A windy and rainy day, we visited Cobh. Somehow the weather seemed appropriate.
The little seaside town of Cobh, with 13 000 inhabitants, has got one of the world’s largest natural harbours. Cobh was the place where most of the Irish emigrants left for America during the great starvation 1844-48. More than 1 million people died when the potato harvest failed (mildew) and by 1856 2 ½ million people had left Ireland for America. Not until 1930 did the Irish stop leaving the country – due to the Wall Street crash.
Cobh was the last stop for Titanic before her Maiden voyage across the Atlantic. Titanic entered Cobh harbour April 11, 1912. 120 passengers had bought their tickets there – hoping for a new and better life overseas. April 15 she went down after hitting an iceberg. I guess everyone knows she was a White Star Line ship.
Today there is a museum where the White Star Line’s terminal was. Down in the harbour there are mosaic tablets with memorials of those who embarked from Cobh that day. Even if we all know the story…this is a very special place to visit.
Interesting to hear of the potato harvest. It is fairly cheap food and common these days, and unfortunate what happened in history. Very thoughtful mosaic tablet and may the memories of the ship live on.
It will live on…such a tragedy. I heard you can go down by submarine to see it now.