The Titanic, the massive and ill-fated “unsinkable” luxury cruise ship that sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean, set off on its journey a hundred years ago on Wednesday.
On May 31, 1911, the largest-ever ship built up until that time, set off from Belfast in Ireland, touching the water for the first time after sailing down the shipway.
At the time, thousands of people gathered to send off the Titanic as it left the shipyard and launched into the River Lagan.
Nearly a year later, the Titanic sailed its first transatlantic journey, ending tragically when it collided with an iceberg and sunk, killing more than 1,500 passengers on board.
Residents of Belfast marked the 100th anniversary in a ceremony on Tuesday.
“For too long, Belfast’s part in the Titanic story, and the role of the people of Belfast in bringing Titanic to life, has been neglected,” Lord Mayor of Belfast, Niall O Donnghaile, said at the ceremony, reported AFP.
Rev. Chris Bennett, a Protestant minister who was at the ceremony, told The Associated Press that the Titanic has long been associated with the sinking.
“But here in Belfast we’re trying to recapture that idea that the Titanic is something to be proud of. This fabulous, biggest man-made moving object in the world was built right here,” he told the news agency.
Like the ceremony did a hundred years ago, Belfast residents on Tuesday clapped, shouted, and cheered for nearly 62 seconds at 12:13 p.m., according to AP.
