Creatives

Written and performed by Aidan Dooley

‘a remarkable and uplifting piece

of theatre, gives everything and

asks nothing.’

Emer O’Kelly

Sunday Independent Dublin

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 London 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 Ceasar’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ - Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company.

He premiered ‘Tom Crean - Antarctic Explorer’ at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2003. Most recently was seen in Galway Girl and Melody - UK Fuse Festival. He has worked for many years with Spectrum Theatre Projects 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 story on Tom Crean originated.

He is a Co-Director of ‘Play On Words Theatre Company’ and lives in Rochester UK with his wife Miriam and two children Liam aged 13 and Nancy aged 6.

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