Construction on the Lusitania started on the 16 th of June It was launched on 7 th June It had a capacity of 552 first class, 460 second class, 1,186 third class. 2,198 total. Also 850 crew. It had 2,325 life jackets and 35 life buoys.

100 years ago the R.M.S Lusitania sank off the coast of West Cork. It left pier 54 in Hudson Bay, New York on the 1 st of May. At exactly 2.10 pm on the 7 th of May the Lusitania was torpedoed. There was one explosion that did little damage, but then a second explosion that was believed to be cause by the ammunition the Lusitania was believed to be carrying. Several towns heard a loud bang that was the second explosion. Because of this, within 18 minutes the ship had sank. She was travelling from New York to Liverpool. There were 1,962 were on board and only 764 survived.

The R.M.S. Lusitania was sank on the 7 th of May 1915 at 2.10 pm. It took 18 minutes to go under. It was torpedoed by German U – boat U-20, that was commanded by Walther Schwieger.

The Lusitania was sank because Walther Swieger, commander of the German U – boat U-20, ordered it to be torpedoed because it was believed to be carrying arms. The Lusitania was sank off the Old Head of Kinsale, West Cork. It’s destination was Liverpool, But little did they know their final destination would actually be 300 feet below sea level.

Exactly 1,198 people were fatefully killed. 94 were children, only 259 body’s were recovered and only 764 people survived.

It’s now the centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania. Around Ireland people are commemorating it. On the 7 th of May all the schools on the West Cork coastline are letting off balloons with the names of the casualties. On the 3 rd of May 2015 the Courtmacsherry Rowing Club and the R.N.L.I. re-enacted the 12 mile row from Courtmacsherry to the site of the sinking.