In March celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the launch of RMS Titanic began with the opening of a major photographic exhibition at Belfast City Hall
As you can see from my photographs the exhibition focused on the construction of the ship through the lens of R J Welch, the official photographer for Harland and Wolff.
The date of the opening of the exhibition was significant, as it coincided with the anniversary of the laying of Titanic's keel, on 31 March 1909. As well as displaying photographs of the ship itself, the exhibition gave an insight into life at the Harland and Wolff shipyard and in Belfast more generally in 1911.
To some people it may appear rather strange to celebrate the launching of a ship that sank on its maiden voyage but as far as the people of Belfast are concerned they delivered a first class ship to a bunch of idiots who managed to sink it by ramming it into a huge iceberg.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
The 'Titanic 100' exhibition - Belfast City Hall.
Belfast - Titanic Boat Tours
During my visit to Belfast I met an old local gentleman who was highly amused by the fact that "Belfast's only claim to fame was a really big ship that did not even complete its maiden voyage".
Titanic was conceived, designed, built and launched in Belfast and... as they proudly say locally "She was alright when she left here!!!"
Belfast - Titanic Boat Tours
Scheduled guided Titanic tours take in the historic Harland & Wolff shipyards and the famous Titanic sites around Belfast Harbour. Although many of the riverside Harland & Wolff sheds were demolished in early 2002 and those sites/sights are now gone, their demolition has actually provided a much better view of the Titanic slipways which were previously hidden by these same sheds.
The harbour area itself has always been a romantic and mysterious place, full of interesting sights, sounds and history, an exciting place which reeks of adventure and far off places! As a busy working port, most of it has been inaccessible to the public for many years unless you were employed in the shipping or shipbuilding industries, or were a passenger aboard an incoming or outgoing ferry or liner. This tour is a unique opportunity to experience all those exciting travel urges that seem to grip your senses in such a place!
Titanic tours depart from the Jetty 2 beyond the sculpture of the 'Big Fish'.
Titanic Memorial, Belfast City Hall
The Titanic Memorial in Belfast was erected to commemorate the lives lost in the sinking of the RMS Titanic on 15 April 1912. It was funded by contributions from the public, shipyard workers and victims' families, and was dedicated in June 1920. It is located on Donegall Square in central Belfast in the grounds of Belfast City Hall.
The memorial presents an allegorical representation of the disaster in the form of a female personification of Death or Fate holding a laurel wreath over the head of a drowned sailor raised above the waves by a pair of mermaids. It has been used as the site of annual commemorations of the Titanic disaster.
For a while it was obscured by the Belfast Wheel that was removed in April 2010. It is now the centrepiece of a small Titanic memorial garden that was opened on 15 April 2012, the centenary of the disaster. Together with the garden, it is the only memorial in the world to commemorate all of the victims of the Titanic, passengers and crew alike.
Titanic Belfast is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive galleries
Titanic Belfast is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive galleries, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.
Titanic Belfast is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive galleries. The building also houses temporary exhibits, a 1000-seater banqueting suite, education and community facilities, catering and retail space and a basement car park. Visitors will learn about the construction of RMS Titanic and the wide and rich story of Northern Ireland’s industrial and maritime heritage.
Supported by the Northern Ireland Executive, Titanic Belfast is a unique public / private partnership funded by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour and Titanic Quarter Ltd. It is operated by Titanic Belfast Ltd and will be owned by the Titanic Foundation Ltd.
Titanic Belfast's nine interpretative and interactive galleries explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people which made her. Visitors will journey - by foot and by rides - through:
• Boomtown Belfast
• The Arrol Gantry & Shipyard Ride
• The Launch
• The Fit Out
• The Maiden Voyage
• The Sinking
• The Aftermath
• Myths & Legends
• Titanic Beneath (including the Ocean Exploration Centre)