65 Comments

• sjparadiso | Dec 07, 2012, 11:33 PM EST

  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.

• IrelandNorth | Apr 18, 2012, 08:42 AM EDT

  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!"?

• seanomelb | Apr 18, 2012, 12:34 AM EDT

  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for you.BTW I am Irish Born and I do not live in the USA."love of Ireland can only be validated by expressing out of date sentiments" you said.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?

• oldboreen | Apr 17, 2012, 09:21 AM EDT

  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!

• seanomelb | Apr 16, 2012, 06:43 PM EDT

  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.

• ciaradexy | Apr 15, 2012, 01:32 PM EDT

  Falls, exactly. its pathetic.

• FallsRNat | Apr 15, 2012, 11:37 AM EDT

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

• heavey_joseph | Apr 15, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT

  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

• ciaradexy | Apr 15, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT

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

• Curitiba | Apr 15, 2012, 09:29 AM EDT

  I see. Thanks citizen69 and Ciara.

• citizen69 | Apr 15, 2012, 08:14 AM EDT

  @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.

• ciaradexy | Apr 15, 2012, 08:10 AM EDT

  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.

• SingleDonald | Apr 14, 2012, 09:45 PM EDT

  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.

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 03:28 PM EDT

  What bit is untrue about the article, Ciara?

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 03:27 PM EDT

  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.

• ciaradexy | Apr 14, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT

  Allan, the Irish do not play the victims. Show me one Irish person who plays the victim? I have yet to meet one. You obviously dont know any of us. I was asked today by a group of Italian students and a token American student who was with them, why dont the Irish hate the English? They saw the film Michael Collins last week and I took them on a tour of the city today. I told them that why would we? They didnt do anything to us? Many of those who did were dead so why would we hate their ancestors? The majority of Irish people under the age of 50 have English friends so why would we hate them?

• ciaradexy | Apr 14, 2012, 02:13 PM EDT

  Seriously, who writes this sh1t?

• allan07 | Apr 14, 2012, 12:11 PM EDT

  @curitiba the assumption you start of with is silly. Quote "If Ireland was responsible for displacing the natives, the USA would be an Irish-speaking state". Unquote. How silly is that of a statement. The Irish spoke English just like today. In fact within the IrishCentral news it stated that today Irish is the third spoke language behind Polish and way out by a million miles is English. The Irish language is less spoken today in Ireland than Polish. Examine the figures for yourself. No I didnt make them up nor did the British. The Irish who emigrated 200 years ago spoke English. Today they do the same. (Albeit a few speak Irish, a small percentage and most speak pigeon Irish). The Irish always are experts at playing the victims and looking for sympathy. Sad but true. They may blame others (the British) but they took as much per head as anyone else. Tells face it Tullow Oil (an Irish Oil company) is not taking Oil from Ghana in Africa today for the good of the Africian people. Its called capitalism. Even the chinese are doing the same.

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT

  All true, Dan. the point I was trying to make is that the USA was initially settled by the British and their descendents. Of course others had an input into that, but the British culture and people had the largest input into that part of America in those early days.

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT

  You've got some cheek allan. NI is almost entirely funded from Westminster. You say you know about economics, surely you should know that. Of course I'm not denying Ireland got loads from Europe, but you are in denial about the amount of loot NI has had from England. NI couldn't survive without it, so you're in no position to criticise the South. NI is in exactly the same position, but it has a generous benefactor who unquestioningly hands over the money, whereas Ireland has to go begging to Europe. Both British and Irish troublemakers and criminals WERE sentenced to transportation to the 13 colonies, before independence. The British had to look to alternative destinations for their prisoners afterwards, which is why they initially set up Australia as a penal colony.

• allan07 | Apr 14, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT

  @IrelandNorth is that you again. Your state your half a catholic. Rubbish. You also state your a elder in the Presbyternian Church. Dont tell me your a rabbi, a muslim cleric and lay preacher as well. You dont half tell them. Make them believeable at least. Stop quoting the bible and making reference to passages of religious importance. Please dont continue to tell lies. Its one of those 10 commandments.I am sick of your religious C**p.

• allan07 | Apr 14, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT

  @curitiba I dont think it was british forced the irish to leave ireland and go on the titanic. They did it of their accord. I dont think no-one forced them to head for California when the gold rush happened. Didn't they go to gain financially? I think its called greed. The Irish were not prisoners in America. The slave trade was created by taking black people from Africa and these were the slaves. The Irish certainly gained out of stealing the land from the natives of North America. So why are the Irish invading others countries today if its all so wrong to do so. Dont tell me the British are forcing them to do it. Your a right plonker who is bitter and twisted. Read history but dont twist it. The british and the rest of Europe is bailing out the failed state called the Free State. Its time to stand on your own two feet and stop looking for a scape goat. Typical nationalist inacurrate propaganda.

• DanOLoingsigh | Apr 14, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT

  Curitiba – not quite the full story …The 1763 Proclamation Line required that all lands within the "Indian territory" occupied by Englishmen were to be abandoned. By this proclamation the King of England sided with the Indians, against the perceived interests of the settlers. Moreover, it provided, and Parliament soon after executed, British royal posts along the proclamation boundary knowing that the colonists would not respect the boundary without some enforcement mechanism. These were all swept away on independence, which was for only 13 colonies (later states). So most of the displacement was by an independent USA…Oh, and I think the French and Spanish may have had an input…

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 07:32 AM EDT

  Just another instance of how hegemony of one particular group to the detriment of another can be maintained by control of the economy and and state institutions, not because that group is intrinsically superior to the other (although they may come to believe that). Control that is bestowed upon them by their powerful kinsfolk overseas. Just like the Alawites in Syria.

• Curitiba | Apr 14, 2012, 07:23 AM EDT

  Sorry, allan you're wrong as usual. It was the BRITISH who took the land from the Native Americans, not the Irish. Any Irish who emigrated to America or ended up there as prisoners did did so courtesy of the British. If Ireland was responsible for displacing the natives, the the USA would be an Irish language-speaking state. I take it history is not your strong point?

• oldboreen | Apr 14, 2012, 06:06 AM EDT

  That Roman Catholics were not knowingly employed by Harland and Wolff is fact-the rest of the Kerry O'Shea's piece is utter nonsense! Yet another of IC's occasional space fillers for a slow day?

• citizen69 | Apr 14, 2012, 05:50 AM EDT

  The whole NO-POPE thing is complete myth, the Titanic's hull number was not 3909-04. Plus if, as you claim, the shipyard was "entirely protestant" then how could they discriminate against their fellow catholic workers if there were none? No doubt though catholics were discriminated against. During W.W.I. protestant workers went off to fight in Europe and their jobs given to catholics. After the Great War had ended returning soldiers were re-instated in the yard and the catholics removed.

• IrelandNorth | Apr 14, 2012, 05:37 AM EDT

  Just on an historical point of information. The neo-provincial statelet of Northern Ireland (NI) (sic) didn't officially exist in 1912, though undoubtedly was being forged in the characteristically defensive minds of Ulster-Scot Planters, given its aversion of spread of Irish democracy through the Home Rule Bill in the British House of Commons. Presuming the Titanic was insured, a euphemistically titled "Act of God" beloved of insurance companies to minimise liability would have negatived its policy. An iceberg may have sunk her, but no doubt God was seen running away afterwards. I'm surprised Ulster (sic) unionists haven't blamed the IRA for planting a bomb on it. The essential distinction between Irish emigrants and Ulster-Scot planters in a consequently troubled part of Ireland is that the former don't insist on their host countries being a part of Ireland.

• allan07 | Apr 14, 2012, 04:51 AM EDT

  @warrenpoint00 by your logic if the only people that should exist in a country is the so called natives. How is Irish in North America? That land belonged to the Red Indians for 10,000 years. So your argument is dead in the water. The Irish have stolen the land of native Red Indians which the claim you make about the British stealing Ireland assets. Why is there Irish in Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester or London. In fact there more Irish who live outside Ireland than within Ireland. Nationalist propaganda. Why are all the school leaving today to head for Australia. (It belongs to the Aborigines). If Ireland is so great why not live within your own borders? Because its bankrupt and borrowing from Britain to the tune of 8 billion Euros. Take of those green tinted glasses! Get real.

• Collette2 | Apr 14, 2012, 12:17 AM EDT

  I'm open minded to the lengths bigotry can and has lead to. This is not one of them.

• TayandCake | Apr 13, 2012, 08:57 PM EDT

  this catholic/protestant thingy is so utterly boring, GET A LIFE Y'ALL before you die of boredom. I heard the Titanic was sank by ALIENS, Kennedy was shot by a big gay bear and Lord Lucan got a sex change.

• warrenpoint00 | Apr 13, 2012, 08:40 PM EDT

  More anti Nationalist than anti religion I would say by those visitors from Scotland that were placed in Ireland by their british queen/ king in a failed attempt to demoralise the Irish in their own land.british terrorists in Ireland raped and murdered our nation for 900 years. The titanic hit an ice berg and sank and a few hundred people were lost at sea. An act of god yes,not so the failed attempt by the british to sink our island of Ireland. The british queen apologised for this act of savagery in 2010. Her apology has been accepted by the Irish Nation.

• yancykin | Apr 13, 2012, 07:29 PM EDT

  My ancestors I believe were Irish Protestants who immigrated to Canada. At the same time Irish Catholics immigrated also. They left their differences in Ireland to live and work together in peace in Canada. I grew up not knowing the bigotry that existed in my heritage. It is difficult for me to comprehend the bigotry and sectarianism that existed until very recently if not still continuing in Ireland. I am so grateful the Irish who immigrated left that all behind in Ireland. Maybe in a few more generations this bigotry and sectarianism will be enchant history in Ireland.

• IrishAncestor | Apr 13, 2012, 06:20 PM EDT

  IrishAncestor's grandfather was a fitter in Queen's Island (Belfast Shipyard.)One day he took Minnie, his wife (my Grandma) to see a ship being launched. "Joe," sez Minnie, "what will happen if the ship doesn't go down the slip when the bottle breaks on her bows?" Grandpa was aghast at such heresy - "Don't be daft Minnie! That couldn't happen!" Well, the speeches were speeched, the lever was pulled, the bottle swung, hit the bows and broke, - and the ship sat where she was. And sat. And didn't slip.Enter gangs of shipyard workers with sledgehammers, beating at chains and shackles and God knows what else, til finally she slid down the slip and hit the welcoming waters of Belfast Lough! With regard to comments about bigotry and sectarianism in the shipyard - of course there was! All bloody Ireland was consumed by bigotry - all over! Anti Catholic here, anti Protestant there, and it continues today, though thankfully not as bad as previously.But there's still gobshites on both sides itching to kill each other. Settle down lads, you're yesterday's men, the war's over. Granda Joe used to talk of having to lie on the floor of the tram on the way to work at the Island ( shipyard) to avoid the IRA bullets ripping through the tram, trying to kill some of the Protestant workforce. It's also known that when Arch Duke Ferdinand was assassinated, precipitating WW1, Protestant workers in the shipyard attacked their Catholic workmates for the outstanding reason that the assassin was Catholic. Sheer stupidity all round. Enough! Grow up!

• allan07 | Apr 13, 2012, 05:15 PM EDT

  @TayardCake I have replied to your comments on the story about Ireland being the least rude. Hope you read it. Just so you understand Madonna and myself are getting on fine. My father is happy even though there are 20 years in age different. I dont care. Hopefully I can take her to the 12th July celebrations. We are in love. x.

• allan07 | Apr 13, 2012, 04:30 PM EDT

  @Silling well no-one will have to throw a raw egg at the Republic Of Ireland in any case. It is sinking under a huge mountain of Debt. At present the water is up to their ankles by Christmas it be broken in two just like titanic and heading towards the bottom of the Atlantic. At least they willn't be lonely together!

• Silling | Apr 13, 2012, 03:20 PM EDT

  The HW of Harland and Wollf had a distinct similarity to the Free Mason symbol. This, without any anti papal/catholic sentiment would have been sufficient to sink The Titanic. The iceberg was just a bit of devilment by the huge Irish population of Newfoundland at the time. If God won't get you, the puissogs will. It is seldom reported, but a raw egg was thrown at the Titanic by a Catholic as she left belfast. Raw eggs as we Catholic Irish know, are the ultimate curse. Lets throw one at the QE2.

• TayandCake | Apr 13, 2012, 03:15 PM EDT

  The only way to clear this bull up is to built a titanic 2 like the queen mary and let both tribes build it together.

• TayandCake | Apr 13, 2012, 03:09 PM EDT

  ByTheBay, the craziest story I've read about the Titanic was the Germans sank it with a U-Boat hoping to start the war early

• TayandCake | Apr 13, 2012, 03:05 PM EDT

  Never ever drink and sail

• Caoimhin1937 | Apr 13, 2012, 02:39 PM EDT

  Brianin Kent, if you had danced the Siege of Ennis or the Stack of Barley in the City Center or Jauger House Balrooms in the sixties you would not have to worry about an arse today. So you would not worry about Divine Intervention today to get rid of your arse.

• SeanO | Apr 13, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT

  God ia a Catholic...Jesus is a Catholic...The Holy Ghost is a Catholic...And they they were challenged to sink the Titanic, they accepted the challenge..RIP..

• slainte9 | Apr 13, 2012, 01:27 PM EDT

  Sorry God doesn't take sides in sports, politics or war. And if he did he sure picked a gruesome way to teach the Germans and Japanese a lesson. Jesus wept.

• Fionnlagh | Apr 13, 2012, 01:01 PM EDT

  Oh Sheesh! Somebody always brings up discrimination as some boogey man in order to make a political point. I would rather believe divine intervention not because of anti-Catholic hiring but because the Titanic was billed as "The Ship That Even God Couldn't Sink..." and the blasphemous phrase that was scrawled on the bow plates that was seen by a visiting minister who warned Star Lines to remove it simply painted over it. The iceberg struck precisely where the phrase has been painted over as the story goes. I believe the cause was a Captain who wouldn't take caution and reduce his speed in a dangerous area of the ocean, design flaws like to small a rudder, brittle steel plating, lack of lifeboats, and general arrogance. Titanic stand as a testimony not to rely on those that seem to be the smartest and most educated. After all the Biblical Ark was built by an amateur, the Titanic by the experts.

• JimmieM | Apr 13, 2012, 12:37 PM EDT

  As is usual when hinting around the possibility of .... divine intervention .... things are a bit murky and one must as a mater of faith come to each persons conclusion. I my self think it particularly foolish to make public such declarations as...GOD could or could not or would or will not....anything....I for one will let GOD make his own decisions with out presuming to even offer my sage advice.

• allan07 | Apr 13, 2012, 12:31 PM EDT

  @pilib04 what a load of rubbish this story is. Anti-protestant bigotry exists and you dont have to go back more than a few days ever mind a hundred years. What about the graveyards in Monaghan than have been discriminated recently. Head stone smashed by nationalist. Hardly the bravest thing to do. Smashing Headstones of the long dead. I see no story here within Irish Central about that. This site is based on propaganda by Nationalist for nationalist to brain wash everyone. I bet you none of the employees at Irish Central are protestants from Northern Ireland yet this site gets alot of stories related to Northern Ireland. Bigotary and anti-protestant propaganda. Divide inspiration by foot. A rubbish story generated to stir anger and bitterness between both communities in NI.

• pilib04 | Apr 13, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT

  Harland and Wolff's anti-Catholic bigotry is well documented. The use of Belfast shipyards in general and HW in particular for starting off points for anti-Catholic pogroms is historically well documented. As for the rumours regarding anti-Catholic messages on the Titanic, that is a matter of opinion. In any event, the messages have nothing to do with the tragedy.

• Mousemess | Apr 13, 2012, 11:07 AM EDT

  CNOC OIGHIR is cnoc oighir amhain! (Iceberg or litterally hill of ice in Irish language) Iceberg and iceberg only! I bhfocal eile... Scientists have yet to explore this anti-Catholic angle and would be wise to let this sectarian issue disappear into the mists of time. This is the 21st century and it's time to unite people toward the common good of friendship rather than keep them divided with old and useless hatreds.

• pounder | Apr 13, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT

  Lets all become Rastarfarians.

• geordya | Apr 13, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT

  No I wouldnt say that the anti-Catholic sentiment sank the ship everyone knows it was the iceberg and all the other events leading up to it.The facts concerning the treatment expulsion and brutality against Catholics in the Belfast are factual and true.The majority of stories coming out about the titanic and its workforce have airbrushed the Catholic story for the Tourist factor.The ill treatment and discrimination continued throughout the history of the Belfast Shipyard until its closure.Lets not allow the allegations of why it was sunk be a distraction from the treatment of Irish Catholics at the Belfast Shipyard I thank the writer for reveal those facts.

• Towngate | Apr 13, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT

  Every right-thinking person knows full well that God sank 'Titanic' because the builders challenged His supreme power to by declaring in 'unsinkable' without adding -'Please God' - or - 'By the Grace of God'. But God was so upset with them, didn't think the sinking was enough punishment, so he inflicted eternal social and political unrest on them, and for good measure decided to make them speak in that ridiculous tortured accent for all time to come, so he did!!> > > Btw: No.606E viewed UPSIDE DOWN in a mirror(as reflected in the water viewed from above.),does it for me, every time! Meanwhile, RIP all the souls lost then and since by criminal institutionalised bigotry!

• hermitTalker | Apr 13, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT

  READ the story, two HISTORIANS quoted storries that floated around. The artricle does not BLAME the rumoured anecdotes, just quotes them. There is absolutely no excuse for dragging in the pedophile priests. Our neignbouring protestant church had a pedophile lcergyman long before I ever heard of Catholic clergy. A design that was not ready to deal with an iceberg that hit the ship as it tried to turn around was the main cause of the tragic sinking. No need to blame God or bigotry or His punishment- most of those who died were the third class Irish Catholic passengers. Idiots: you spoil every religious-Catholic story on here with your sick biases.

• CitizenWhy | Apr 13, 2012, 10:23 AM EDT

  Oh please. If this is true, then divine intervention would sink all the bishops in Ireland and the pope for their sex crimes.

• MCCOLGAN1492 | Apr 13, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT

  No, it was King Neptune, he was upset at the size of this beast!

• sunspotter5 | Apr 13, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT

  Jasus, stop with anything that can be interpreted to promote catholicism and get back to child abusers and the like. God really does like Noter Dame best...

• cavanpat | Apr 13, 2012, 10:07 AM EDT

  There is an old Irish saying that goes like this: it is sad to see the sons of learning in eternal hell fire burning while those who never read a line in eternal glory shine. Amen.

• Schon | Apr 13, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT

  Your writter, Kerry O'Shea, states that 'the workforce was entirely Protestant' and then later refers to Catholics being employed and having hammers dropped on them. A bit of a contradiction is this not? But then maybe she is referring to Protestants dropping hammers on Protestants as they really are Catholic but not Roman Catholic. And, by golly gosh, this explains why the 'North' was such a failed state. How could it have prospered if God was upset with the Protestants bigotry. Of course, there was no bigotry from the Roman Catholics who bravely sat in the North and took all of this bigotry on the chin while their peodophile priests, with the obvious approval of a God they were devoted to, interferred with their children. But then your right. It was all the Ulster Protestants fault or, if they weren't there then it was the Brits. Cuckie ar la.

• cavanpat | Apr 13, 2012, 10:04 AM EDT

  When I was growing up my Mother used to tell me the story that the reason the Titanic sank is that when the protestants used to beat the rivets into the hall of the Titanic they used to sing: To hell with the Pope. Now all you blasphemous against the Pope today, better watch out or you are going to end up the same way when you meet St. Peter or before so.

• BrianinKent | Apr 13, 2012, 09:47 AM EDT

  What a load of rubbish!Divine intervention my arse!!The truth is the rivets were made from cheap iron instead of steel. Just another divisive myth created by Irish Central..

• JessNiLeacai | Apr 13, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT

  Every other article today that came up was related to the Catholic church. Irish Central needs to move on with the times. Not everyone in Ireland is Catholic nor are they religious. Disgusting bigotry displayed in your articles.

• Sparklet | Apr 13, 2012, 09:38 AM EDT

  And this bigotry sank the ship, how? I don't doubt the bigotry, but can't quite fathom (no pun intended) how it helped doom the ship.

• donaghmckeown | Apr 13, 2012, 09:37 AM EDT

  Why does Irish Central publish such "old news about prejudice" and offer it up as a suggestion as to why a boat sank 100 years ago. It reads like an "our god is greater than your god" triumphalist piece of journalism. Of course prejudice esxisted in such times. The facts are irrefutable. Of course, there may have been anecdotal evidence of practices within the ship yard that were anti popish in their methods. However for a news publication to speculate that such anti catholic behaviour may have caused it's sinking? Come on now. That's merely playing to the gallerys of your anticipated audience! Come on, Irish Central. A lick of paint with whatever sentiment is not what sank the Titanic. Human error, misjudgement, arrogance and an iceberg, maybe.

• Portia777 | Apr 13, 2012, 09:34 AM EDT

  rubbish. Roman Catholics and protestants share the same"god"

• Nearly Normal | Apr 13, 2012, 09:31 AM EDT

  When I was on a tour in 2003, our Belfast guide told a story about an Belfast man and an Englishman having a pint in the same pub. The Englishman started in on the other about how the Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable and it wasn't. The Belfast man looked the Englishman in the eye and said, "Well, it was fine until we turned it over to your kind!"

• Murph46 | Apr 13, 2012, 09:21 AM EDT

  And the record played backwards said SINK! Come on enough of this filler!