“Having a glimpse of Antarctica while in Ireland is something that I have never thought of in my wildest imagination.”
Surprised? Same here.
This beautiful place will not just show you about this mostly unexplored place in the South Pole but also introduce you to this famous Irish explorer, Tom Crean.
At the end you will also understand how I literally had a view of Antarctica while visiting this South Pole Inn in Co. Kerry.
The South Pole Inn
Founded by Antarctica explorer Tom Crean, the South Pole Inn is a hidden gem of Ireland. It should be a must-visit place when in Dingle. These are the reasons why.
Cuisine
The South Pole Inn offers mouthwatering delicious cuisine at reasonable prices. Each and every item on the menu is simply awesome with its quality and quantity. Your stomach and heart will be filled with a single visit to this inn.
Their indoor and outdoor seating needs special mention because while the indoor decoration theme caters to the life of Tom Crean, the outdoors nourishes the love of the scenic beauty of Ireland.
The Inn
Stepping into this inn, you will feel immensely proud of this Antarctica explorer, Tom Crean even though it’s the first time you are hearing about him.
Tom Crean
Thomas Crean was an Irish seaman and Antarctic explorer who was awarded the Albert Medal for Lifesaving (AM). Born in County Kerry, Ireland, near the village of Annascaul, Tom Crean was a member of three major expeditions to Antarctica during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. During one of the famous expeditions, called “Terra Nova Expedition”, Crean’s 35-statute-mile (56 km) solo walk across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of Edward Evans led to him receiving the Albert Medal. More information on this explorer can be read here.
The South Pole Inn is filled with photos, medals, articles, and anything and everything that’s related to Tom Crean. You can learn all about his explorations through Antarctica, and the beautiful memories of his life, in this inn.
The ceiling of the South Pole Inn is adorned with the timeline of the life of Tom Crean. It depicts a clear picture of his life, about Endurance, the ship he traveled to Antarctica in and so much more.
Outdoor Seating
The Annascaul river flows beside this Inn creating a serene place to dine out. The water is shallow and the children dining out here had a fun time playing in the water.
They have set up games to enjoy as well in the outdoor seating area. How cool is that!!!
With the Annascaul river walk as well as the Dingle glamping area beside the South Pole inn, this place marks as a favorite in my Google map history.
Additional reasons to visit the South Pole Inn
1. There is a playground right across the street to which children would attest as enjoyable.
2. The Adrinane house, which is a B&B, and our stay for the 2 days of our Dingle trip was right beside the playground.
The Adrinane house is a stay run by a wonderful couple. They serve the yummiest breakfast in Annascaul, which is just 15 minutes from Dingle. The rooms are cozy, and the rates are reasonable. The view from their rooms is amazing and peaceful and so perfect for the vacation mood. They have a well-stocked library/living room which is so cozy to relax especially on a rainy day.
3. The Annascaul river flows beside this Inn. This river is a delight to spend time, dipping our toes, munching on snacks, and reminiscing with your friends and family.
4. The Dingle glamping area beside the South Pole Inn seemed to be interesting. This glamp was in the shape of a train carriage and the lovely couple who owned it had quite a lot of beautiful stories about this place.
5. The patrons of this place are regulars who has a lot of stories to share with the visitors like us. Their warmth still stays with us even though we are miles far apart from this inn.
“The trip to Dingle was a beautiful memory which was made even more special by the people we met.”
The South Pole Inn founded by Tom Crean is a must-visit place when visiting Dingle. Be it the food, the history of this place, or the location of this inn, there is something magical about this inn which would make the visit memorable for everyone.
This is their Instagram page, South Pole Inn.
Gateway To Antarctica
When they showed me this, I literally had goosebumps.
“They say the eyes are the window to the soul…
but here we have a window to the Pole.”
“Those stories that the patrons shared with us were filled with warmth and love. It still stays with us even though we are miles apart from this inn.”
This is a short Vlog showing some glimpses of the South Pole Inn. I hope you enjoy it.