ever recorded.

Little did they know as they tucked into that sumptuous Christmas dinner in 1914 that just a few months later their lives would change forever as shipwrecked on the ice, they would be fighting to stay alive in freezing Antarctic temperatures.

The following Christmas would be camped on the ice with the ship sunk. Dried penguin and seal would replace the mince pies, Christmas pudding, whitebait and crystallized fruits of 1914 and in place of stout and rum, a special concoction known as

‘hooch’ would become the staple diet.

And every Saturday and Sunday until December 21 families can take part in the

‘Shackleton Christmas Experience’ in Dún Laoghaire.

They will be invited to sample the hooch – the thick stew made from Pemmican (a mix of lard, dried meat and milk powder) and mixed with crushed sledging biscuits and melted snow drunk by the crew of the 1914 Endurance expedition to Antarctica.

The Shackleton Christmas Experience invites families to savour some of these delicacies as

‘The Explorer’ character brings them back in time showing them the actual photos from the expedition which commenced 100 years ago.

The Explorer will share some little-known Endurance secrets including details of the games they played and some of the fancy-dress theatrics of the crew as they sought to keep themselves entertained.

Children will be invited to work out how to play the traditional board games the crew enjoyed in the absence of Playstations and sing along to a sea shanty or two.

And then they’ll hear of how Mrs Chippy and Roger, Toby, Nell and Nelson, the ship’s resident cat and newborn huskies, spent their Christmas.
Phone (0)86 852 3498 for more.