RMS Leinster Centenary Commemoration Programme Calendar of Events Foreword

In October 1918, towards the very end of World War One, the Royal Mail ship RMS Leinster, en route from Dún Laoghaire harbour to , was sunk by German submarine UB-123 near the Kish Bank just outside Bay with the tragic loss of 569 passengers and crew. It stands as the largest loss of life in the . As fate would have it, all 36 crewmen on board UB-123 were subsequently lost when they hit a mine off the Scottish coast, on their return journey to Germany. The centenary of the sinking of the RMS Leinster will be commemorated this October, culminating in the official commemorative event on Wednesday 10 October 2018 in Dún Laoghaire – 100 years to the day since this appalling disaster. Surrounding this important event on 10 October, there is a wealth of exhibitions, seminars, talks, theatre and performances in the National Maritime Museum, dlr LexIcon, St Michael’s Church, Christ Church and Mariners Church, Deansgrange Cemetery, Pavilion Theatre and other venues in the Dún Laoghaire area. These events commemorate the RMS Leinster in a variety of informative and interactive ways and this brochure aims to bring all these events together so that those travelling from near and abroad can see, at a glance, the range of events. It is very much a community effort with so many different groups involved and on behalf of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council we would like to thank all those involved in marking this highly significant date in such a respectful and fitting manner. Our thanks in particular goes to the National Maritime Museum, the Mail Boat ‘Leinster’ Centenary Committee and Families and Friends of the ‘Leinster’, with the support of the Department of Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht. Alongside these events the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire will be open free of charge during the commemorative week 6-14 October to encourage members of the public to visit and learn about the story of the RMS Leinster with a special Information Desk providing details on the more than 800 people on board. We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the commemorative events taking place throughout the area in the coming weeks.

An Cathaoirleach Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council,

Councillor Ossian Smyth

Front cover image ‘RMS Leinster’. Courtesy of Ian Lawler Collection. Calendar of Events

September – December September – end October September – end October 5 September – 26 October Mid September 19 September

Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Publication Seminar RMS Leinster exhibition Des Branigan 1918-2016 The SS Hare and SS Adela: & Ireland’s RMS Leinster: The Forgotten The Sinking of the RMS including touchscreen Dublin Port in time of war Tragedy by Carmel Uí Leinster – a talk by Cormac Des Branigan was a seaman, Humanitarian Effort technology with data on 1914–1918 Cheallaigh, illustrations Lowth trade unionist, archaeological all 800+ casualties and The exhibition curated by by Jimmy Burns diver and maritime historian. On 14 December 1917, the Venue: Royal Marine survivors onboard RMS St John Ambulance Ireland His role in bringing one of the S.S. Hare was torpedoed as it Book aimed at 8-11 year olds Hotel at 20:00 Leinster. tells the stories of the non- RMS Leinster anchors to Dún travelled from Manchester into combatants, who volunteered and is also NALA approved for RMS Leinster artefacts and Laoghaire forms part of his Dublin Port, with the loss of to provide medical care and literacy accessibility. Copies in story boards installed in the fascinating story. Also included 12 lives. On 27 December 1917, assistance, for World War English and Irish will be gifted 21 September – end October Museum. Information on is the Des Branigan maritime the S.S. Adela was torpedoed to all schools in the County. 1 casualties at home and Exhibition passengers, crew, military and book collection, donated to as it travelled to Liverpool overseas. Over 400 members Venue: Launching in dlr LexIcon Large scale LEGO model of Post Office workers. dlr LexIcon and catalogued from Dublin Port and 24 lives of the St John Ambulance RMS Leinster to coincide with exhibition were lost. This exhibition tells Venue: National Brigade and the British Red launch. Curated by Joe Ryan, their story and covers the rise Maritime Museum Cross Society turned out In dazzle camouflage on one retired Irish Coast Guard. of the U-boat threat 1914-18. when the RMS Leinster was side and original livery on Travelling exhibition, courtesy the other. Created by James Venue: dlr LexIcon Level 5. sunk, treating the injured and of David Cotter and Dublin City attending to bodies recovered 17 September – end December Shields, using RMS Leinster Public Libraries. from the Irish Sea. plans provided by the National Exhibition Maritime Museum. Venue: dlr LexIcon Level 5. Venue: dlr LexIcon Level 3. September – December Irish Lights 1911–1923: Venue: dlr LexIcon, Level 3 Safety at Sea Through Display War and Upheaval. A Come and see an amateur joint collaboration of the 22 & 23 September radio station dedicated to Commissioners of Irish Lights the RMS Leinster in action. and the Royal Irish Academy. Activity Call Sign EI 100 MCV (RMS “100 Boats for 100 Years” This exhibition highlights Leinster call sign was MCV) – a maritime tribute – from the history of Irish Lights spreads knowledge of the Dún Laoghaire Harbour to between 1911 and 1923. Irish RMS Leinster centenary the site of the RMS Leinster Lights’ overall mission of safe worldwide. wreck and back. navigation at sea is looked at in To date 24,000 contacts from the context of the wider political The flotilla departs Dún 76 countries worldwide and economic developments of Laoghaire Harbour at 10:30. https://www.qrz.com/db/ the time. The exhibition uses Race entry information on EI100MCV hitherto unexplored sources www.dymc.ie. Venue: National from the Irish Lights’ archive to Venue: Dublin Bay Maritime Museum present a new and distinctive view of modern Ireland’s most critical decade.

Venue: dlr LexIcon, Level 4. 29 September 5 October 5 October 6 October 6 October 7 October

Activity Exhibition Performance Family Day at dlr LexIcon. Exhibition Tour RMS Leinster Angling Tribute RMS Leinster Adult Art Sea shanties performed by Commemorating RMS Children’s RMS Leinster Guided journey discovering The Sick & Indigent Song artworks the 11 RMS Leinster graves The Holyhead - Dún Laoghaire Providing an RMS Leinster Leinster, World War One and Club. Remembering the and plaques at Deansgrange Link Association are organising focus for the County’s very the Suffragettes movement The Children’s Art Exhibition Leinster through music Cemetery commemorative angling talented artsitic community. is a very well-attended annual and song. Numerous events competitions in both port feature in the Maritime Conducted by John McCann, Venue: National Maritime commemorating the RMS towns, sponsored by Wild Entry €10 per person. Museum’s calendar. DLR County Council Museum Adult Art Exhibition Leinster, WWI and marking the Atlantic Leisure, Louisburgh, Sponsored by Easons. Cemetery Manager, followed launch at 18:45 For further information and centenary of the Suffragettes Co. Mayo by the official unveiling of a ticket purchase telephone: and votes for women. Featuring Venue: National Maritime monument on the grave of RMS Venue: Bandstand at the East the radio play Anchor by Museum Children’s Art Exhibition 086-4089611 or Leinster hero, William Maher Pier, Dún Laoghaire Harbour. 5 & 8 October Roseanne Lynch, launch of Prize-giving at 11:00 – 12:00 www.leinster2018.com 15:00 – 17:30 the Irish Lights exhibition, Venue: Deansgrange Play Venue: Dún Laoghaire Motor workshops for children, new Cemetery at 14:00 It Happened Here in Dún Yacht Club at 21:00 – 23:00 exhibition on Irish women 7 October End of September Laoghaire. This short play, suffragettes & trailblazers by Seminar written by Hazel Boylan Sarah Webb, interactive displays 7 October Publication and directed by Anthony 6 October by the Irish Vintage Radio and History Ireland Hedge School O’Reardon is set against the Performance People on the Pier by Marian Sound Society, Irish Great War History Ireland Hedge School. background of the sinking of Play RMS Leinster Centenary Thérèse Keyes and Betty Society & WWI Military Living Discussion panel on “The the RMS Leinster Anchor, a radio play Concert sponsored by the Stenson. History events organised by Sinking of the RMS Leinster by Roseanne Lynch Leinster Centenary Committee British Royal Mail. Includes the history of Based on actual events, and the War at Sea”. Bernadette and St John Ambulance, also the harbour, covering the featuring the story of a young The play tells the story of the Whelan, University of Limerick, A similar concert was held 100 WWI memorabilia presented Bicentenary plus important man John Heffernan. John’s RMS Leinster’s anchor, from Dr. Michael Kennedy, Royal years ago to raise funds for the by Gerard O’Meara, plus many historic moments such as the mother is played by Anne when it was built in , Irish Academy, Dr. Jeff Kildea, dependants of those who died more workshops and events sinking of the RMS Leinster. Keegan, a founder member of Liverpool in 1895, through University of New South Wales on the ship in 1918. the Loughlinstown community the disaster in 1918 up until throughout the day. and Philip Lecane, National Published by New Island. Tickets €10 each. drama group Raging 1996 when it was brought up Venue: Moran Park and Maritime Museum. Venue: Launching in dlr LexIcon Hormones. Anne is John’s niece from the depths to stand as a Venue: Christ Church dlr LexIcon, All Day Venue: National Maritime and this is her family’s story. memorial in Dún Laoghaire. & Mariners Church, Park Road, Museum at 19:30 Dún Laoghaire at 19:30 4 October Venue: dlr LexIcon, Studio dlr Librarian Seán Downes Theatre 2 performances: created a replica anchor to Exhibition both days at 19:00 promote this and other RMS RMS Leinster sculptures by Leinster events. It is on display Philip Murphy in dlr LexIcon.

On display all throughout the Venue: dlr LexIcon, Studio commemorations. Theatre Premiere to be held on Family Day at 15:00 Venue: National Maritime Museum 8 October 10 October 11 October

Performance Centenary Day Tour Combined Dublin & Anglesey Ecumenical Service Guided bus tour to visit Welsh Male Voice Choirs - All welcome. RMS Leinster graves in sponsored by Rachel Burke. Grangegorman Military Venue: St. Michael’s Church, Cemetery, departing from Combined Irish – Welsh choral Dún Laoghaire at 09:30 the National Maritime event in the Maritime Museum. Museum. Tickets €15 and booking essential. 10 October Tour of Grangegorman Cemetery followed by a visit to Venue: National Maritime Official Commemoration to Phoenix Park OPW Interpretive Museum at 20:00 mark the centenary of the Centre 10:00 – 15:00. Tickets sinking of the RMS Leinster €10 and booking essential, with Venue: dlr LexIcon, 9 October priority given to RMS Leinster Moran Park 10:30 – 12:15 relatives. Seminar Venue: National RMS Leinster One Hundred Maritime Museum Years On – Exploring Various 10 October Facets of the Sinking. Play Stephen Ferguson An Post, “Fatal Voyage” – The story 21 October of the sinking of the RMS Michael Kennedy Royal Irish Special requiem Service of Leinster told through music Academy, Dr. Jeff Kildea, Remembrance of the RMS and dramatic readings University of New South Leinster – its crew, postal Wales, Philip Lecane, Maritime Featuring: Michèle Forbes, sorters, passengers and Museum, Andrea Ward, RMS Cathy Belton, Cormac de Barra, military. Leinster relative and researcher Lisa Lambe, Geoff Minogue, The event is open to all. Lucille Ellis. Tickets €10. Bryan Murray, & Clara Rose Booking required. Thornton. Venue: Dublin’s Pro-Cathederal, Venue: National Maritime Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 Tickets available to purchase Museum at 10:30 – 18:00 at 11:00 from: www.paviliontheatre.ie/

Venue: Pavilion Theatre at 20:00

‘A contemporary drawing showing the sinking of the RMS Leinster. Reproduced as the cover for Torpedoed! The RMS Leinster Disaster by Philip Lecane.’ Back cover image: ‘The Crest of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company’