Arctic circumnavigator Jarlath Cunnane of Mayo has a bee in his bonnet about the Ernest Shackleton story. While most of his voyaging has been in the high Arctic, he also has extensive experience in Antarctica. And he feels that the Scottish ship's carpenter Harry McNish was badly done by the distinguished Antarctic explorer from Kildare, when Shackleton refused to include McNish's name in the list of those he recommended, as expedition commander, for the Polar Medal.
This was after the safe return of all of Shackleton's team from the Antarctic, thanks to the epic small boat voyage in 1916 from Elephant Island across the Antarctic Ocean to South Georgia by the 21ft ship's lifeboat James Caird. It was Harry McNish who converted the James Caird for long-distance seafaring while working on the icy foreshore at Elephant Island, a task which included the lengthwise hand-sawing of spare spars to create the hefty planks essential to reinforce the little rowing vessel for sailing purposes.
For sure, McNish was a contrary individual, and even more so with drink taken. He got on Shackleton's nerves. But even so, it seems like a failure of generosity of spirit to leave him out of the medals list, when everyone was saved thanks in significant part to his skills.
So although this upcoming book launch is basically a revised look at the Westport-built Northabout's extraordinary circumnavigation of the Arctic, expect a spicing of some strongly-held opinions about the treatment of Harry McNish, who died destitute in New Zealand, but is now much better remembered there than any of his be-medalled shipmates.
