In this section we look at the heritage of Ireland - its scholars and scribes, the archaeology of the country and traces of people who have inhabited the island over the years.

By Frank Murphy

A tribute scheduled to be paid to the man regarded as the father of the Titanic has had to be postponed. Thomas Andrews, the man who designed the ill-fated liner, was due to be honoured in Belfast by means of a blue plaque being unveiled outside a house in which it was believed he had lived. But organisers got the wrong house.

The tribute, organised by the Ulster History Circle, was planned to be unveiled outside a house in Windsor Avenue, off the Lisburn Road, where it was understood Andrews had lived for just under four years before his untimely death upon the great vessel he was so instrumental in creating.

However, information, which recently came to light, suggests that the property Dunallen, the house Andrews purchased in June 1908 following his marriage to Helen Reilly Barbour, is most probably further along the suburban street. The number originally assigned to the Andrews house during his lifetime was number 12, but houses constructed in the 1920s closer to the Lisburn Road led to the house numbers being changed.

The present number 12, an award-winning guest house, had formally been number two, the occupants of which were misinformed several years ago of their close links with Belfast’s most famous engineer. The plaque was due to be unveiled as a joint effort between John Andrews, Thomas’ great nephew and Councillor Jim Rodgers, the Lord Mayor of Belfast.

The Ulster Titanic Society (the largest in the world of its kind) and Belfast City Council now plan to pay tribute to the creator of the maritime masterpiece at a later date, either during commemorations to mark the 90th anniversary of the fateful maiden voyage of the Titanic, or possibly on February 7 — the anniversary of Andrews’ birthday in 1873.

The Titanic: Made in Belfast festival is scheduled to run from March 30 until April 7 and features lectures, exhibitions, tours of both the city and shipyard, showings of the films A Night To Remember and Titanic, and re-enactments of both the Titanic’s launch and the public enquiry into her tragic demise.