Irish Government to Join Antarctic Trust Board : 3 June 2008

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Honorary Consul General of Ireland to New Zealand, Rodney Walshe today presented a cheque for NZ$30,000 from The Ireland Fund of New Zealand to the Trust. The funding came from proceeds from a Lunch of Significance held in Auckland late last year where a NZ$100,000 grant from the Irish Government for the Trust was announced by the Irish President, Mary McAleese.

The New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust board has been boosted by the appointment of the Government of Ireland’s senior resident representative to New Zealand. The Trust cares for the Antarctic historic bases in New Zealand’s Ross Dependency including the only expedition base built exactly a century ago by the famed Irish born explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

The announcement was made by the Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Helen Clark at a New Zealand/ Ireland event in Parliament today for the All Blacks and the visiting Irish rugby team. “Antarctica is forever linked with the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton. He and adventurers like Irishman Tom Crean and New Zealander Frank Worsley and his epic act of navigating the James Caird to South Georgia are part of our common heritage.” Helen Clark said. “New Zealand’s greatest adventurer, the Late Sir Ed Hillary acknowledged Ernest Shackleton as his boyhood hero and his inspiration.

These historical connections between and Ireland run deep,and the enduring links between our two countries are to be treasured. This is another example of close co-operation between New Zealand and Ireland,” Helen Clark said.

Trust Director Nigel Watson said “the Antarctic programme of conservation of Shackleton’s base and the extensive artefact collection by a team of international experts is on track for completion this year. It is significant given we are in the centenary year of Shackleton’s Nimrod expedition which itself departed and returned to New Zealand.”

New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust
The Trust is a charitable trust based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is recognised internationally as the organisation responsible for the care of expedition bases left by the famous explorers Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton in Antarctica.

New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust website:   www.nzaht.org

New Zealand Government
The Government through the Ministry for Culture and Heritage has been a long-term supporter of the Trust by providing seed funding for the Trust and now as the major supporter contributes annually to the Trust’s operating costs.

For further details:
T - 64-9-977 2251
E - newzealand@irlfunds.org