The White Star liner was carrying a cargo of gold bullion when it struck a German mine at the mouth of Lough Swilly on January 25, 1917. The ship had been en route from Liverpool to Canada with the gold bullion to pay for munitions in WWI. More than 350 of those on board, mainly members of the Canadian merchant marine, lost their lives. The majority were buried at graveyards in Fahan, Buncrana and Desertegney.

A local group including John McCarter (Fort Dunree and Inishowen Development Partnership), Donnie McNeill (Ireland Newfoundland Partnership) and Monica McLaughlin (Laurentic Bar and Bistro) have been working to raise awareness of this significant piece of Inishowen history.

In January, they organised a special memorial service, attended by the Canadian Ambassador and Naval Advisor, at Fahan cemetery.

Now, they're travelling to Belfast to support the launch of a new website about the wreck in the hopes that it will attract more international interest in the tragic story.

They'll be meeting with Ray Cossum and his sons Des and Eric, who are the legal owners of the wreck, as well as the Lord Mayor of Belfast Jim Rogers, Capt. Norman H. Jolin, a Naval Advisor with the Canadian High Commission in London, Commodore Charles Stevenson CBE MA, Royal Navy Regional Commander, and other VIPs at a champagne reception aboard HMS Caroline in Alexandra Dock, Belfast.

The reception will also mark the launch of a new website dedicated to the history of the ship, which was built by Harland & Wolff in the same yard and on the same slipway as her more famous cousin, Titanic.

Next Step

John McCarter says the new website marks the next logical step in the Crossum's interest in the Laurentic and their desire to share that interest with the public.

"Ray, who is a famous long-distance swimmer and deep sea diver, has done so much to promote awareness about the Laurentic over the years.

The development of a website devoted to the ship comes as no suprise - it's a continuation of this process."

Stories that not all of the gold bullion, which would be worth $3 billion at today's prices, was recovered have drawn divers to the wreck over the years.

The new website will offer shares in the ship and the 20 gold bars reputed to still be lying hidden somewhere among the wreck. They would fetch around £10 million today

Harland & Wolff's 185 acre site is currently being regenerated into a spectacular new £1billion Waterfront Titanic Quarter Development.

SS Laurentic is one of the most famous and fascinating stories after the Titanic to be associated with Harland & Wolff and is therefore very much part of the historic Titanic Trail in Belfast.

The website will offer information on genealogy of emigrants to Canada who sailed on SS Laurentic, maritime history of the White Star Line, wreck diving opportunities and useful links.

For more information, www.laurentic.com.