Thousands mark Titanic 100 year anniversary

The new Titanic Visitor centre in Belfast. Credit: Press Association

Thousands of people will attend Titanic commemoration events in Northern Ireland today on the centenary of the liner's sinking.

The vessel struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage on April 14 1912, with the loss of around 1,500 lives. It was built in Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard.

A Requiem for the Lost Souls will be held at Belfast's Church of Ireland Cathedral while a commemoration in music and film at the Waterfront Hall will feature well-known performers like Katie Melua.

Robert Ballard, the oceanographer who discovered RMS Titanic in its watery grave, will be in Belfast to deliver a memorial lecture.

It follows last night's open air performance in Belfast before 16,000 revellers at MTV's Titanic Sounds concert featuring dancehall artist Sean Paul and Pixie Lott among others.

Pixie Lott performs for the open-air gig in Belfast Credit: MTV / PA wire

Tonight's commemoration at the Belfast Waterfront Hall is to be shown live on the big screen in the grounds of Belfast City Hall and screened on TV.

Bryan Ferry and Grammy award-winning soul singer Joss Stone are among the line-up for the event to mark the centenary of the Titanic's sinking.

The concert will begin at 8.30pm and will last until about 10pm.

More than 26,000 people applied for the 1,000 free tickets available for the Waterfront concert.

It will also feature performances by Nicola Benedetti, Charlie Siem, the Ulster Orchestra, Alfie Boe, Katie Melua, Mica Paris, Maverick Sabre and the Irish Harp Orchestra, with award-winning broadcaster John Humphrys hosting the event.

Belfast's new Titanic Visitor Centre is totally sold out of tickets until Monday.

A worker dressed in period costume, gives out information leaflets at the new Titanic Visitor Centre in Belfast, Credit: Paul Faith/PA Wire