Army's top man to lead ceremony for Edward Bransfield, the Corkman who spotted Antartica

The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces will give the keynote address at the unveiling of a monument to commemorate the Irishman acknowledged as the first person in the world to officially record spotting Antarctica.

Vice Admiral Mark Mellett will deliver a speech this Saturday January 25 on Edward Bransfield as a monument is unveiled to his memory in his native village of Ballincurra, Co Cork, 200 years after he first noted the continent.

It is believed Bransfield was born around 1785. As a young man he was taken off his father's fishing boat off the Cork coast by British sailors and press-ganged into the Royal Navy.

He fought bravely in the Napoleonic Wars and quickly moved up the ranks.

In 1819 the Royal Navy sent a ship, The Williams, to an area far further south than had ever explored. Bransfield was onboard and ordered to chart the area.

Bransfield landed on what became known as King George Island and took formal possession of it on behalf of King George III, who had died the day before on January 29, 1820.

Turning south, the ship crossed what is now known as the Bransfield Strait, named for him by James Weddell in 1822.

On January 30, 1820 the ship sighted Trinity Peninsula, the northernmost point of the Antarctic mainland.

Bransfield made a note in his log of two “high mountains, covered with snow”, one of which was subsequently named Mount Bransfield in his honour.

He died in Brighton, England October 31, 1852 and is buried there.

It was a discovery which began the era of Antarctic exploration later made famous by the exploits of Ross, Crozier, Borchgrevink, Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton and others.

The Remembering Edward Bransfield Commemoration Committee raised a considerable amount of money through supporters to get the project to fruition.

The statue in memory of Edward Bransfield was paid for by an avid group of people who have a fascination with polar exploration.

Jim Wilson, who comes from Cobh and is a noted tour guide on Antarctic cruise liners, will act as MC for the event.

Local historians Ursula O'Mahony and John Ahern will also give speeches as will Liam O'Riordan, secretary and treasurer of the commemoration committee, who is distantly related to the Bransfield family.

The monument will be unveiled at a site on the Cloyne road edge of the village at 2pm.

The site was given to the committee by Cork County Council.