Lusitania in the first world war
RMS Lusitania was built in Scotland in 1906 and at 36,000 tons was the biggest ship in the world at that time. She visited
Cobh (formerly Queenstown) on several occasions.
On the 7th May 1915, on a voyage from new York to Liverpool, she was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank in only 18 minutes with the loss of 1201 passengers.
After heroic efforts by local shipping concerns, fishermen and rescue agencies, the vast majority of victims and survivors were brought to Cobh. The community witnessed firsthand all the trauma, tragedy and heartbreak that ensued but 762 were saved. Many of the Lusitania victims were put to rest in the Old Church Cemetery close to the town and a poignant memorial dominates town centre of Cobh today.
The Lusitania Memorial in Cobh today
