Cobh

Our work took us near an interesting place this past week. It was just too tempting - so we took a little detour to the small island of Cobh (pronounced - cove). Cobh is one of those little places in Ireland that is not well known (Well - was not to me at least) but is full of history. Cobh is a beautiful port town where 2.5 million Irish immigrants last stepped off of Irish soil and on to a ship bound for a new land. According to my mother's family (verbal) tradition- This was the site where my ancestors left their homeland and made their way to America. Cobh was also the last port of call for the Titanic on her fateful maiden voyage. If you wander around the old cemetery you can see many graves of those that died on the Lusitania. The rescue ships came back to Cobh with the victims and survivors of that famous cruise ship that was sunk by a German submarine (an act that brought the USA into World War I). I enjoyed our little detour here. It was amazing to close my eyes and listen to the sounds of the ocean... trying to imagine the fears and anxiety that so many people must have felt in this place. History tells us that most people spent their last night in Ireland having a wake (just as they would do when a family member would die). They anxiously stayed awake mourning the loss of their homes and protecting the few belongings that they had with them.

The statue of Annie Moore and her two brothers. Annie was the first immigrant to ever be processed on Ellis Island when it officially opened on 1st January 1892. An identical statue can be found on Ellis Island.