'Lost Liners' by Leigh Bishop

Date:        Saturday 13th November

Time:        7pm

Venue:      O'Flaherty lecture theatre,

                 NUI, Galway

Cost:        €5

As an internationally renowned deep wreck explorer he has been involved over many years in pioneering wreck expeditions from famous Ocean liners to sensitive War losses as well as deep historically important sites of archaeological interest. His research into the archives has led to the identification of  dozens of previously unknown shipwrecks around the British Isles and Ireland, which will eventually reflect in what will be described as one of the most comprehensive guides to deep shipwrecks in British and Irish waters to date. †

As a successful worldwide publisher of Deep Shipwreck photographs and literature, Leigh's talks carry a weight of knowledge and a level of visual appeal that have propelled him to the forefront of the field. He is undoubtedly an internationally recognised authority on deep sea wrecks. †

In this talk, titled 'Lost Liners', Leigh will give us a first hand account of the exploration of the best known Ocean Liner wrecks in the world. Perhaps the highlight will be the infamous White Star liner, the Titanic. Leigh was invited to take part in a 2003 expedition to the magnificent wreck by James Cameron, writer/director of the hit movie.

Leigh was also involved in a National Geographic sponsored expedition to Titanic's sister ship, the enigmatic "Britannic", the worlds largest sunken ocean liner. We will see breathtaking photographs from the 2003 expedition with which Leigh will unravel the mysterious nature of her sinking. The top wrecks in Irish coastal waters will also be covered, such as the awesome liners RMS Lusitania and RMS Justicia.

This talk is a must for divers, photographers, historians, archaeologists, and (dare I say it!) fans of that movie, while conspiracy buffs will find interest in Leigh's conclusions on the sinking of the Britannic.

However, at the heart of this presentation is a romance evoked by the unsurpassed grandeur of these once great ships, coupled with the sombre reality of their tragic loss. This is a once-off chance to explore unknown depths through rare visuals presented by the explorer himself. A compelling mix that makes this talk a memorable experience for people of all interests.

All proceeds from this talk will be going to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), so support this worthy cause and book your tickets today!       

† Courtesy of www.deepimage.co.uk (paraphrased).
Photos courtesy of Leigh Bishop & www.deepimage.co.uk