Titanic, the ‘ship of dreams’ that still fascinates

They thought she was unsinkable, but at 2.20 am on that fateful night in 1912 the world’s most famous ocean liner slipped beneath the surface of the sea, having struck an iceberg two and half hours before.

News of the tragic sinking and loss of 1,490 passengers and crew was received with sorrow, shock and disbelief around the globe, and yet over a hundred years later the maritime disaster still hasn’t faded from the world’s imagination. 

In the ensuing decades the stories of Titanic’s passenger list, containing a cast of characters of every personality, rank and station, has generated countless newspaper articles, books, films, memorials, museums and experiences. 

The liner’s place in world history was enhanced still further in 1985 when Dr Robert Ballard sensationally discovered the wreck of the Titanic on the seabed, and in 1997 after the release of the epic James Cameron movie starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, which netted 11 Academy Awards. 

The 109th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic will be remembered around the world, not least in Belfast, the city that designed, built and launched the luxury vessel.

Opened almost 100 years to the day that RMS Titanic sailed out of the Harland & Wolff shipyard, mighty Titanic Belfast, crowned the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2016, is central to the annual memorial events for the ship. The five-star attraction, which tells the story of the tragic liner and the people who built and sailed in her, is the ultimate Titanic experience.

Although looking forward to welcoming guests just as soon as the time is right, its traditional commemorations are moving online in 2021, due to the pandemic.

This year, Titanic Belfast will hold an online interpretation of its annual ‘A Night To Remember’ tour to mark the anniversary of the sinking. It will also provide live tweets timelining the events which happened in the lead-up to the ship striking the iceberg and on through to her tragic sinking. Anyone can follow along on the @TitanicBelfast social channels.

Elsewhere in the city, Belfast Titanic Society will be running a series of online talks, which include a recollection of events from 109 years ago, the day after news of the maritime disaster broke. Also, Belfast City Hall, where there is a Memorial Garden dedicated to all those who died on Titanic, will be uploading a video on 15 April to commemorate the anniversary.

And when we are able to travel again, Belfast is ready and waiting, choc-full of Titanic-themed activities and attractions to enjoy. From the Titanic Hotel, created in the former headquarters of Harland and Wolff, to walks along the slipways where the liner first entered the sea, to her enormous dry dock and original pumphouse, there is an array of Titanic tours, attractions, exhibitions, events and experiences worthy of the ‘ship of dreams’. 
 
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