Scientists from Ireland stationed in Antarctica are gearing up to host the continent’s inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade.Gráinne Keogh, a marine biologist hailing from Belgooly in Co Cork, is based at the Rothera research station in Antarctica.
Together with several of her Irish colleagues, she is orchestrating a parade featuring seven or eight floats that will take place this Sunday in honor of Ireland’s patron saint.
Each float is being crafted by various members of the approximately 135 staff members at the station.
Ms. Keogh, along with her colleague Sean McLaughlin, an ocean scientist at the station, shared their motivations behind organizing what they believe to be the first St. Patrick’s Day parade on the Antarctic continent.
“It started off as a joke, but we decided to turn it into reality,” Ms. Keogh mentioned.
The station, operated by the British Antarctic Survey, is home to several Irish personnel.
Regarding the float designs, Ms. Keogh noted that her colleagues at the station are “really getting into it.”
“There’s a great spirit of enthusiasm from everyone. Everyone is keeping their ideas a secret until Sunday,” she added.
Sean McLaughlin and Gráinne Keogh
The station commonly comes together for weekend festivities.
Since arriving at the station in late November of last year, Ms. Keogh has already marked Christmas, Burns Night, and St. David’s Day.
“It’s all in good fun and people here are generally open to anything,” Ms. Keogh said.
“The more effort you put into it, the more rewarding it becomes,” Ms. Keogh remarked about organizing the celebrations.
For St. David’s Day, the station’s chefs prepared some Welsh cakes. Ms. Keogh hopes to “speak nicely” to them and request an Irish stew for St. Patrick’s Day.
Gaelic games in the snow
This weekend not only marks Antarctica’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade, but it will also feature the continent’s inaugural Gaelic football match.
Mr. McLaughlin, collaborating with Ms. Keogh on the weekend’s festivities, is setting up the match for Sunday afternoon, following the parade.
This will be Donegal-native’s first St. Patrick’s Day celebrated away from home. He is keeping up with GAA events back in Ireland and has even introduced some of his colleagues to the sport.
“People have found it captivating,” Mr. McLaughlin expressed.
“Some of those who watch the games with us have even picked their own counties to support,” he added.
After successfully teaching some station staff to play rounders, Mr. McLaughlin has been explaining the rules of Gaelic football and is confident he will have enough players for a complete match on Sunday.
“I thought it would be really exciting to have a game of Gaelic football in Antarctica,” he said.
Mr. McLaughlin has reviewed the station log and found no record of Gaelic football being played there before.
“When I researched where Gaelic football had been played, Wikipedia stated that the sport has teams on every continent except Antarctica,” he noted.
Mr. McLaughlin has already reached out to the GAA about the potential for his Antarctic team to be officially recognized in the future, aiming to ensure that Antarctica won’t remain the only continent without a team.
