Did anti-Catholic sentiment of Titanic workforce help doom the unsinkable ship?

Earlier this week I interviewed at 94 year old man from Detroit, whose parents were Irish immigrants in the early 1900's. He told me his mother and father traveled to Belfast to get a look at a new ship that was being built, in hopes of taking it to America when completed. Being Catholic, they were appalled when they witnessed anti-Catholic slogans painted on the orange steel beams. So they decided to not take that ship - the Titanic - and wait for another to be built.

allan07! I've no idea what you're on about in your Apr 14 post? Incidentally, can you confirm or deny the rumour that young Billy Boys learning the Lambeg drum for the Glorious 12th used to be told: "Remember lads! Every time you beat the Lambeg drum, you're beating a Catholic. So go out there lads, and put your backs into it!"?

Oldboreen's sensibilities are upset.To make a negative British comment is not been anti-British,historical facts are just that, "facts" and as Jack said "you can't handle the truth" Oldboreen.The trouble with you west Brit types is you wish to forget or proactively re-write history to make life more comfortable for you.BTW I am Irish Born and I do not live in the USA."love of Ireland can only be validated by expressing out of date sentiments" you said. I suppose the British love affair with the Falklands war or WW1 falls into that category and if not why not?

All this anti-British vitriol on this site, is entirely negative and frankly boring!!Listen up Irish Americans, being merely anti-British, does NOT convince me that you're pro-Irish!! It's almost as though your 'love' for Ireland can only be validated by expressing such out-dated sentiments. Two million Irish, of which I am one,live and work in the UK and are happy to do so.The overwhelming majority of us are proudly Irish,but it doesn't follow that we are anti-British!! For heaven's sake get real-this is 2012 not 1916!

The nationalists in the north were the "blacks of Europe" and treated accordingly in housing and employment.The hate filled orange bigots and their bigoted police turned their backs on nationalists murdered at H&W.One must remember that the anti Irish employment system at H&W existed up to its closure(due to the excessive demands of its bigoted labour force) An act of God said Lloyds(Titanic seeking)). If I believed in God I could comment on their conclusion.I would like to see the usual suspects condemn the bigoted H&W for their treatment meted out to the nationalists ,but they prefer to change the subject matter and discuss irrelevancies.No tears here for the demise of H&W.

Falls, exactly. its pathetic.

desperately scraping the anti british barrel, there's no conspiracy here, just poor mistakes made, insufficient number of lifeboats

My cousin Mary Kelly survived the sinking of Titanic. I had heard the story when I was a wee lad from my grand father. I did not know about her taking charge of French Orphans handed to her and how she escaped through ventilation ducts. I urge you folks to read about her , just type in faces of the titanic and scroll to u find her.It was printed by this paper, and it gave me alot of additional info that I was unaware of. Thankyou,Joe Heavey NYC

The Irish Vs British crap spouted on this website by Americans is something vile and chronic. Enough!

I see. Thanks citizen69 and Ciara.

@Curtiba: What is untrue about the article? It claims the shipyard was "entirely protestant" and "never knowingly hire catholics". Actually at the time of the Titanic 8% of the workforce were catholic. The article claims the ships number was 3909-04, which read NO POPE in a mirror. That is untrue, the no. 3909-04 was not assigned to the Titanic in any way, it's number was 401. There were other myths that workers spelled out UVF in rivets on the hull... As if riveters could just put rivets where they liked! Claims that every rivet was struck with an accompanying "f.. the pope" epithet and slogans such as "No Pope" were painted 10 foot high on the ship are no more than hearsay & legend with no actual proof. None of these claims were attributed to the Titanic's sister ship the Olympic, which was just as big, just as famous at the time and was built at the very same time alongside Titanic.

Curitiba, the headline. What a load of cr@p. It doesnt even merit discussion. Its 'Irish' Americans who play the victim over and over again with their 'everyone hates catholics' conspiracy theories, not the Irish.

I'm watching the 3-hour movie, "Titanic", an ABC, on this, the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking. The 2nd segment, on now, covers the anti Catholic bias which existed in Belfast. Also, such blatent class prejudice is displayed, on the ship. For those who are interested, this TV movie stars Loius Roache & Geraldine Somerville. I'm sure it will air again.

What bit is untrue about the article, Ciara?

Allan, stay on message. Address the points raised rather than giving silly strawman arguments. It's hard to argue with you if you don't agree with or refute the points made, rather than ignoring them and arguing against something that nobody said.