Cobh’s G’Day to Dawn Princess a lasting legacy

Kenmare-born Australian expatriate Frank O’Shea reflects on a recent visit to Cobh aboard the cruise ship, the Dawn Princess.

SPENDING 104 days traversing the oceans without ever turning back until you reach your starting point again, may seem like a good way to prove to yourself that the world is indeed round. Doing it on a monster ocean liner, all plush seats, shiny brass and expensive timber, may appeal as the ultimate in luxury. The Dawn Princess which called to Cobh on July 24 carried 2000 passengers; some covered the whole journey, some only half the distance —Sydney to Dover or Dover to Sydney — and some, like this writer, joined the ship on its last leg, from Los Angeles to Sydney.

Passengers were still talking about the reception they received in Cobh (“Cove, ma’am, not Cobe”) and the effort that was made by the town to welcome them. They spoke about the bands and the music and the Irish dancing; they recalled the flowerpots and the gaily painted houses and the Australian flags.