Titanic Survivor Story: Addergoole Fourteen
It is unlikely that you will have heard of the remote parish of Addergoole, near Ballina in County Mayo, but the small rural community has as much right to Titanic’s story.
It lost eleven inhabitants in the Titanic disaster and a further three were saved. It is believed that the losses suffered by the parish in the Titanic disaster were the largest proportionate loss of life from any locality.
Starting a New Life in America
The Addergoole Fourteen as they have come to be known were all known to each other and some were related. They were all travelling from Queenstown in Ireland to start new lives in America. Many were going to join relatives who had already established their homes in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and St Louis.
Of those who survived,
Annie McGowan, was 17 in 1912. She lived to the age of 95.
Delia McDermott aged 31 was saved in Lifeboat 13 which was lowered at 1.40am. She had to jump some fifteen feet from a rope into the boat. The story goes that before she left the village for Cobh, she was approached by a strange man who told her she would be involved in a disaster but would survive. The final member of the fortunate trio was Annie Kate Kelly. A steward guided her into lifeboat 16. Annie Kate became a nun when she was 29 and died at the age of 77.
The names of all who left the parish are commemorated on a plaque in St Patrick’s Church. There are plans also to install two stained glass windows in the church. Many relatives of those who died still live locally. As such, the village wants to brand itself “Ireland’s Titanic Village” and who could argue with that sentiment?
Addergoole’s society has been in existence since 2002, but has only recently launched a very comprehensive website,
www.mayo-titanic.com.
Every year, at 2.20am on the date of Titanic’s sinking, a bell is tolled in the grounds of St Patrick’s Church, Lahardane for one hour. Slow knells are tolled first on the Timoney Bell, followed by joyous rings for the three women who were saved. Despite the fact that it is held in the middle of the night, this event is well attended year after year.
The Addergoole Titanic Society is now reaching out to Titanic Associations worldwide to assist with fundraising to implement the society’s centenary plans April 2012.
Watch the trailer for the Addergoole 14 documentary
Watch the trailer of "Waking The Titanic", produced by GMarsh TV Productions based in Crossmolina, Ballina Co Mayo.
Waking the Titanic Trailer from GMarsh TV Productions.
Visit www.gmarshtv.ie