In 1915 alone, The Avondhu circulation area was home to numerous ticket agents for sailings to New York.

They included Mrs A Hackett, Clogheen; J Baylor, Fermoy; Jas Ahern; JLF Fairbrother, Mitchelstown; J Donaldson, Kilworth; J O’Mahony Cahir; MJ O’Donnell, Kildorrery; W Gallagher, Doneraile; William Carey, Tallow; Mrs K Begley, Cappoquin; Michael O’Brien, Ballyporeen and RF Ryan, Fermoy.

Passengers could choose from a variety of ships including: Franconia, Orduna, Transylvania or Lusitania.

Now The Titanic Experience in Cobh has now launched a local and global search to find relatives, descendants and family friends of emigrants who boarded the Titanic or any White Star Liner from Cobh (or Queenstown as it was then known) bound for America in the 1900s, in their effort to collect stories from the era.

The Titanic Experience, which is located at the old White Star Line building in Cobh, already features many stories of the 123 passengers who boarded The Titanic at this final port of call in 1912.

They are now hoping to expand on their story database and are searching for information, anecdotes and recollections from readers of The Avondhu with connections to emigrants who departed Cobh to America on Titanic or any other White Star Liner, as from 1848 to 1950 over six million adults and children experienced emigration from Queenstown.

Speaking to The Avondhu Catherine Murphy from The Titanic Experience said over 2.5 million Irish departed from Cobh, making it the single most important port of emigration and over one million people took their final steps in Ireland on Heartbreak Pier at the back of the White Star Line building.

“With all the ticket agents that were in your newspapers circulation area which stretches across 4 counties, there are bound to be loads of stories out there. Perhaps people even have old letters and photographs stored away in a drawer or attic which would reveal previously unknown information on emigrants.

"We are also asking for relatives of passengers who have visited the centre in the past and shared their stories to get back in touch so they can be officially recorded. These include relatives of Titanic passengers Margaret Rice, Mary Canavan, Nora Fleming, Patrick Colbert or any other Queenstown passengers. It is hoped that by recording and compiling these unique insights a more vivid picture can be painted of what life was like in a time of mass emigration."

To submit a personal story and be a part of this project, email stories@titanicexperiencecobh.ie or write to The Titanic Experience Cobh, White Star Line Building, Casement Square, Cobh, before the end of July.

Once compiled these stories of emigration will be the focus of a free ‘Titanic Connections Exhibition’ which will take place on Monday, 3rd August, 2015.

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