Latest news with #RMSLusitania
Irish Examiner
25-06-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Award-winning museum brings the Lusitania story to life
The recent publication of 'The Story So Far: 10 Years of the Lusitania Museum and Old Head Signal Tower' celebrates a decade since the Old Head Signal Tower restoration has become an award-winning visitor attraction. Featuring photography and contributions from those involved, the book captures the journey so far, as well as looking confidently to the future. A decade on from the opening of this major tourist attraction built on the innovation and determination of the local voluntary community group, it also coincides with the 110th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Lusitania. The site represents the closest point of land to the final resting place of the iconic vessel, which was torpedoed by a German U-boat on May 7th 1915, with the loss of 1,201 lives. A stone in the Memorial Garden at the Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork remembers those 1,198 people who perished on that day. Picture: David Creedon It was steaming from New York to Liverpool when the torpedo struck at 2 pm on that fateful day in May. There were 90 Irish men, women and children among the dead, including art collector Sir Hugh Lane, James McDermott, the ship's surgeon, and his assistant, Dr Joseph Garry, and the composer Thomas O'Brien Butler. Also on board was one of the richest men in North America at the time, Alfred Vanderbilt. The sinking was universally viewed as a heinous crime against non-combatants and was cited by many as a justification for America's subsequent joining of the military alliance against Germany in 1917. Opened in 2015, complete with Ireland's only restored Napoleonic signal tower, the museum tells the tragic tale of RMS Lusitania. Gregg Bemis, the American financier who acquired joint ownership of the sunken vessel in the 1960s, eventually bought it outright for one dollar. Having fought several legal battles to verify his ownership, Bemis, a former US Army Marine was fought in the Korean War, was determined to discover the cause of a second internal explosion on the ship which occurred just after the German torpedo hit and which is believed to have accelerated its sinking in just 18 minutes with such a devastating loss of life. In June 2004, Bemis made an unofficial visit to the wreck for a record-setting 287-foot dive. Aged 76, he trained for 18 months to prepare for his death-defying dive, having carefully researched the swiftly changing currents, the lack of visibility, the cold temperatures and the mixture of nitrogen, helium, and oxygen needed at that depth. 'Dammit, it's my boat, and I am going to go down and give it a big kiss,' he declared. 'It's beautiful down there. You're weightless, like the astronauts, so you move around in an environment that's very mystical and spooky. The only noise is the sound of your breathing. There was virtually no light, but the stuff down there is beautiful. Nearly everything there should be brought up and preserved. It was just beautiful, beautiful.' Bemis eventually signed over ownership of the wreck to the Old Head of Kinsale Lusitania Museum at a ceremony in 2019, saying: 'I've come to realise that, at almost 91 years old there is only so much more I can do to further this project and I think because of the Lusitania's part in history, it must be done properly and we get all the artefacts we can from the wreck to put in the museum planned for here.' He died in 2020. The Lusitania Memorial Garden tells the story of the ship's fatal journey, depicted in a 20-metre wave sculpture, including the names of every person on board — a permanent reminder of the catastrophic consequences of war on civilian lives. Keeping surviviors stories alive for future generations Manager Shannon Forde says the development of the museum is a great example of how a community can come together to preserve its heritage and share it with visitors from around the world. Shannon Forde, manager and resident historian in the memorial garden at the Lusitania Museum at the Signal Tower at The Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins 'There were 1,201 souls lost that day when the Lusitania was sunk — ordinary people going about their business who suddenly found themselves involved in this historically important event. There are a lot of stories to tell, whether it's the descendants of passengers or crew, or the stories from locals who helped with the rescue efforts, there is always more to be discovered.' The museum is a popular place for school tours, and children are fascinated by the Lusitania story. After a recent re-enactment event by the Lord Edward's Own Reenactment Group, where participants dressed up as the red coats, the children were full of excitement and questions. 'Some of them knew everything about Napoleon and knew chapter and verse about that time in history. It's amazing how they retain information and will give you a new perspective with their questions.' Amongst the ever-growing numbers of visitors coming to the site, some have deeply emotional connections. 'A gentleman told us he was the grandson of a lady who had survived the sinking. It was his first time visiting and meeting other relatives.' Lusitania Museum & Old Head Signal Tower, Kinsale, Co Cork. Shannon explains that some of the Lusitania survivors had their names changed, making it hard to trace them: 'But every time you get to meet someone new and show them what we have here in honour of their family member, it is worth all the effort.' Such is the scope of history contained within the ancient structure, new stories are constantly coming to light through descendants of the tragedy, making the journey to where that fateful event happened. 'There is the history attached to the signal tower and the ship, and there's political relevance, wartime significance, and the human stories. It is so important to do justice to all of it.' Saved by thr twitch finger A visit by the granddaughter of a Lusitania survivor in 2022 unearthed a story as extraordinary as it was thrilling. Jackie McDougall Weiner travelled from her home in Oregon to visit the Lusitania Memorial Garden. On board the Lusitania on its fateful final voyage was Jackie's grandmother, Alice Middleton McDougall, who was dragged down with the suction of the sinking vessel after the German torpedo struck. Her body was eventually retrieved by rescue crews who, believing she was dead, took her body to the morgue in Cobh. In an amazing stroke of good fortune, a sharp-eyed doctor saw a slight finger twitch from the lifeless body, and immediately took emergency medical steps to save her life. Jackie made the decision to donate the money belt worn by her grandmother to the Lusitania Museum. 'Coming to Old Head at Kinsale for the 107th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania and telling of my childhood memories listening to my grandma tell me her experience firsthand of that fateful day was a gift,' she said. 'Not only have I always been grateful because I would never have been born had she not survived, but I took that gift seriously and have tried to live a life that has made a difference to others.' As a child she learned about her grandmother being sucked down an open porthole and eventually returning to the surface, only to witness the screams of humanity all around her. 'She clung to a woman floating next to her as she was giving birth, and she described the dead children as looking like drowned dolls.' Captain of the Lusitania William Thomas Turner. Putting her fingers in her ears, trying to stop what she was hearing, she quickly went into a semi-coma and lost consciousness, only to reawaken under the hands of that quick-thinking doctor in Cobh. 'Facts of the tragedy are just that, facts. What has mattered to me is not whether there were munitions on the ship that exploded or whether it was coal dust that caused the second explosion, or any other theory. It has always been about humanity. Whether those souls perished or survived, each one experienced a terror that can only be imagined.' The prophetic words written by the remarkable lady whose life was saved by her twitching finger, Alice Middleton McDougal, linger long in the mind: 'So this is war dear people, Keep from it if you can, For with it we gain nothing, Tis just the greed of man.' For more information, visit
Japan Today
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Natalie Portman and John Krasinski embark on a globe-trotting adventure in ‘Fountain of Youth'
By LINDSEY BAHR The spirit of Indiana Jones is baked into the essence of the new movie 'Fountain of Youth.' This lighthearted, globe-trotting heist from Guy Ritchie, debuting on Apple TV+ on Friday, stars Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as estranged siblings attempting to piece together historical facts in hopes of finding the mythical spring. The quest takes them to far-flung places from Vienna to the pyramids, as they try to evade capture by the authorities and a shadowy operation intent on stopping the search. 'I've been looking to watch this movie for years,' Krasinski said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'This is the movie I pretended to be in when I was a kid. This is what got me into the business.' The film also stars Domnhall Gleeson as the wealthy businessman funding the operation and Eiza González as one of the protectors of the Fountain of Youth. ' Guy Ritchie gets to work with some of the best cast in the world,' said González, who has now worked with him three times. 'The biggest gift Guy has given me, besides the privilege of working with him, is working with them.' Gleeson, a newcomer to the world of Ritchie, was pretty sure that it was going to be as enjoyable as it looked. And he got a vote of confidence from his director. 'Guy basically said, if you're not having fun, then this is not going to work and so the idea is to turn up and have fun,' Gleeson said. There were a lot of things about 'Fountain of Youth' that piqued Portman's interest. The chance to work with Ritchie, Krasinski, and the rest of the cast, as well as the travel, but it also felt like something she could share with her own son and daughter. 'It's so rare to get to make a movie that has this scale and this scope of adventure that you can watch with your kids,' Portman said. 'I'm always looking for something that I can enjoy with my children.' Her character, Charlotte, is an art historian who had an adventuresome childhood with her explorer father and brother Luke (Krasinski) but has since settled for a more stable life. We meet her amid a contentious divorce and custody battle over her 12-year-old son, and she's not exactly pleased when Luke steals a piece of art from her gallery and attempts to recruit her for the bigger mission. But soon, she's in scuba gear hunting down a lost Rembrandt in the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania. 'I think that something we search for as adults is how to regain that youthful spirit, how to hold onto that youthful energy and freedom and wildness, even when having to move into some adult responsibilities,' said Portman, who, like her character is recently divorced. 'Maybe that can make you a better parent to have a little bit of that glint in your eye.' She and Krasinski, working together for the first time, fell into the sibling dynamics easily. 'These movies sort of live and die with the relationships,' Krasinski said. 'The sibling thing really only works if you're having genuine fun with the person and it can come off screen. And I laughed with her every single day. She's so funny.' Globe-trotting films aren't just travelogues for the audience, but their own sort of adventure for the cast and crew. This production earned their miles, skipping between the streets of Bangkok and Liverpool, the Austrian National Library in Vienna and Cairo to film at the great pyramids — where 'Fountain of Youth' became the first film of this scale to be granted the privilege to shoot action sequences there. 'It was really a pinch me kind of moment to be like, oh, those are the pyramids and we're just hanging out here and walking into them and filming in them,' Portman said. The big first was landing a Boeing Chinook CH47 helicopter in front of the Giza Plateau, and blowing up a jeep, all while the site remained open to tourists. 'With any luck, we didn't blow it for Hollywood going back there for somebody else,' Krasinski said. 'But if we did, at least we got to do it.' Most of the big action moments 'inside' the pyramids were saved for the safety of sets constructed at London's Leavesden Studio, where they also built the wreckage of the Lusitania in a water tank so big that it took two weeks to fill. 'Fountain of Youth' might seem like the type of movie that would be a natural fit for the big screen: A big budget, global adventure with major stars and sweeping vistas. While Krasinski champions movie theaters — at the time of the interview, he had a ticket to see 'Sinners' on IMAX the next day — he's also not feeling bittersweet that this one won't be playing at the multiplex. They all came into 'Fountain of Youth' knowing that it was a streaming-first endeavor. 'This was always going to be a streaming movie, so I didn't really think about it in terms of ... Would people want to see it in theaters because it was just one of those things,' Krasinski said. 'And I think that's the new reality. There are definitely movies that are being made for streaming, and there are movies being made for theatrical.' He added: 'It all depends on what the filmmaker's intent was, what the studio's intent and I think as long as those rules are laid out clearly in the beginning, I'm down for either one.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Nahar Net
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Nahar Net
Portman and Krasinski embark on globe-trotting adventure in 'Fountain of Youth'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 22 May 2025, 14:53 The spirit of Indiana Jones is baked into the essence of the new movie "Fountain of Youth." This lighthearted, globe-trotting heist from Guy Ritchie, debuting on Apple TV+ on Friday, stars Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as estranged siblings attempting to piece together historical facts in hopes of finding the mythical spring. The quest takes them to far-flung places from Vienna to the pyramids, as they try to evade capture by the authorities and a shadowy operation intent on stopping the search. "I've been looking to watch this movie for years," Krasinski said in an interview with The Associated Press. "This is the movie I pretended to be in when I was a kid. This is what got me into the business." The film also stars Domnhall Gleeson as the wealthy businessman funding the operation and Eiza González as one of the protectors of the Fountain of Youth. " Guy Ritchie gets to work with some of the best cast in the world," said González, who has now worked with him three times. "The biggest gift Guy has given me, besides the privilege of working with him, is working with them." Gleeson, a newcomer to the world of Ritchie, was pretty sure that it was going to be as enjoyable as it looked. And he got a vote of confidence from his director. "Guy basically said, if you're not having fun, then this is not going to work and so the idea is to turn up and have fun," Gleeson said. Something for the whole family There were a lot of things about "Fountain of Youth" that piqued Portman's interest. The chance to work with Ritchie, Krasinski, and the rest of the cast, as well as the travel, but it also felt like something she could share with her own son and daughter. "It's so rare to get to make a movie that has this scale and this scope of adventure that you can watch with your kids," Portman said. "I'm always looking for something that I can enjoy with my children." Her character, Charlotte, is an art historian who had an adventuresome childhood with her explorer father and brother Luke (Krasinski) but has since settled for a more stable life. We meet her amid a contentious divorce and custody battle over her 12-year-old son, and she's not exactly pleased when Luke steals a piece of art from her gallery and attempts to recruit her for the bigger mission. But soon, she's in scuba gear hunting down a lost Rembrandt in the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania. "I think that something we search for as adults is how to regain that youthful spirit, how to hold onto that youthful energy and freedom and wildness, even when having to move into some adult responsibilities," said Portman, who, like her character is recently divorced. "Maybe that can make you a better parent to have a little bit of that glint in your eye." She and Krasinski, working together for the first time, fell into the sibling dynamics easily. "These movies sort of live and die with the relationships," Krasinski said. "The sibling thing really only works if you're having genuine fun with the person and it can come off screen. And I laughed with her every single day. She's so funny." A historic shoot at the pyramids Globe-trotting films aren't just travelogues for the audience, but their own sort of adventure for the cast and crew. This production earned their miles, skipping between the streets of Bangkok and Liverpool, the Austrian National Library in Vienna and Cairo to film at the great pyramids — where "Fountain of Youth" became the first film of this scale to be granted the privilege to shoot action sequences there. "It was really a pinch me kind of moment to be like, oh, those are the pyramids and we're just hanging out here and walking into them and filming in them," Portman said. The big first was landing a Boeing Chinook CH47 helicopter in front of the Giza Plateau, and blowing up a jeep, all while the site remained open to tourists. "With any luck, we didn't blow it for Hollywood going back there for somebody else," Krasinski said. "But if we did, at least we got to do it." Most of the big action moments "inside" the pyramids were saved for the safety of sets constructed at London's Leavesden Studio, where they also built the wreckage of the Lusitania in a water tank so big that it took two weeks to fill. An epic made for the small screen "Fountain of Youth" might seem like the type of movie that would be a natural fit for the big screen: A big budget, global adventure with major stars and sweeping vistas. While Krasinski champions movie theaters — at the time of the interview, he had a ticket to see "Sinners" on IMAX the next day — he's also not feeling bittersweet that this one won't be playing at the multiplex. They all came into "Fountain of Youth" knowing that it was a streaming-first endeavor. "This was always going to be a streaming movie, so I didn't really think about it in terms of ... Would people want to see it in theaters because it was just one of those things," Krasinski said. "And I think that's the new reality. There are definitely movies that are being made for streaming, and there are movies being made for theatrical." He added: "It all depends on what the filmmaker's intent was, what the studio's intent and I think as long as those rules are laid out clearly in the beginning, I'm down for either one."
San Francisco Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Natalie Portman and John Krasinski embark on a globe-trotting adventure in ‘Fountain of Youth'
The spirit of Indiana Jones is baked into the essence of the new movie 'Fountain of Youth.' This lighthearted, globe-trotting heist from Guy Ritchie, debuting on AppleTV+ on Friday, stars Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as estranged siblings attempting to piece together historical facts in hopes of finding the mythical spring. The quest takes them to far-flung places from Vienna to the pyramids, as they try to evade capture by the authorities and a shadowy operation intent on stopping the search. 'I've been looking to watch this movie for years,' Krasinski said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'This is the movie I pretended to be in when I was a kid. This is what got me into the business.' The film also stars Domnhall Gleeson as the wealthy businessman funding the operation and Eiza González as one of the protectors of the Fountain of Youth. ' Guy Ritchie gets to work with some of the best cast in the world,' said González, who has now worked with him three times. 'The biggest gift Guy has given me, besides the privilege of working with him, is working with them.' Gleeson, a newcomer to the world of Ritchie, was pretty sure that it was going to be as enjoyable as it looked. And he got a vote of confidence from his director. 'Guy basically said, if you're not having fun, then this is not going to work and so the idea is to turn up and have fun,' Gleeson said. Something for the whole family There were a lot of things about 'Fountain of Youth' that piqued Portman's interest. The chance to work with Ritchie, Krasinski, and the rest of the cast, as well as the travel, but it also felt like something she could share with her own son and daughter. 'It's so rare to get to make a movie that has this scale and this scope of adventure that you can watch with your kids,' Portman said. 'I'm always looking for something that I can enjoy with my children.' Her character, Charlotte, is an art historian who had an adventuresome childhood with her explorer father and brother Luke (Krasinski) but has since settled for a more stable life. We meet her amid a contentious divorce and custody battle over her 12-year-old son, and she's not exactly pleased when Luke steals a piece of art from her gallery and attempts to recruit her for the bigger mission. But soon, she's in scuba gear hunting down a lost Rembrandt in the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania. 'I think that something we search for as adults is how to regain that youthful spirit, how to hold onto that youthful energy and freedom and wildness, even when having to move into some adult responsibilities,' said Portman, who, like her character is recently divorced. 'Maybe that can make you a better parent to have a little bit of that glint in your eye.' She and Krasinski, working together for the first time, fell into the sibling dynamics easily. 'These movies sort of live and die with the relationships,' Krasinski said. 'The sibling thing really only works if you're having genuine fun with the person and it can come off screen. And I laughed with her every single day. She's so funny.' A historic shoot at the pyramids Globe-trotting films aren't just travelogues for the audience, but their own sort of adventure for the cast and crew. This production earned their miles, skipping between the streets of Bangkok and Liverpool, the Austrian National Library in Vienna and Cairo to film at the great pyramids — where 'Fountain of Youth' became the first film of this scale to be granted the privilege to shoot action sequences there. 'It was really a pinch me kind of moment to be like, oh, those are the pyramids and we're just hanging out here and walking into them and filming in them,' Portman said. The big first was landing a Boeing Chinook CH47 helicopter in front of the Giza Plateau, and blowing up a jeep, all while the site remained open to tourists. 'With any luck, we didn't blow it for Hollywood going back there for somebody else,' Krasinski said. 'But if we did, at least we got to do it.' Most of the big action moments 'inside' the pyramids were saved for the safety of sets constructed at London's Leavesden Studio, where they also built the wreckage of the Lusitania in a water tank so big that it took two weeks to fill. An epic made for the small screen 'Fountain of Youth' might seem like the type of movie that would be a natural fit for the big screen: A big budget, global adventure with major stars and sweeping vistas. While Krasinski champions movie theaters — at the time of the interview, he had a ticket to see 'Sinners' on IMAX the next day — he's also not feeling bittersweet that this one won't be playing at the multiplex. They all came into 'Fountain of Youth' knowing that it was a streaming-first endeavor. 'This was always going to be a streaming movie, so I didn't really think about it in terms of ... Would people want to see it in theaters because it was just one of those things,' Krasinski said. 'And I think that's the new reality. There are definitely movies that are being made for streaming, and there are movies being made for theatrical.' He added: 'It all depends on what the filmmaker's intent was, what the studio's intent and I think as long as those rules are laid out clearly in the beginning, I'm down for either one.'
Hamilton Spectator
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Natalie Portman and John Krasinski embark on a globe-trotting adventure in ‘Fountain of Youth'
The spirit of Indiana Jones is baked into the essence of the new movie 'Fountain of Youth.' This lighthearted, globe-trotting heist from Guy Ritchie, debuting on AppleTV+ on Friday , stars Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as estranged siblings attempting to piece together historical facts in hopes of finding the mythical spring. The quest takes them to far-flung places from Vienna to the pyramids, as they try to evade capture by the authorities and a shadowy operation intent on stopping the search. 'I've been looking to watch this movie for years,' Krasinski said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'This is the movie I pretended to be in when I was a kid. This is what got me into the business.' The film also stars Domnhall Gleeson as the wealthy businessman funding the operation and Eiza González as one of the protectors of the Fountain of Youth. ' Guy Ritchie gets to work with some of the best cast in the world,' said González, who has now worked with him three times. 'The biggest gift Guy has given me, besides the privilege of working with him, is working with them.' Gleeson, a newcomer to the world of Ritchie, was pretty sure that it was going to be as enjoyable as it looked. And he got a vote of confidence from his director. 'Guy basically said, if you're not having fun, then this is not going to work and so the idea is to turn up and have fun,' Gleeson said. Something for the whole family There were a lot of things about 'Fountain of Youth' that piqued Portman's interest. The chance to work with Ritchie, Krasinski, and the rest of the cast, as well as the travel, but it also felt like something she could share with her own son and daughter. 'It's so rare to get to make a movie that has this scale and this scope of adventure that you can watch with your kids,' Portman said. 'I'm always looking for something that I can enjoy with my children.' Her character, Charlotte, is an art historian who had an adventuresome childhood with her explorer father and brother Luke (Krasinski) but has since settled for a more stable life. We meet her amid a contentious divorce and custody battle over her 12-year-old son, and she's not exactly pleased when Luke steals a piece of art from her gallery and attempts to recruit her for the bigger mission. But soon, she's in scuba gear hunting down a lost Rembrandt in the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania. 'I think that something we search for as adults is how to regain that youthful spirit, how to hold onto that youthful energy and freedom and wildness, even when having to move into some adult responsibilities,' said Portman, who, like her character is recently divorced . 'Maybe that can make you a better parent to have a little bit of that glint in your eye.' She and Krasinski, working together for the first time, fell into the sibling dynamics easily. 'These movies sort of live and die with the relationships,' Krasinski said. 'The sibling thing really only works if you're having genuine fun with the person and it can come off screen. And I laughed with her every single day. She's so funny.' A historic shoot at the pyramids Globe-trotting films aren't just travelogues for the audience, but their own sort of adventure for the cast and crew. This production earned their miles, skipping between the streets of Bangkok and Liverpool, the Austrian National Library in Vienna and Cairo to film at the great pyramids — where 'Fountain of Youth' became the first film of this scale to be granted the privilege to shoot action sequences there. 'It was really a pinch me kind of moment to be like, oh, those are the pyramids and we're just hanging out here and walking into them and filming in them,' Portman said. The big first was landing a Boeing Chinook CH47 helicopter in front of the Giza Plateau, and blowing up a jeep, all while the site remained open to tourists. 'With any luck, we didn't blow it for Hollywood going back there for somebody else,' Krasinski said. 'But if we did, at least we got to do it.' Most of the big action moments 'inside' the pyramids were saved for the safety of sets constructed at London's Leavesden Studio, where they also built the wreckage of the Lusitania in a water tank so big that it took two weeks to fill. An epic made for the small screen 'Fountain of Youth' might seem like the type of movie that would be a natural fit for the big screen: A big budget, global adventure with major stars and sweeping vistas. While Krasinski champions movie theaters — at the time of the interview, he had a ticket to see 'Sinners' on IMAX the next day — he's also not feeling bittersweet that this one won't be playing at the multiplex. They all came into 'Fountain of Youth' knowing that it was a streaming-first endeavor. 'This was always going to be a streaming movie, so I didn't really think about it in terms of ... Would people want to see it in theaters because it was just one of those things,' Krasinski said. 'And I think that's the new reality. There are definitely movies that are being made for streaming, and there are movies being made for theatrical.' He added: 'It all depends on what the filmmaker's intent was, what the studio's intent and I think as long as those rules are laid out clearly in the beginning, I'm down for either one.' ___ For more coverage of films, visit:
