Contributed by Robert Headland, Scott Polar Research Institute
On 17 March, St Patrick’s Day, 2021 there are at least 75 names in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands named for 45 persons of Irish birth. The names date from early expeditions through to living scientists working in Antarctica.
Twelve names commemorate Sir Ernest Shackleton, born in Co. Kildare, covering most regions of the continent (eg Shackleton Range), South Georgia, and an oceanic feature, as well as RRS Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Other notable names include:
- Bransfield Strait, and three other features, named after Edward Bransfield, born in Co. Cork, (as well as RRS Bransfield, BAS ship from 1970 to 1999).
- Crean Glacier, South Georgia, and two other features, for Thomas Crean, born Co. Kerry, member of Shackleton’s South Georgia crossing; also McCarthy Island, South Georgia, Timothy McCarthy, aboard the James Caird, born Co. Cork.
- Cape Crozier; Ross Island, and destination for ‘The Worst Journey in the World’, Francis Crozier, Co. Down, Captain of HMS Terror.
- Storey Glacier; South Georgia, Prof. Bryan Storey, born Dublin, BAS geologist and later Director of Gateway Antarctica, New Zealand.
Names for prominent people who never visited Antarctica include:
- Boyle Mountains; Graham Land, Robert Boyle, Co. Waterford, chemist and founding member of the Royal Society.
- Estación Brown; Antarctic Peninsula (Argentine summer station), Admiral William Brown, Co. Mayo, leading figure in Argentine independence and founding of the Argentine Navy.
- Ferguson Ridge; East coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, Harry Ferguson, Co. Down, pioneer of overland mechanical transport, notably the Ferguson Tractor, which reached the South Pole in 1958.
- Shamrock Hill; South Sandwich Islands, was used for a survey station on St Patrick’s Day, 1964.
- Clarsach Glacier; northern Alexander Island, has the shape of a clarsach (Irish harp).
The full list of names are:
- Barcroft Islands
- Beaufort Island
- Bingham Glacier
- Boyle Mountains
- Bransfield Basin
- Bransfield Island
- Bransfield, Mount
- Bransfield, Rocks
- Bransfield Strait
- Brown, Estacion
- Clarsach Glacier
- Crean Glacier
- Crean Lake
- Crean, Mount
- Croker Passage
- Crozier, Cape
- Crozier, Mont
- Crozier Point
- Dalton Glacier
- Dunlop, Cape
- Dunlop Island
- Emerald Island
- Farrington Island
- Ferguson Ridge
- Ferrar Glacier
- Forde, Mount
- Gamble Cone
- Gamble Glacier
- Grubb Glacier
- Gwynn Bay
- Gwynn, Mount
- Haskard Highlands
- Herdman, Cape
- Herdman Bank
- Herdman Rocks
- Horne Nunataks
- Humphrey Lloyd, Mount
- Irlandaise, Baie
- Iveagh, Mount
- Johnston, Mount
- Johnston Passage
- Johnston’s Point
- Keohane, Mount
- McCarthy Island
- McCarthy, Mount
- M’Clintock Bastion
- McClintock, Mount
- McIlroy Peak
- McNeile Glacier
- Manahan Peak
- Mateer, Mount
- Mauger Nunatak
- Meares Cliff
- O’Cain Point
- Parsons Peak
- Plunket Point
- Ranfurley Point
- Rea Peak
- Robinson, Mount
- Sabine Glacier
- Sabine, Mount
- Shackleton Canyon
- Shackleton Coast
- Shackleton Falls
- Shackleton Fracture Zone
- Shackleton Gap
- Shackleton Glacier
- Shackleton Icefalls
- Shackleton Ice Shelf
- Shackleton Inlet
- Shackleton, Mount
- Shackleton Range
- Shackleton Valley
- Shamrock Hill
- Shannon Point
- Spiller Cove
- Storey Glacier
