Explorers from Ireland

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Irish Explorers of all time. This list of famous Irish Explorers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity.

1. #1

   

   Ernest Shackleton

   1874 - 1922

   HPI 72.8863 langs

   Ernest Shackleton was an explorer who led three expeditions to the Antarctic. He is most famous for his 1914-1917 expedition where he led 27...Read moreShow less

   Ernest Shackleton was an explorer who led three expeditions to the Antarctic. He is most famous for his 1914-1917 expedition where he led 27 men on a ship called the Endurance to Antarctica, but their ship became stuck in ice and they were forced to abandon it and make a treacherous journey across the ice to reach safety.

2. #2

   

   Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie

   1810 - 1897

   HPI 64.0928 langs

   Irish-born French explorer, geographer, ethnologist, linguist and astronomer

3. #3

   

   Edward Bransfield

   1785 - 1852

   HPI 60.8323 langs

   Irish sailor

4. #4

   

   Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie

   1815 - 1893

   HPI 57.5017 langs

   French and Basque geographer (1815-1893)

5. #5

   

   Henry Kellett

   1806 - 1875

   HPI 55.4516 langs

   British Royal Navy vice admiral (1806-1875)

6. #6

   

   Tom Crean

   1877 - 1938

   HPI 52.9322 langs

   Irish explorer

7. #7

   

   Robert McClure

   1807 - 1873

   HPI 52.5519 langs

   Royal Navy admiral and arctic explorer (1807–1873)

8. #8

   

   Robert O'Hara Burke

   1821 - 1861

   HPI 52.4418 langs

   Australian explorer (1821–1861)