All aboard for Titanic documentary

PASSING motorists would have had to let their imaginations loose if they were to make the connection between what was happening at the West Clare Railway Station in Moyasta and the sinking of the Titanic 99 years ago.
In recent weeks, Mayo-based Gmarsh Productions have been shooting some parts of a documentary in Moyasta, on the sinking of the Titanic.
Jackie Whelan, who has been the driving force behind re-establishing the West Clare Railway, says the publicity will help in marketing the attraction nationwide.
“First of all we’ll get a lot of publicity out of it that you couldn’t buy. We’ll feature in the credits as well as the crew paying their way, back here,” he stated.
Jackie feels the Slieve Callan steam engine is a huge attraction for film-makers and visitors.
“That’s the only steam train of its kind in the world in operation now. There’s nothing else like that in Ireland or any other part of the world. TG4 also made a documentary here before about the Black and Tans and there was another one done about the runaway train coming over the hill,” he explained, adding that another production is due to be shot in Moyasta next summer.
Produced by Gillian Marsh and directed by Frank Delaney, Waking the Titanic is a one-hour documentary for TG4 that concentrates on the effect the tragedy had on the village of Lahardane in North Mayo.
On Thursday, April 11, 1912, one hundred and thirteen steerage passengers (third class) boarded Titanic in Cobh. Fourteen of those were from the Addergoole parish (Lahardane). Eleven of the fourteen died when the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage, east of Newfoundland, having struck an iceberg.
The community lost a greater percentage of their population than any other community, relative to its size. These passengers are known in North Mayo as the Addergoole Fourteen.
The docu-drama follows the community as they remember their loss through a ceremony on the main street of the village. It will feature interviews with relatives of the Lahardane passengers and dramatic re-enactments of life in the village for those who went and for those left behind.