Annascaul

Annascaul or Abha na Scáil is a village on the roadside of the main road up the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. It's a stopping point on the Dingle Way hiking trail, and Inch Beach 5 km east is a centre for surfing. It has a very close knit community, with very friendly and kind people everywhere in the village.

Annascaul had a population of fewer than 300 in 2021. Its Irish name may refer to a crossing on the river, or the burial place of a hero; it's yet another spot where the legendary Cuchulainn is said to be buried. But one legendary hero was indeed born and buried here, the Antarctic explorer Tom Crean (1877-1938). It was also the birthplace of sculptor Jerome Connor (1874-1943), who mostly lived and worked in the United States.

Understand
Tom Crean was born in 1877 on a farm near Annascaul and joined the Royal Navy. In 1901 his ship was in New Zealand accompanying Captain Scott's Discovery when a seaman was dismissed from the expedition. Crean volunteered as replacement so this became his first voyage to Antarctica. They overwintered as planned in McMurdo Sound but come summer were unable to break free of the ice, so they spent a second winter. Next summer they remained stuck, and were about to abandon ship when the ice broke. Discovery is on display in Dundee.

Crean was a sure pick for Scott's next venture, the Terra Nova attempt to reach the South Pole. In 1911 a large group set out from McMurdo Sound, with support parties progressively dropping off to return to base, and Crean was with the eight who got to within 270 km of the pole at 87°32'S. Then Scott picked four companions for the final stretch, and Crean, Lashly and Edgar Evans were those bitterly disappointed at having to turn back. The trio got into terrible difficulties descending Beardmore Glacier, but Crean made a heroic solo journey to fetch help. Later he was among the party that found the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers.

Already famous, Crean was to astound the world with his exploits with Shackleton on Endurance. They set out in 1914 intending to traverse Antarctica but never reached it. The ship became crushed by ice, and the crew slogged over ice and open sea to reach Elephant Island, where there was scant food and no prospect of being found. So they reinforced one of their small boats, and Shackleton, Crean, Worsley, Vincent, McCarthy and McNish set sail in James Caird to bring help to the others. They accomplished a journey of 1300 km over a roaring Southern Ocean to land on the dangerous south coast of South Georgia. Neither boat nor two of the men could go further, but Shackleton, Crean and Worsley somehow crossed the island's uncharted mountains and glaciers to Stromness whaling station to bring rescue.

Crean continued to serve in the navy but married and started a business and family, so he declined Shackleton's 1921 expedition. He was also injured in a fall, and had to retire from the navy, so he opened The South Pole Inn in Annascaul. He died in 1938 from ruptured appendicitis and is buried nearby in Ballynacourty.

Get in
For inter-city routes travel via Tralee, which has buses and trains from Dublin, Limerick and elsewhere.

Bus Éireann 275 runs every hour or two from Tralee via Blennerville and Camp, taking 40 min to and continuing to Dingle. from there, there are numerous Local Link buses to multiple locations on the east tip of the Dingle Peninsula. The village bus stop is at O'Donnel's Shop. There's no bus to Inch.

By road from Dublin follow M7 / M20 past Limerick then N21 via Adare and Castleisland to Tralee, then N86 along the coast to Camp and over the hill to Annascaul. Fill your tank or re-charge at Tralee for supermarket prices. Annascaul doesn't have a filling station, the nearest are in Dingle, Camp or between Inch and Castlemaine.

Get around
You need your own wheels. There's car hire in Kerry Airport, Tralee and Killarney, and bike hire in Dingle.

As well as Bus 275, Local Link Bus R74 runs twice M and W between Dingle, Lispole and Annascaul.

See

 * The South Pole Inn remains in business, see below, and is full of Antarctic memorabilia. It was also intended to create an exhibition space for the sculpture of Jerome Connor, but as of 2021 nothing's come of that.
 * is a 5-km peninsula jutting into Dingle Bay. It has a sandy beach popular for surfing and shore-fishing (see below). The village has accommodation, bars, and restaurants. Use the big parking lot: lots of people drive onto the beach, but they don't always manage to drive off again.
 * or Annascaul Lake is set in a steep-sided U-shaped valley. It's a simple hike from the village, with two trails so you can make a loop of 12 km. An extension north leads onto the ridge. Midway along the west trail, a short detour takes in Ballynacourty old cemetery, where Tom Crean is buried.
 * is a medieval tower house battered to bits by Oliver Cromwell. Nothing remains of the earlier ringfort as the Council took its stone for road-building. The shore of the bay is heaped with boulders and cobbles smoothed by wave action, handy for monuments, and several Ogham stones have been traced to here.

Do

 * Dingle Way is a 176-km hiking trail that begins in Tralee, circles the Dingle peninsula and returns. The whole circuit takes 8 days but you can easily do short sections. Day One is from Tralee to Camp. Day Two crosses the ridge of Slieve Mish then follows mostly lowland tracks and green lanes to Inch, and onward west to Annascaul, 17 km and maybe 5 hours. Day Three is from Annascaul to Minard Castle on the coast before swinging inland through Lispole to come onto the ridge above Dingle then into town, 23 km and 6 hours.
 * Annascaul Walks! meet on Sundays at Hanafin's Bar for organised hikes.
 * Dingle Way is a 176-km hiking trail that begins in Tralee, circles the Dingle peninsula and returns. The whole circuit takes 8 days but you can easily do short sections. Day One is from Tralee to Camp. Day Two crosses the ridge of Slieve Mish then follows mostly lowland tracks and green lanes to Inch, and onward west to Annascaul, 17 km and maybe 5 hours. Day Three is from Annascaul to Minard Castle on the coast before swinging inland through Lispole to come onto the ridge above Dingle then into town, 23 km and 6 hours.
 * Annascaul Walks! meet on Sundays at Hanafin's Bar for organised hikes.

Buy

 * O'Donnell's is the village store in Annascaul, open M-Sa 8AM-21:30, Su 9AM-14:00.
 * Black puddings: you can never have enough. Ashe's Black Pudding Co on Main St makes them in a traditional local style (though this is not the protected-name version made in Sneem). Check your own country's import regulations if you intend to take them home; EU and United Kingdom should be alright, but others may prohibit meat imports.
 * There is no ATM or bank in Annascaul or Inch. Most businesses accept card payments but not all.

Drink

 * Brosnan's is within Teac Seáin, see Sleep.
 * Dan Foley's in Annascaul closed in the 1990s when Dan the owner died; he was a well-known stage magician. The pub facade remains as a village landmark, not least because it's the bus stop. Don't confuse it with Foley's Bar & Restaurant in Inch.
 * Tom Crean Brewery was founded by Crean's granddaughter Alison. It's in Kenmare but you'll probably find their range of beers in Annascaul.
 * Brosnan's is within Teac Seáin, see Sleep.
 * Dan Foley's in Annascaul closed in the 1990s when Dan the owner died; he was a well-known stage magician. The pub facade remains as a village landmark, not least because it's the bus stop. Don't confuse it with Foley's Bar & Restaurant in Inch.
 * Tom Crean Brewery was founded by Crean's granddaughter Alison. It's in Kenmare but you'll probably find their range of beers in Annascaul.

Sleep

 * Shadow River Farm on Ardrinane Rd 200 m south of village has B&B.
 * Shadow River Farm on Ardrinane Rd 200 m south of village has B&B.
 * Shadow River Farm on Ardrinane Rd 200 m south of village has B&B.

Connect
As of May 2021 there is mobile coverage, and maybe 4G, from all Irish carriers in Annascaul and along N86. There are dead spots along R561 towards Inch. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Dingle is the only sizeable town on the peninsula. Go that way for Atlantic views, prehistoric dwellings, and boats to the Blasket Islands.
 * You can reach the north coast either via Dingle and Conor Pass (light vehicles only) to Cloghane, or via the main road to Camp and Tralee.
 * R561 east leads to N70, the main road round the Ring of Kerry, starting the circuit at Killorglin.
 * Antarctica: would Crean, Shackleton and Scott laugh, cry or be impressed at what's become of their old neighbourhood? Probably all of those simultaneously. McMurdo Station in the Ross Sea is reached on cruises from Australia / NZ and is the main staging post for trips to the Pole, as it was for them. The Antarctic Peninsula and islands are the destination for cruises from South America. Some of these take in South Georgia Island, where hardy souls can recreate the famous mountain trek from the south coast to Stromness harbour.
 * Tralee is the capital of County Kerry, with much entertainment. Hosts the Rose of Tralee festival each year.