I am clearly very interested in all things Titanic and when I learnt, earlier this year, that the plans of Australian businessman, Clive Palmer, to build Titanic II really were serious, I had to find out more.
With so much historical interest and deep human emotion attached to Titanic, it is inevitable that any proposal to build a Titanic II would always court more than its fair share of controversy. Two distinct camps seem to be forming already: those who are very excited by the prospect of not only seeing Titanic re-built, but sailing on the maiden voyage in 2016 which will follow the same route as Titanic did in April, 1912, and those who think this is an insensitive, ill-judged scheme. But as you look into this further, and as time moves on, it seems quite clear that Titanic II is far more than a pipe-dream of a businessman with money to burn. This is actually happening; like it or not.
Having recently made contact with Helen Benziger, the great-granddaughter of Margaret ‘The Unsinkable Molly’ Brown, it is fascinating to get the reaction to the project from someone so close to the Titanic. Ms Benziger, is looking forward to completing her great-grandmother’s voyage on Titanic II.
I have a feature in today’s Irish Examiner which provides more background and comment to this compelling topic. As you read this, it is certainly worth remembering that this day, 101 years ago, the Carpathia had only just arrived in New York with the Titanic survivors.
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