A Titanic Experience
While staying in County Kerry I had many day trips planned. One was to visit Cobh (pronounced Cove). One of the first things we saw when we got down to their was the Titanic Experience. I will be honest and tell you that this was one thing that was not on my list of things too see. I am not sure why, maybe I did not even think about it. Seeing any Titanic exhibit has always been high on my list, but I never thought about the fact that Queenstown (which is Cobh) was the last port of call for the Titanic. The building that the Titanic Experience in is the original building that White Star Line sold their tickets in.
123 passengers boarded the Titanic at Queenstown; 7 first class, 3 second class and 113 third class.
When you purchase your ticket for the experience you are given a boarding pass with a person’s name that boarded at Cobh. From there you watch a short film and then move outside to see where the passengers boarded the tender boats. We stood on the balcony where the first class passengers stood, awaiting their turn to board.
As you look out into the water, you see a very old pier. Many boards are missing and it truly looks as if one bad storm will take the remains of the pier with it. This old pier, is the exact one that the Titanic passengers used to board the tender boats.
The Titanic was unseen to these passengers at this point. In front of them, all they could see is Strike Island. The tender boats would take them around the island to where the Titanic sat in port awaiting her departure.
All of this is a sight to behold for anyone. We all know that fate of the Titanic after this stop and just standing in the steps of all who boarded here was surreal. We know that many were exited about the new life that waited for them in America. A dream for so many that never came true.
From the balcony, we move inside to see mock ups of the cabins and a third class common room. Menus were hanging on the walls that told us what their last meal on the Titanic was. It was all very heart wrenching…
After the short tour, you enter a room that has multiple computers to here some of the stories, get more specific information and to find out what happened to the passenger that is listed on your ticket. Both of our Titanic passengers did not survive the crossing.
If Cobh is on your list of places to visit, I highly recommend taking an hour to visit the Titanic Experience.
