The Titanic will live again in Belfast with news that the City Council is to hold two months of events to mark the 100th anniversary of the launch of gigantic RMS Titanic in east Belfast.

Exhibitions, talks, plays and special commemorations all will be part of the 'Titanic 100' programme, which starts on Thursday 31 March and culminates on the centenary of the ship's launch, 31 May.

The centrepiece of the events' programme will be two major new exhibitions.

The 'Titanic 100' expo, on the lawns of the City Hall, will celebrate the building of the great ship from its inception to launch, focussing on the photography of RJ Welch, the official photographer for Harland and Wolff.

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The second exhibition, in City Hall itself, will focus on the story of the SS Nomadic, also launched in 1911, telling her story from construction to the current restoration programme.

The Nomadic exhibition also will feature rare artefacts from both the tender and the White Star line.

Throughout April and May, there also will be a series of tours, both on land and water, visiting key landmarks associated with the Titanic story.

Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 23 - Tuesday 26 April), the City Hall will be the focal point for a four-day festival, featuring talks, tours, exhibitions and plays.

In addition to the centenary of the launch of Titanic, a number of other anniversaries are being marked throughout the period. These include the centenaries of the opening of the Thompson Graving Dock and the launch of SS Nomadic, the 150th anniversary of the opening of Harland and Wolff and the 99th anniversary of the sinking, on 15 April 1912, of Titanic.

For details on all events, visit: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic

(BMcC/GK)