On Feb. 14, Dallas received a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift, with the opening of an immersive Titanic Exhibit in North Dallas. The exhibit offers visitors a deeper connection to the tragic shipwreck by providing boarding passes in a real person’s name. The Titanic sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912. Titanic’s tragic loss of 1,510 passengers and crew members sparked an endless industry of articles, books, documentaries, feature films, and exhibitions ensuring the majestic ship will never be forgotten.
Titanic: The Exhibition, produced by Imagine and Fever, is the largest and most immersive touring Titanic experience. Signing up for a tour of the exhibition takes you on a compelling narrative journey. Each visitor to the Titanic exhibit receives a personal view into the fates of the 2.240 passengers and crew aboard the ship. An individualized boarding pass lists the name of a passenger or crew member to follow on your journey.
Catherine (Kate) Connolly, 3rd Class Passenger
My person was Catherine (Kate) Connolly, a 23-year-old immigrant from Caven County, Ireland who boarded the R.M.S. Titanic from Belfast at 9:30 a.m. April 10, 1912. Kate hoped to find domestic work in the new country, staying with an older sister who had immigrated earlier. She shared a third class cabin with three other young women: Mary McGovern, Julia Smyth, and Mary Agatha Glynn. My heart sank after reading Kate’s bio, as the odds of these four third-class passengers surviving were not good.
In contrast, my friend Karel Anne received the boarding pass of a first class American socialite, Irene (Renee) Harris, traveling with her husband, a theatrical producer. The 1st class passenger’s odds of survival were much greater that my Kate’s. Her boarding pass bio said Mrs. Harris was a Broadway producer, so we felt sure she lived to tell the tragic Titanic tale.
At the end of the tour, we were able to learn our person’s fate, and my heart sank to see the name Katherine (Kate) Connolly listed as lost at sea. Learning so much about the brave young Irishwoman, with her dreams for a better future here, only to find she didn’t survive was very emotional for me. It felt almost like a death in the family. My friend’s socialite passenger, Mrs. Harris, survived but her husband did not.
Surprising Discovery!
After mourning for Kate Connolly for days, I decided to do a little more research in order to write an accurate obit for the young woman. Imagine my surprise to discover that, while one Catherine (Kate) Connolly, a third class passenger on the Titanic, died, another Irish lass with the same exact name and passenger class survived. It turned out that MY Kate was the fortunate survivor, while the other like-named passenger died!
I discovered a more complete bio on Titanic Survivor Catherine Connolly on Encyclopedia Titanica. The 23- year-old Kate was born June 3, 1888 in Cortrasna, County Cavan, Ireland. Miraculously, not only Kate but her three cabin mates survived the shipwreck; a rare feat for third class passengers. Only 712 people, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd class passengers and crew members, survived. Kate told officials that some young Irishmen showed them a way to the upper decks, where they boarded Lifeboat #13 and were eventually rescued by the Carpathia.
Upon arriving in New York, Kate lived with her married sister Nellie McGuckian and her family. On Sept. 30, 1916, Kate married Irish immigrant William Arkins. They had four sons, and William started a successful career in real estate, eventually owning several apartment buildings. In 1931, Kate became a U.S. citizen, and died of a stroke at the age of 60. The Arkins family lived in Queens, NY at the time of her death.
Titanic Exhibit in Dallas
Next I wanted to find out what happened to the other Kate from Ireland. She was 41-years-old, from Tipperary County, Ireland. She hoped to find work in the U.S. to help her widowed mother, and boarded the Titanic in Queenstown April 11 with a ticket furnished by her cousin. Kate had two cabin mates, Catherine Peters and Catherine McCarthy, but only Miss McCarthy survived. Miss Connolly’s body was never recovered or identified, so she is listed as lost at sea.
Touring the Titanic exhibition in Dallas offers a fascinating, deeper dive into the past. Being able to identify with one of the passengers or crew members makes this exhibition even more special for history buffs. If that’s you, here’s how to get tickets to take your own immersive tour of Titanic. Don’t miss the souvenir shop where a replica of the necklace worn by Kate Winslet in the recent Titanic film is available for a bargain price, only $40.
Titanic: The Exhibition is located at 14902 Preston Road in Pepper Square, Dallas. Tickets are available at thetitanicexhibition.com, with prices ranging from $21.50 to $38. Discounts are available for seniors, military, and groups. For more information, please visit thetitanicexhibition.com.
