On Saturday 9th April, thirty eight people from Lahardane and Crossmolina made the five hour journey to Cork. We were welcomed by the friendly and efficient staff at the Gresham Metropole Hotel where we were staying, and enjoyed a beautiful meal before heading to the Corner House for a "seisiun" with musicians and dancers from Mayo and Cork.

Cobh Heritage Centre

On Sunday morning we visited Cobh Heritage Centre as guests of Cobh Tourism. At 3pm a short parade from the Clock Tower to the ceremony at the Cobh Titanic Memorial took place. This was led by our group behind the Addergoole Titanic Memorial Banner carried by Edward Moyles and Frank O'Boyle.

Dr. Paul Nolan, our chairman, spoke about emigration and its effect over time on the west of Ireland. Paul held up three half crowns as he told the large gathering; "The cost to our 14 emigrants for their B&B for 1 night in Cobh in1912 was 7shillings and 6pence, or three half crowns as it was then".

Christina Burke spoke briefly about Addergoole's fourteen Titanic emigrants represented by; David Donoghue, Tommy Canavan, Patricia Joyce, Mary McGowan, Niamh Lynn, Conor Hegarty, Adam Reilly, Ellen Rowland, Mary Walshe, Cathy Scanlon, Carmen Reilly, Marty Jordan, Sandra Kelly and Christina Burke. Each then gave the name and an account of the life of the person they represented. Joe Reilly paid tribute to the 2 Mayo crew lost on Titanic, Francis Young and William Duffy. Wreaths were then laid at the Titanic memorial.

The ceremony moved on past the old Scotts Quay to the Promenade. All who boarded the Titanic at Queenstown and later drowned when the ship sank were remembered here, by placing sea shells with each of their names in a basket. The Mayor of Cobh, Finbarr O'Driscoll , laid a memorial wreath in the sea for the seventy nine who boarded at Cobh and lost their lives on that fateful night 99 years ago, including the eleven from Addergoole.

A short enactment of the west of Ireland's American Wake was performed for the large crowd. This was followed by Cathy Scanlon demonstrating the ‘sean nos' Barrel Dance with music by John Cosgrove, Joe Carey, Pat Armstrong and Tommy Canavan. The Addergoole contingent found the whole commemorative event very moving.