Athenry News & Views Spring 2026

Athenry News & Views

Luxury and Technology on Board Titanic’s design was intended to represent comfort and opulence: A telephone system, a lending library, and large barber facilities First-class amenities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, squash court, Turkish bath, electric bath, and the Veranda Café Rich interiors with ornate wood panelling, expensive furnishings, and decorative details in first class More practical—but still impressive—third-class spaces, with pine panelling and teak furniture Technological features such as electric lifts (three in first class and one in second), ship-wide electric lighting, and Marconi wireless sets operated by two radio staff working shifts First-class passengers paid heavily for these comforts. The most expensive one-way transatlantic passage was £870. One of the most celebrated features was the Grand Staircase, crowned by wrought ironwork and a glass dome, with polished oak panelling and gilt balustrades. Even the clock on the landing required careful fitting and expert attention. Passengers: First Class First class included aristocracy, social figures, and wealthy families—names such as the Countess of Rothes, Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon, the Astors, Guggenheim, and others. Fares varied depending on accommodation, from roughly £60 to £260 for many suites, with the most luxurious options costing far more. Second Class Second class was often made up of people who had achieved comfort through work: teachers, clerks, tradespeople, and skilled workers. Fares generally ranged from about £13 to £79. Third Class Third class was largely made up of families emigrating to the United States from Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, England, and elsewhere. Many had sold possessions to afford passage, hoping to join relatives already settled in cities such as Philadelphia or Chicago. A typical ticket cost around £7, while family tickets could range from £25 to £40. Nora Healy, from Greethill, Athenry, was 29 years old at the time and paid £7.15 for her third-class ticket to New York. After surviving and being treated in hospital in New York, she returned to Ireland. Her experience left her deeply traumatised, and she later died in the mental institution in Ballinasloe on 11 March 1919. Maiden Voyage: Early Incidents and Famous As Titanic pulled away from Southampton, her wake caused the nearby liner SS New York to break from its moorings and drift dangerously close—an incident

that delayed departure by about half an hour. Among the prominent passengers in first class were John Jacob Astor IV and his wife, Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor and Ida Straus, Margaret “Molly” Brown, and many other well-known figures of the era. White Star’s managing director J. Bruce Ismay was also aboard, as was the ship’s designer Thomas Andrews, travelling to observe the ship’s performance. The Ice Warnings and Collision On the night of Sunday, 14 April 1912, conditions were calm, clear, and cold. The sea was exceptionally flat, and the moon was not visible. Ice warnings had been received in the days before, and a slightly more southerly course had been plotted. At 11:40 pm, lookouts spotted an iceberg directly ahead. The alarm was raised and a rapid turn was ordered, but the ship struck the iceberg about 37 seconds later. The iceberg scraped along the starboard side, damaging the hull over a long section and opening multiple compartments to the sea. Titanic was designed to remain afloat with up to four compartments flooded; this collision breached more than that. Watertight doors were closed immediately, but flooding progressed quickly. Thomas Andrews’ inspection made the reality clear: Titanic would sink. Lifeboats and Distress Calls Lifeboats were ordered to be readied, and distress signals were transmitted. Titanic carried 20 lifeboats with capacity for 1,178 people—not enough for everyone on board. At the time, regulations based lifeboat requirements on tonnage rather than passenger numbers. Many passengers were reluctant to leave what appeared to be a stable ship. Numerous third-class passengers also struggled to reach the boat deck due to unfamiliar layouts and barriers. As a result, several lifeboats were launched partially empty in the early stages. Wireless operators transmitted distress calls including CQD and the newer SOS signal. Ships received the messages, but most were too far away to arrive in time. The nearest ship to respond effectively was Carpathia, about 58 miles away. Final Minutes and Rescue By 2:10 am, the stern rose visibly out of the water. The ship’s lights finally failed, and Titanic broke apart before the stern section sank shortly after 2:20 am. Only a small number of lifeboats returned to pick up people from the water, partly due to fear of being swamped. Many more perished in the freezing Atlantic. Carpathia arrived around 4:10 am and began rescuing survivors. By 8:30 am, the last lifeboat was recovered, and Carpathia left the area bound for New York.

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