Cobh in Ireland: Final Stop of the Titanic

Developed during the eighteenth century, when the natural harbour was used to assemble the fleets at the time of the Napoleonic wars, Cobh (pronounced ‘Cove’) became a health resort during Victorian times. In honour of Queen Victoria’s visit to the town in 1849, Cobh was renamed Queenstown, and thus it remained until it reverted to its Irish name in 1920.

Irish Emigrants

Cobh was in an ideal position for Irish emigrants who wanted to escape their poverty and sail to the new world across the Atlantic, in the hope of a better life in America. The terrible potato famines between 1845 and 1851 left many unable to survive, and during this period over 1,500,000 Irish people emigrated to America.

A statue of young Annie Moore and her two brothers, the first emigrants to go through the immigration centre on Ellis Island, New York in 1892, stands on Cobh seafront outside the Heritage Centre.

Cobh and Transatlantic Liners

Cobh was one of the great ports for transatlantic liners at the turn of the 20th century. The first steam ship to cross the Atlantic, the Sirius, sailed from the natural harbour. When the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915, many of the dead were brought to Cobh to be buried. There is a Lusitania Monument behind the main street. Most famous ship of all was the Titanic, which made its final call at the Irish port.

Final Stop of the Titanic

One hundred and twenty three people boarded the Titanic at Cobh (Queenstown) on 11th April 1912. The story is told of a young priest, Father Frank Browne, who had sailed on her from Southampton. On reaching Cobh, his Bishop told him he was now to leave the ship. Just three days later, on April 14th, as it navigated the Atlantic, the Titanic struck an iceberg shortly before midnight. Two hours later, the ship had sunk with the loss of 1500 lives.