One of the biggest collections of Titanic memorabilia outside of the United States went on display in Belfast yesterday as the city prepares to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the ocean liner's maiden voyage.
The collection, unveiled at Robinson's Saloon on Great Victoria Street, includes several artifacts never before shown in public, including a rare menu card dated April 2nd, 1912, the day the Titanic left Belfast.
Other items, collected by the pub chain Wine Inns over the past two decades, range from letters and postcards to the brass nameplate of lifeboat No 12 and "Philomena", a doll recovered from the wreck site.
The exhibition, whose opening coincided with the 95th anniversary of the laying of Titanic's keel, comes ahead of a week of events to commemorate the building of the Titanic and the tragedy that befell her.
Sponsored by Belfast City Council, "Titanic - Made in Belfast" will begin on April 10th when the "Titanic At Home" exhibition will reopen for the third year running at City Hall.
A spokesman for the council said discussions were taking place with a view to creating a permanent museum in the old drawing offices of Harland and Wolff next to the original slipway.
A number of artefacts secured on loan from museums in the US, including the lifejacket worn by Madeline Astor, whose millionaire husband went down with the ship, as well as other personal items carried by survivors, will be displayed at this year's exhibition.
In addition, the Titanic album compiled by photographer Father Frank Browne, who as a student travelled on the vessel from Southampton to Cobh, will be exhibited in its entirety for the first time in Ireland.
A further exhibition, compiled by school children from four places directly associated with the ship - Belfast, Southampton, Cobh and Halifax - will also go on display at City Hall.
