Global Tragedy of Titanic to be remembered in Cobh

Flags representing the nations of the victims of the Titanic tragedy held by Jasmin Carr (left), Catie Anderson (front), Leah Anderson and Bláthín Verwey at the Titanic Experience, Cobh. Potgraph – Cob Tourism Ltd

The global impact of the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic will be highlighted at a commemoration in Cobh next Sunday afternoon. On 14th April 2013, the 101st anniversary of the day on which the Titanic struck an iceberg, people will gather in Cobh for a ceremony to remember all of those who died when the ship sank. Cobh Tourism is organising this ceremony as it has done for over ten years in her last port of call.

One hundred and twenty three passengers boarded the Titanic in Queenstown on 11th April 1912. Three days later the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank with the loss of over 1500 lives, including 79 of those who boarded in Cobh.

The sinking of the ship was a global tragedy with passengers from over thirty nations and territories sailing on the Titanic. In this the year of The Gathering, a special invitation is extended to people from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Holland, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Uruguay, USA and Wales to travel to Cobh and remember their countrymen and all those lost on that fateful maiden voyage. The passengers from each of these countries will be remembered in a special way at this year’s commemoration.

The ceremony will start at 3 pm at the Old Town Hall at Lynch’s Quay when a Colour Party from the Cobh Branch O.N.E. will parade to the Titanic Memorial in Pearse Square. The ceremony of prayers and wreath laying will have musical honours provided by the Commodore Male Voice Choir and Cobh Confraternity Band. The proceedings will then move to the waterfront Promenade. Seventy nine white flowers will be placed in the sea by members of the Cobh Animation Team in memory of the “Cobh” passengers.

School children representing the thirty two other nationalities will then present floral tributes and flags to the Mayor of Cobh, Councillor Sinéad Sheppard who will then place the bouquet in the sea in honour of all those who lost their lives when the Titanic sank. The ceremonies will conclude with a bugler playing the Last Post and Reveille. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.

Many other events are taking place in Cobh next weekend. Visit http://visitcobh.com for more details.