Cobh to Mark 110th Anniversary of Lusitania Tragedy with Solemn Commemoration

The coastal town of Cobh, County Cork, will host a solemn tribute this May as the annual Lusitania Commemoration Ceremony takes place on Sunday, 11th May, marking 110 years since the tragic sinking of the RMS Lusitania.

The event, organised by Cobh Tourism, honours the lives lost when the ocean liner was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1915, just 11 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale during World War I. The sinking claimed 1,198 lives and had profound international repercussions.

Ceremony Details

The memorial ceremony will commence in Cobh Town Centre at 2:30pm, with the public invited to attend. A Colour Party from the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women (O.N.E.), alongside representatives of the Royal Naval Association and other maritime and historical groups, will assemble at the Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square.

The ceremony will include prayers, musical tributes by the Commodore Male Voice Choir, and the laying of wreaths, concluding with the Last Post.

Proceedings will then move to the Old Church Cemetery to the north of Cobh at approximately 3:15pm. This cemetery holds significant historical importance as the final resting place for 145 victims who were buried in three mass graves and individual plots on 10th May 1915, the day after the disaster. A further wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Glass Memorials dedicated to the 170 victims buried in the cemetery.

Historical Significance

Cobh, which was known as Queenstown at the time of the disaster, played a crucial role in the rescue and recovery efforts following the sinking. The town became the centre of international attention as bodies were brought ashore and survivors were cared for by local residents.

The sinking of the Lusitania had a lasting impact on international opinion during World War I. The tragedy, which claimed American lives, contributed to shifting public sentiment in the United States regarding potential entry into the conflict.

Commemoration Importance

Hendrick Verwey from Cobh Tourism emphasised the significance of the annual commemoration: "The Lusitania tragedy is not just part of Cobh's history, it's part of our identity. Each year we come together to honour those who were lost, and to reflect on the strength and compassion shown by the people of Cobh in the aftermath of the sinking. It's a time for remembrance, but also to question if society has learned anything from previous wartime atrocities."

Visitor Attractions

Visitors to Cobh during the anniversary weekend and the following weeks can follow the Lusitania Trail, which includes several significant sites:

• The Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square
• "Lusitania: A Day in May" exhibit at Cobh Museum
• The Lusitania Exhibition at Cobh Heritage Centre, featuring an impressive scale model of the ship and images from the Poole Collection of glass plate photographs taken in Queenstown in the days following the sinking

For more information on Lusitania Commemorations, cruise liner visits, and visitor attractions in Cobh, interested parties can visit www.visitcobh.com.