In Memory of All

The very first monument to record all the names of victims on one monument is the Titanic Memorial in Belfast, Ireland.  All 1, 512 victims are listed in alphabetical order along a wall in the Memorial Garden. The Memorial Garden surrounds a previous statue built in 1920  (delayed by the outbreak of World War I) to honor the Irish men who perished in the sinking. At the time, it was thought that only 22 people from Northern Ireland had perished in the tragedy, however later it was learned that there were actually 28. The remaining six people are not listed on the original statue.

Northern Ireland was Titanic’s true home. She was built in Belfast by the Harland and Wolff shipyard and was envisioned by naval architect, Thomas Andrews. Andrews is the very first name listed on the statue. Belfast has always laid their claim to the “Unsinkable Ship” and shows their extreme devotion to her – even a century later. On April 15, 2012, the centennial anniversary of her sinking, the Memorial Garden to the RMS Titanic opened to the public in Belfast, Ireland.

Descendants of passengers skim the names listed on the bronze plaques in search of their relatives. Small children are shown the name of a relative as their tiny fingers trace the engraved name. The memorial brings history home. It makes people confront the tragedy that shook the world and keeps it forever at the forefront of their minds. The Memorial Garden is a mixture of the old and the new (with both types of monuments being showcased in the same area). It shows how Northern Ireland once grieved for their own and have now allowed their grief to envelope all the victims.

The Memorial Garden shows how grief of a community can change over time. Remembrance was expressed differently in the 1920 statue and the 2012 statue. Though different forms, they still embody the same grief.