Polar team to get Tom Crean medal

FOUR intrepid adventurers who became the first Irish team to reach the South Pole are to be honoured by the last surviving daughter of legendary explorer Tom Crean.

Led by Cork man Pat Falvey, the Beyond Endurance expedition made history on January 8 when they arrived at the world’s most southerly point.

Mary Crean O’Brien, who turns 90 in December, will present the four-strong squad with special polar medals this week.

Mr Falvey said: “For us, this is an honour to be presented by the likes of Mary Crean O’Brien with a polar medal,” he said.

The team will become only the second recipients of the specially minted Tom Crean Society Medal, given in honour of outstanding achievement by an individual or group in the Antarctic Continent.

The team is Mr Falvey, 51, deputy leader Clare O’Leary, 36, Shaun Menzies, 42, and Jonathon Bradshaw, 36.

Ms O’Leary said: “To think that we are being presented the medals by Tom Crean’s daughter is very special.”

Tom Crean Society spokesman Enda O’Brien said: “Despite all the advantages of modern equipment, the team had to man haul everything they needed for survival while enduring temperatures ranging from -17 to -43 degrees, weeks of whiteout, unforgiving sastrugi, frostbite, sciatica, exhaustion and desolation.”

The medals are to be presented in Siamsa Tire Theatre, Tralee, Co Kerry on Wednesday following a performance of Aidan Dooley’s one-man show of Tom Crean.