Kildare's Shackleton Museum says it would welcome any artefacts from the newly-discovered Endurance

The Curator of the Shackleton Museum in Athy has said that it would welcome any artefacts from the newly-discovered Endurance.

Margaret Walsh made the comments while speaking to the Leader.

She also revealed that Shackleton's Quest Cabin is nearing its final stage of conversation works, in time for the opening of the newly developed Shackleton Museum in early 2023.

Last Wednesday, the Shackleton Museum, in addition to the Athy Local History Group, reacted to the discovery of the late explorer's ship, Endurance.

The ship was found 100 years to the day since the pioneer (who was born in Kilkea beside Athy) was buried, and 106 years after the historic ship was crushed in pack ice and sank during one of Shackleton's expeditions.

It measures 144-foot and had three-masts.

Commenting on the discovery at the time, Ms Walsh said: "The Shackleton Museum in Athy is excited at the great news that the wreck of Endurance has now been found in the Weddell sea, Antarctica.  

"This was the ship used during the ambitious Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of legendary Athy-born Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton who died 100 years ago in January 1922.

She continued: "The Endurance was crushed in the Weddell Sea in 1915, stranding all men and bookmarking the beginning of one of the most remarkable tales of hardship and survival in the history of exploration, where Shackleton’s renowned leadership skills resulted in the improbable survival of every crewman."

Meanwhile, a member of the Athy Local History Group, Seamas Taaffe, also called the discovery of Endurance 'quite extraordinary,' and said that the group plans to invite Mensun Bound down to host a lecture sometime this October.