A minute’s silence to remember the 10 deceased in last week’s tragedy in Creeslough, Co Donegal was observed at today’s (Monday 10 October) commemoration in Dun Laoghaire Harbour of the 1918 sinking of the RMS Leinster.
The annual wreath-laying event is organised by the RMS Leinster Memorial Committee, which has an ongoing campaign for a permanent memorial at the site of the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead mailboat’s recovered anchor on Queens Road.
More than 564 people lost their lives when the RMS Leinster was sunk by a German U-boat on the Kish Bank on this date 104 years ago.
Those in attendance or this morning’s commemoration included relatives of those lost, members of the public, national and local politicians, council staff and a representative of the British Embassy with responsibility for Wales, together with Deputy Heads of Mission from the Australian and New Zealand Embassies.
The Chief of Staff of the Defense Forces was represented by an Army Officer and the Officer Commanding the Aer Corps was represented by an Aer Corps officer, while the Officer Commanding the Navy also sent a representative. The emergency services were represented by members of the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, An Garda Siochana and St John’s Ambulance, who were active in 1918.
Speaking to Afloat.ie, Cormac Devlin TD said: “It is important we remember the more than 600 people who lost their lives when the RMS Leinster was sunk in 1918. The lives of their families and friends were forever changed when the mailboat went down.
“I hope Dun Laoghaire Rathdown councillors will accept the proposal from the RMS Leinster Memorial Committee to create a permanent memorial to remember everyone who died on the ship.”
A card placed with a wreath in remembrance of the 104th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Leinster | Credit: Cormac Devlin/Twitter
The sinking of the Dún Laoghaire - Holyhead mailboat, RMS Leinster, with the loss of over 600 lives, 104 years ago today, was remembered this morning
— Cormac Devlin TD (@CormacDevlin) October 10, 2022
A minute’s silence was observed to remember the victims of the terrible tragedy in Creeslough
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha pic.twitter.com/IlZZ3rYmHl
This article was updated with a quote from Cormac Devlin TD and further details about the event.
