VIDEO: President and ambassadors to attend commemoration

A series of events will take place this week to mark the centenary of the sinking of RMS Lusitania off the coast of Cork.

A total of 1,198 passengers and crew died when the ocean liner was torpedoed by a German U-boat some 18km off the Cork coast on May 7, 1915.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the vessel, President Michael D Higgins will be in Cobh this Thursday to attend the official commemoration ceremony, where he will be welcomed by a full naval service guard of honour and the Band 1 Southern Brigade at 1.30pm.