Project Titanic Cobh Launch First Programme of Events

‘The White Star Line embarkation pier in Cobh – a bleak reminder of all those who emigrated from Queenstown’

Project Titanic Cobh launches their first Programme of Events in what is to become an annual week long commemoration of Titanic’s visit to Queenstown. This year’s series of events will take place during the

first two weeks in April. It will also acknowledge the thousands of other passengers who embarked from these shores in waves of migration during the 19th and 20th Century.

The vision of Project Titanic Cobh is to highlight Cobh and the Harbour as an exceptional tourism destination, with similar events taking place throughout the year.

To date, over 50 events have been listed in the programme with more to come.  The Annual Titanic Commemoration features on April 14, with a procession from the Old Town Hall to the Promenade. Here, to the tune
of the ‘Last Post & Reveille’, flowers will be scattered into the sea to commemorate those lost on the Titanic.

A wreath laying ceremony at the Titanic Anchorage by Roches Point is also planned for the day, under an escort by the Irish Navy.

Additionally, The Titanic Experience will be unveiling a new exhibit dedicated to the Odell family who disembarked in Queenstown 101 years ago. This will be unveiled on April 11, on the day and time that that Titanic departed from Cobh.

Other community groups and individuals will be putting on events of historic interest. Dr Michael Martin, creator of the Titanic Trail, will deliver a lecture entitled ‘Titanic – Selection and Survival’ which explores some fascinating points about the disaster. Furthermore, O.N.E. (The Organisation of National Ex-servicemen and women) will be presenting the extraordinary story of the Cobh born WW1 aviator and inventor, Neville Florian Usbourne.

Food and beverage events and musical entertainment are also included in the programme. The Commodore hotel will be running Titanic themed restaurant menus and afternoon teas between April 4 and 14 and the Quays Bar and Restaurant will be presenting ‘A Taste of Cobh,’ serving culinary delights of all things maritime, alongside lip-smacking deserts and breads. Brass bands will be giving recitals in Kennedy Park, the Sirius Arts Centre has additional musical events in their programme and Kelly’s Bar has a great line-up of entertainment.

For younger visitors to Cobh, a special Art Competition is being run by the Titanic Experience; full details can be found on the Project Titanic Cobh web site. Additionally, the season launch of the Cobh Town Train will take place on Saturday, April 6 and is sure to keep the small ones happy.

Irish traditions will be bought to life, with displays of the fine art of crystal cutting at the Tregan Craft Centre

Wake nights, traditional set dancing and music events will be taking place at the Commodore Hotel, the latter being reminiscent of the below decks scene from the blockbuster movie, Titanic.

Another significant event for the calendar is taking place on Thursday April 4, when the Sirius Arts Centre celebrates the175th Anniversary of the SS Sirius steamship crossing, from Cork to New York in1838. A
special exhibition on engineering excellence will be opened on the day. Cobh Museum will be having their season launch on April 8 with two new exhibitions, ‘Leaving/Living’, which features stories of some extraordinary lives of Cobh people who left Ireland and ‘Yesterdays Child’, an exhibition of toys from the past.

The RNLI also plan to put on a display on Saturday April 13, with both the Ballycotton and Crosshaven lifeboats taking part. It is hoped that the Air Sea Rescue helicopter will also be able to attend.

All information on events can be found on the Project Titanic Cobh site www.projectcobh.com.

Please contact Margot Mulcahy if you require additional information at info@mdmpr.com or Tel.086 8045468