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The Swansea-Cork Ferry
Service
The first ferry service between Swansea and Cork in the Republic of
Ireland was operated by the B&I Line from 1969 to 1979, and featured
the company’s new purpose-built ship, the ‘Innisfallen’. Below is an
invitation to a reception to be held aboard the new vessel on the 10th
April 1969.
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Map of the Ferryport and details of the
development.
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The Innisfallen entering the locks prior to
her first sailing to Cork in 1969.
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The photo above is the Innisfallen, the first Irish Ferry to run from Swansea. |
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Aerial view of the Innisfallen arriving at
Swansea Ferry Terminal in 1969. |
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Ferry viewed from the freight yard. Fork
trucks ready to be loaded.
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The ‘Stena Germanica’ was chartered for part of B&I’s
final season between Swansea and Cork
due to mechanical problems with the ‘Innisfallen’
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Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd. 1987-2006
The
second company to operate a ferry link between Swansea and Cork was
Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd., whose service began in 1987 with the ferry
‘Celtic Pride’. The ‘Celtic Pride’ returned for the 1988 season but
was unavailable for charter the following year, so there was no
service in 1989. The ‘Ionian Sun’ (formerly B&I’s ‘Leinster’) was
chartered for the 1990 season, after which the refitted ‘Celtic Pride’
returned for seasons 1991 and 1992. The Japanese-built ‘Superferry’
was introduced in 1993 and operated through to the end of the service
in 2006, other than during the 2001 season when the ‘City of Cork’ was
chartered. Below is a selection of photographs of the ships operated
by Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd:-
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The ‘Celtic Pride’ on her inaugural visit to Swansea in
April 1987
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A stern view of the ‘Celtic Pride’ on the Ferryport
berth at Swansea
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The ‘Celtic Pride’ at Swansea Ferryport
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A close-up of the bow of the ‘Celtic Pride’ at Swansea
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An overview of Swansea Ferryport with the ‘Celtic
Pride’ alongside
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Pictured
in 1990 leaving Swansea Ferryport is the Strintzis Line ferry ‘Ionian
Sun’, on charter to Swansea Cork Ferries. Built as the ‘Leinster’ for
B&I Line’s Liverpool-Dublin service, she was later renamed the ‘Inisfallen’,
but should not be confused with her sister ship, the original
‘Inisfallen’ which was built for B&I’s Swansea-Cork service which
commenced in 1969.
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M.v. ‘Superferry’
on the Ferryport berth at Swansea
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The above
photos of the interior of m.v. ‘Superferry’ were kindly provided by
Peter O’Sullivan
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The ‘City of Cork’ (a.k.a. ‘Egnatia II’) was chartered
by Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd. for the 2001 season
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