'South Pole heaven': Antarctic explorer

An explorer who made history by leading the first Irish expedition to the South Pole today described his barren ice-capped surroundings as heaven.

Pat Falvey, from Cork, said it was amazing to reach their destination after 58 days of trekking 710 miles (1,140km) across Antarctica.

The group, which hauled sleds weighing more than 330lb (150kg) through icy winds, constant sub-zero temperatures and biting snowstorms, honoured Irish Antarctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean.

“We’re so happy to be here, we can’t believe it,” said Mr Falvey, 50.

“We’re ecstatic but totally exhausted, shattered, and worn away.

“It’s now -32.5 degrees Celsius and I’m chattering from the cold but so excited.

“All of the meridians and all of the longitudes passed through the point where my hand was.

“By walking around the South Pole I could go back in time to yesterday or go a day ahead to tomorrow.”

Deputy team leader Dr Clare O’Leary, 35, also from Co Cork, became the first Irish woman to complete the journey.

The other team members were Dublin IT consultant Shaun Menzies, 42, and 36-year-old Jonathon Bradshaw, both relatively inexperienced high-altitude trekkers who were invited to join the expedition.

The squad arrived at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at 8.30pm Irish time yesterday, but because of strict US protocol they cannot sleep, wash or eat inside the premises.

Instead the explorers can sit in the canteen for warmth and watch the scientists based there eat and return to their tents outside to sleep.

The team hopes to fly out of the camp tomorrow for the long journey home - arriving back in Cork around January 15 for “one hell of a party”.

Mr Falvey said of the 62 expeditions under his belt, this was by far the hardest.

“Antarctica is one of the most hostile arenas in the world and she hit us with everything that she could,” he said.

“We had strong winds and Antarctic storms which dropped a quarter of a tonne of snowfall, making our sleds very heavy to pull.

“It looked like heaven but was like being in hell for 57 days. Then yesterday it eventually turned to heaven when we spotted a spot in the distance. It was so exciting because nothing lives or grows in Antarctica.

“Imagine navigating to something for 58 days and finally seeing it. Then the dot started growing as we got closer and suddenly a huge station appeared in front of us.

“When we finally got there it was heaven.

“I’m so proud of the team and that we honoured our Irish explorers.”

Tributes were today paid to consultant Dr O’Leary, who was also the first Irish woman to climb Mount Everest and the first Irish woman to complete the Seven Summits Challenge.

The medic’s bosses at the Health Service Executive and South Tipperary General Hospital praised her triumph.

“Dr O’Leary excels at everything she does, but manages her achievements in a very low-key and gentle manner,” said hospital manager Breda Kavanagh.

“For this reason she is a very popular member of our staff. We salute her.”

Mr Falvey, who estimates he lost around three-and-a-half stone in weight during the expedition, said the journey proved ordinary people who want to explore or achieve a dream can do extraordinary things.

The explorer, author, photographer, film producer and motivational trainer and speaker is now looking for volunteers to take part in an expedition to Greenland next September and to South Georgia and the Antarctic in November.