Council Gifts Davit to Lusitania Museum In Cork

On Monday 4 June 2018 in her last official duty as Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew welcomed representatives from the Lusitania Museum in Cork and family members from the late Kilkeel fisherman Mr Gerry Doyle to formally transfer a davit from the RMS Lusitania, found by Mr Doyle, to the Lusitania Museum in Kinsale, County Cork.

Speaking at the reception Councillor Mulgrew said, “On the 7 May 1915, The RMS Lusitania was on route to Liverpool from New York when it was hit by a torpedo fired by a German U-boat off the coast of Cork.  The Ship sank in eighteen minutes killing 1200 people on board. It has been stated that the attack was one factor that contributed to the United States of America’s entry into World War One. In 1965, local Kilkeel fisherman Mr Gerry Doyle, and his crew pulled a lifeboat davit from the ill-fated RMS Lusitania onto his boat ‘Croidte an Dúin’ while fishing off the coast of Kinsale. Unable to unload the davit in Cork, Mr Doyle, returned home to Kilkeel with the object. Subsequently he loaned the davit to Newry and Mourne District Council who placed it on display at Annalong Marine Park. The davit was a feature in Annalong for over thirty years.

Cllr Mulgrew continued, “Following a request from Mr Doyle, Newry Mourne and Down District Council agreed to gift this historical artefact to the Lusitania Museum in Kinsale, County Cork and I am delighted to officially transfer the davit to Museum. The davit has been a feature at Annalong Harbour for over 30 years and today, it begins its journey to Cork where it will be displayed.”