IT WAS ONE hundred years ago this weekend that the RMS Titanic sank 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, killing 1,514 people on board in one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history.

A century later, events are taking place to mark the anniversary at Cobh, Belfast, Southampton, and other places associated with the ocean liner. A small number of events will be attended by descendants of people who travelled on the ship but most are aimed at people simply interested in marking the anniversary.

Here’s a round-up of what’s taking place this weekend.

Cobh

The Cork town, which was the final ever port of call for the Titanic, has been running events all year to commemorate the ill-fated ship. On Wednesday, President Michael D Higgins took part in a ceremony to mark exactly one hundred years since the ship arrived in Cork harbour before beginning its final voyage.

The town has ramped up its events this week to coincide with the anniversary; there’s an outdoor concert telling the story of the Titanic’s connection with Ireland, a Titanic Dinner Evening at a restaurant serving a replica of the first class menu during the voyage, a series of lectures organised by University College Cork – and even a Titanic 100 golf classic. The Titanic Experience Cobh, situated in the original offices of The White Star line, is a new permanent visitor attraction in Cobh which tells the story of the people who boarded the ship at Cobh.

(The statue in Cobh to commemorate Irish people who were forced to emigrate. Photo via Titanic 100 Cobh 2012).

Among the events taking place, the Heritage Centre in Cobh has introduced a permanent exhibition of photographs from Fr Browne, who disembarked from the ship in Cobh – but not before he’d taken a series of photos of life on board. The Centre also has an exhibition evoking life on board the luxury ship including artefacts that were rescued from on board.

A full schedule of events can be seen here.

Cruise

Meanwhile, the Titanic Memorial Cruise, currently somewhere  in the middle of the Atlantic, stopped off in Cobh earlier this week to allow passengers to disembark and see the final place the ship ever stopped.

The cruise is retracing the Titanic’s final voyage by following the same route, serving the same food as was on the Titanic, and having bands play music from that era on board the ship. The cruise has 1,309 passengers on board, the same number as was on the Titanic (there were also around 900 staff on board). A service will be held on board today to mark the spot where the ship went down.

Here’s what it was like earlier this week when the Balmoral docked in Cobh: