Cobh to remember the Lusitania tragedy 104 years on

COBH is set to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania over the May bank holiday weekend.

The commemorations on Sunday will the victims of the Lusitania, which was struck by a missile during its voyage from New York to Liverpool on May 7, 1915.

The missile launched by a German submarine, 12 miles off the coast of the Old Head of Kinsale.

There were 1962 people on board the ship, with only 764 surviving the impact. The ship sank within 18 minutes.

A ceremony will begin at the Lusitania graves in the Old Church Cemetery at 2.30pm.

It will include prayers, music from the Commodore Choir and the laying of wreaths before proceedings move back to Cobh Town Centre.

Leaving the Old Town Hall on Lynch’s Quay, a parade will be led by a colour party from the Organisation of National Ex-Service (ONE) and representatives of the Royal Naval Association and other maritime and historical groups.

The parade will begin at 3.15pm, making its way to the Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square.

People can take the Lusitania trail, which will lead them to Cobh Museum, where the ‘A Day In May’ exhibit is currently running before going on to visit The Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square.

On May 10, 1915, the mass funeral of over 145 victims of the Lusitania tragedy took place in the Old Church Cemetery which is located just outside Cobh. Glass Memorial headstones now mark the graves within the cemetery.

Accounts of the funeral in the press in 1915 describe it as dismal, ghastly and exceedingly sad. Thousands of people from Cobh and Cork turned out to pay their final respects to the victims.

Meanwhile, Cobh will also have cruise liner The Norwegian Pearl back at its dock, bringing over 3,000 tourists to Cork for a day, giving locals a chance to see a spectacular cruise ship.

Another cruise ship will arrive on bank holiday Monday when the Serenade of the Seas will dock in with over 2,500 visitors to embark on the town.