Cobh to Mark 113th Anniversary of Titanic Tragedy

Some ladies from Cobh are pictured in a previous ceremony at the Titanic Memorial on Pearse Square. The picturesque harbour town of Cobh is forever linked to the Titanic as the ship’s last port of call. On April 11th, 1912, 123 passengers boarded the Titanic in what was then Queenstown – 79 of them would not survive. Today, the town’s waterfront Titanic Memorial Garden and Glass Memorial Wall provide spaces for quiet reflection, while Pearse Square’s Titanic Memorial stands as a tribute to those who boarded from Cobh and were lost. Visitors can explore several attractions dedicated to this legacy, including Cobh Heritage Centre, Titanic Experience Cobh and the Titanic Trail Walking Tour. (Photo courtesy, ETC - the Events, Tourism, Communications Agency.)

First Cruise Liner of the Season will also dock

On Sunday April 13th, 2025, the town of Cobh in County Cork will hold a special public ceremony to mark the 113th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, honouring the memory of all those who lost their lives in one of the world’s most haunting maritime tragedies.

On the same day, Cobh will also welcome the first cruise liner of the 2025 season, which is always a big draw for the public and underscores the town’s enduring maritime significance. Today, Cobh remains one of Ireland’s busiest cruise ports and continues to captivate visitors with its vibrant streetscape, warm hospitality and compelling historical legacy.

As the Titanic’s final port of call, Cobh holds a deep historical connection to the ill-fated liner, remaining an important place of remembrance for Titanic enthusiasts and the descendants of victims and survivors. Each year, visitors from around the world travel to Cobh to reflect on the ship’s legacy. Organised by Cobh Tourism, the annual ceremony provides an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to pay tribute in a town forever linked to the Titanic’s fate.

This year’s commemorations will take place at the Titanic Memorial on Pearse Square, beginning at 2.30pm. The solemn ceremony will feature music, prayers and the laying of wreaths in honour of those who perished on April 15th, 1912. Local people and visitors to Cobh are warmly invited to attend.

Invited dignitaries, local clergy, a Colour Party from the Cobh Branch of the Organisation of Ex-Servicemen and Women (O.N.E.), Cobh’s Historical Animation Groups and the Commodore Male Voice Choir will all contribute to what is a moving tribute to the Titanic’s passengers.

For the conclusion of the ceremonies, attendees will gather at Cobh’s scenic Promenade, overlooking the very pier from where the Titanic’s final passengers boarded the tenders Ireland and America to bring them to the Titanic which lay at anchor near Roche’s Point. Here, the names of the 123 passengers who boarded the ship in Cobh – then known as Queenstown – on April 11th, 1912 will be read aloud. A wreath will then be cast into the sea in their honour, followed by the poignant sounds of the “Last Post” and “Reveille,” performed by the Cobh Confraternity Band.

Those wishing to delve deeper into the Titanic story are encouraged to visit Cobh Heritage Centre and Titanic Experience Cobh or partake in the Titanic Trail Guided Walking Tour of Cobh. The personal stories, passenger records, artefacts and memorials in Cobh keep the memory of Titanic’s passengers alive in her final port of call.

For further details on the commemorations or to explore what to see and do in Cobh this spring, visit www.visitcobh.com.

 

(Submitted from Ireland by Niamh Murphy, Managing Director, ETC - the Events, Tourism, Communications Agency