Originally known as “The Queens Hotel”, The Commodore Hotel in Cobh opened in 1854. A popular and well-regarded hotel with enviable harbour views, it has now served locals and visitors alike for 170 years.

It would be fair to say that the hotel stood fast during periods of intense local, national, and international conflict, but in the early twentieth century, it found itself on the front line in the face of a developing tragedy out at sea.

On the 7th of May 1915, the British vessel, RMS Lusitania, was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast near Cork. 1,198 passengers and crew lost their lives. Many of those who survived were accommodated at the hotel and a makeshift hospital and morgue were established to take care of the victims.

Some believe that the trauma of this major event has trapped the souls of lost and distressed passengers within the walls of the Commodore Hotel, with unexplained noises reported over the years.

A young, British serviceman is said to have taken his own life in one of the rooms many years ago. Guests have reported hearing footsteps, or the sound of furniture being moved around in empty rooms, and these experiences have been attributed to his restless spirit. Cold spots have also been noted in the area.

The most common tale reported is the sound of a wailing infant, echoing throughout the upper floors. One unconfirmed story that has circulated references a young woman who checked into the hotel in the early 1900s. When she arrived, she had a young baby with her, but the following day, horrified staff discovered a suitcase in her room, and sealed within it, was the lifeless body of the infant child. The woman herself had left for America earlier that day.