© Fairbank Pro
ductions 2008
© Fairbank Productions 2008
© Fairbank Productions 2008
‘a remarkable and uplifting piece
of theatre, gives everything and
asks nothing.’
Emer O’Kelly
Sunday Independent Dublin
Written and performed by Aidan Dooley
Born 1877 in Kerry, Ireland. Joined the Royal Navy at 15 years of age. Served on “Discovery” from 1901 – 1904 and “Terra Nova” 1910 -1913 under Captain Robert Scott and from 1914 – 1916 served on “Endurance” under Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Survived for months trapped on the ice floes after the ship was crushed and journeyed with Shackleton and four others in a 21-foot lifeboat, across the South Atlantic (800 miles). They scaled the uncharted glaciers of South Georgia to reach help for their stricken colleagues left behind. Received the “Albert Medal” for bravery.
Returned to UK in 1916 to serve out the remaining time of WW1 and was medically discharged in 1919. He married a local Irish girl from Annascaul called Nell, and returned home to Ireland. They brought up two daughters Mary and Eileen. Sadly their middle daughter Kate died aged 4 in 1924. He remained in Annascaul, where he ran a public house with Nelle, until his death in 1938 of a burst appendice, aged 61.
Aidan is from Galway. He trained at Guilford School of Acting and works as a freelance Actor, Writer and Director in London. Highlights of his career as an Actor include ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ - Wyndhams Theatre London. ‘Elegies for Angels’ - Criterion Theatre London. ‘DA’ - White Bear Theatre London. ‘Players and Painted Stage’, ‘Last Apache Reunion’ - SOS Theatre Bristol. National Tours of ‘Tales of the Lost Formicans’, ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ - Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company.
He first performed ‘Tom Crean - Antarctic Explorer’ ten years ago at Siamsa Tire, Tralee for Tom Crean’s family and then at the Medway Fuse Festival followed by The New York International Fringe Festival (Best Solo Show Award Winner). He has also been nominated for awards at The Dublin Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and The Elliot Norton Theatre Critics Award Boston and in 2006 won the prestigious Fringe First at Edinburgh. He was seen in Galway Girl and Melody (Celctic Coupling) in the UK Fuse Festival. He will be touring his new solo show O’Sullivan Beara - The Last Gaelic Chieftain in April and May. He has worked for many years developing various performance pieces and historical characters for all the National Museums in England including the National Maritime Museum Greenwich where the idea of a performance on Tom Crean originated. He is a Co-Director of ‘Play On Words Theatre Company’ and lives in Rochester Kent with his wife Miriam and their two children Liam aged 17 and Nancy aged 10. www.aidandooley.co.uk
