South Pole Inn

Born into a poor farm when times in Ireland were hard on 20 July in 1877 in the village of Annascaul in County Kerry, Tom Crean was forced to leave his family and home and head overseas to England where he joined the Royal Navy at the tender age of 15 spending many years refining his skills as a seaman.  This love of the sea was to grow and Tom took part in three expeditions to Antartica in the 20th century. When Tom retired in 1920 he returned home to his beloved Annascaul, he married and ran “The South Pole Inn”.

Today the pub which was named by Tom Crean is well worth a visit to learn about the life of Tom Crean and his explorations and view the interesting collection of memorabilia and momentos. Across the road from the South Pole Inn you will see a statue of Tom Crean by the Irish American sculptor Jerome Connor who was also born in Annascaul. The Inn itself sits in a beautiful setting by the river with outdoor seating and is very child-friendly.

Annascaul itself is a beautiful quaint village set on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry.  Its location is 32 kilometers east of the town of Tralee. The village is also known for its famous Anascaul black pudding and for the local pottery.