The sinking of the RMS Lusitania and its role in bringing the United States into the first World War is among the subjects to be examined at a historical conference on the tragedy in Cork next month.
The Cunard liner with 1,959 passengers and crew on board, was torpedoed 18 km off the Old Head of Kinsale on May 7th 1915 by the German U-boat U20 while en route from New York to Liverpool.
The RMS Lusitania sank within 18 minutes resulting in the deaths of 1,198 of the passengers and crew including some 128 American citizens, which had a major impact on American public opinion.
The sinking of the liner is widely viewed as having played a significant part in the decision of former US president Woodrow Wilson to intervene in World War I on the side of the Allies in 1917.
Now, the impact of the sinking in the United States as well as locally and nationally will examined by a number of experts at a conference organised by the School of History at University College Cork (UCC).
The conference, entitled The Lusitania and the War at Sea 1914- 1918 will take place at the Boole Theatre 1 at UCC on May 6th, the eve of the centenary of the sinking of the liner.
Gabriel Doherty of the School of History at UCC explained that the conference will hear papers by some leading international experts on the Lusitania.
“The topics to be covered include the Royal Navy’s reaction to submarine warfare as well as the local relief effort in Cork and the response in the Lusitania’s home port of Liverpool.
“We will also have a paper on the wartime experiences of the Cunard Line which owned the liner as well as the propaganda dimension to the sinking,” he said.
“We will also hear about the overlooked French dimension to the sinking and the reaction in the United States, as well as the personal stories of those who died and survived.”
Further details can be obtained from Gabriel Doherty at the School of History at UCC on 021 902783 or by email to g.doherty@ucc.ie.
