The story in music, words and pictures of explorer Ernest Shackleton’s life, the Endurance expedition and his extraordinary legacy.
This concert commemorates the death 100 years ago this year of Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton in a new work composed by fellow Kildare native and traditional musician Brian Hughes who performs uilleann pipes and whistle, accompanied by the County Kildare Orchestra and conductor Lorcan Daly. The suite consists of 8 movements representing different aspects of the voyage, with narration written and performed by novelist and playwright John MacKenna. Dramatic original photos set the atmosphere, whilst the fusion of uilleann pipes and whistles with the full range of orchestral instruments creates a breath-taking and evocative evening of music.
A native of Kilkea, Co. Kildare, Shackleton led the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition on board the ship ‘Endurance’ in 1914. The ship however was trapped by ice-floes in the Weddell Sea and eventually sank after drifting for over 11 months. What started as a great adventure to cross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole, turned into a dramatic 18 month rescue mission, forever cementing Shackleton’s reputation as an exceptional leader.
Brian Hughes composer / uilleann pipes / whistle
Lorcan Daly conductor
John MacKenna narration
