We are off this morning, bright and early to visit the Titanic Museum and then to drive to Enniskillen and then to the Kilronan Castle where we will be staying for the next two nights. To start off we are driving through Belfast early in the morning (9am) and as there is no traffic, Adrian and Vinnie show us the other side of the river, so to say, or the docks area, before we can arrive at the Titanic exhibit.
Double decker busses everywhere hereSalmon of Knowledge aka “Big Fish”View of river areaThe only ice arena in Northern IrelandThis area was reclaimed for green spaceNot airplane hangers – dry docks!Boat cranes against a rising sunAmazon parking lot/buildingLooking back into Dublin downtown
Soon enough we pulled up to the Titanic museum and what a beautiful building it is! Just standing in front of it makes you think of the bow of a ship – no matter which side you are looking at! Also, behind the museum are still the pilings in place where the ship was launched! Lets launch into this morning at the museum! It started with an overview of Belfast, what was going on, the building of the Titanic and why people left.
Museum from the backMuseum from the frontThe area the Titanic was launchedTitanic hotelMore of original Titanic HotelPurple window boxes!Flax Mills to make linen Belfast area known as Linenopolis in 1700’sGirl at linen millDifferent types/colours of linenSome of the images of early Belfast – 1907 Boomtown99% of Irish Linen exported through Belfast in 1870Many different industries – Textile, Rope Winding, Tobacco, Whiskey and Soft drinks!Picture of downtown BelfastPeople started traveling by shipAlso Emigrating to the New WorldPlaces people were moving toPassenger ships make world smallerThus the dream of the TitanicEnter a known ship builder!The name for the H&W vesselsTime clock for H&W WorkersFirst, the Victoria Channel into Belfast had to be dredged and improved for large ships to be built and launchedPay logs – 200 to 400 per annum!Enginners – how they built the TitanicIndoor Gantry exampleLets get building!The first step 31 Mar 1909 – build the keelBlocks were put down for the keelFrames were 60 feet tall and 1 ton eachOver 3 million rivets were put on TitanicMore rivets for iron and steel plates15 watertight bulkheads across the ship, or 16 watertight compartmentsMade of 6 pieces, bolted and covered in cement – 75 ft high, 15 ft max wideIt took 2 engines to propel the rudderLaunch Day!Port side – as launched without funnelsStarboard side – work completed1st class cabin – ‘Old Dutch’ style1st class cabin – ‘Old Dutch’ styleThe route: Leaving Belfast – Shipbuilding Centre of the worldNew port for Titanic and sister ship OlympicFrench port – competing with Le HavreIrelands most important passenger and mail port before the warsDestination: Ellis IslandA surviving crew member letterAwesome display of what it was like on ocean on the shipThe next eight slides were in a hall with these voices…These 3 slides were 2 floors high of survivors and those who were lostPeople wanted to look for the TitanicOne being Robert BallardQuote from Robert BallardOn last search day – Quote from BallardThen the realization….
Now that Robert Ballard had discovered the Titanic, these are some of the things that were recovered and are displayed in this museum –
Architectural design of the TitanicDeck chairLooking through a glass floor (uck!) at a “sea bed” photo of the wreck – 3 picsMore objects – ticket, studio photo and pocket watchSheepskin coat, walking stick and silver flaskWallace Hartley’s violin, mourning card and letter to Wallace HartleyPlaque for Wallace Hartley’s passingOriginal photos of Titanic launchLoving Cup presented to Captain Rostron for rescuing Titanic passengersWall of treasures found
After touring the museum and having a snack to eat in the cafe, Andrew and I went outside to view the other side of the docks from where the Titanic was launched and we found two more ships and a beautiful stained glass display.
SS Nomadic – last remaining White Star Line VesselNo idea what this hull is from but it was OLD!Stained glass display – one of 3 (did not get to other 2)The men watching the peopleSame men, different view!
Now, we drove to our next hotel, which is Kilronan Castle in County Roscommon. As this hotel/castle is out in the middle of nowhere, we did make a lunch stop in Enniskillen so people could pick up groceries or whatever they needed for the next 2 nights at this hotel. Of course, I picked up some Coke Zero and Andrew and I got some food for lunch on the go!
The church in EnniskillenThe left side of the castle from our bedroom windowThe right side of the castle from our bedroom window – more pics to comeOur VERY HIGH bed – needed a pole vault!An excellent group dinner!Pumpkin soup starter – yum!
We were early to bed tonight – I had my trusty heating bottle in bed with me as my back was starting to get sore again after some bumpy (more like wavy) roads on the way to the castle today. Tomorrow is a side trip to visit some areas nearby! Here is the route we took from Belfast to the Kilronan Castle in Roscommon, with a stop for groceries in Enniskillen.
