Celtic was the second White Star liner of this name, and was the
first of White Star's turn of the century "Big Four". Launched in
1901, she was the first ship to exceed Great Eastern's gross
tonnage and was the first ship ever to exceed 20,000 gross tons.
Celtic made her maiden voyage, Liverpool-New York, on 26 July 1901.
She served principally on that route until World War I, although she
also did some cruising, and made a couple of voyages out of
Southampton in 1907.
Taken over as an armed merchant cruiser in 1914, she became a troopship
in 1916. Celtic was a very lucky trooper; she survived the war even
though she hit a mine in 1917, was torpedoed in 1918, and eluded at
least one other U-boat attack. She returned to Liverpool-New York
service after the war, and on 12 December 1928, was wrecked at Roche's
Point, Cobh. There were no fatalities, but Celtic was a total loss and
was broken up at the site. Demolition was completed in 1933.
