The Naked Soul of Man
For nine months in the midst of World War 1, Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition was trapped in the Antarctic ice with no contact to the outside world. Eventually the ship sank and a heroic journey across the most inhospitable seas and landscapes led to rescue. Using a mix of expert commentary, diary entries from Shackleton and his crew, and soundscapes, The Naked Soul of Man explores the power of music and art, leadership and kindness in creating resilience to give an insight into how they survived this ordeal. Contemporary accounts are read by Ciaran Hinds (Ernest Shackleton), Lorcan Cranitch (Thomas Orde Lees), Bert Wright (Chippy McNish) with Ali White (poetry). Enda Scahill performs music of the time on an early twentieth century zither banjo, the type of instrument that accompanied the expedition. The contributors are sailor and adventurer Paddy Bushe, historian John Horne, Kevin Kenny from the Shackleton Museum in Athy, ice swimmer Nuala Moore, lecturer in music therapy Hilary Moss, and Dennis Perkins who wrote Leading at The Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition.
Produced by Eoin Brady and Ellen Cranitch
The Naked Soul of Man was commissioned by RTÉ lyric fm, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television Licence Fee.
(First broadcast 4th December 2022)
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 9th April, 6pm-7pm
