Swansea Dock-Ferries

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.

Map of the Ferryport and details of the development.

Docks Staff of the First Swansea to Cork Ferry
Back Row:- Barry Dean, Glyn Morris, F Collins, Stan Hinder, Jack Mulhoney
Middle Row:- T Davies, ?, ?, Colin Rouse, ?, Bernard Cornel, Billy Tucket, Bill Thomas, Sam Burrows
Front Row:- ?, ?, ?, Ron Barton, ?, George Grey, John Williams, Charles Grey, Chris Donovan
Thanks to Paul Smith for this photo

The Innisfallen entering the locks prior to her first sailing to Cork in 1969.

The photo above is the Innisfallen, the first Irish Ferry to run from Swansea.

Aerial view of the Innisfallen arriving at Swansea Ferry Terminal in 1969.

Ferry viewed from the freight yard. Fork trucks ready to be loaded.

The Leinster making her way to Swansea to relieve the Innisfallen passing each other at Mumbles
We thank Barry Dean for this Photo

The ‘Stena Germanica’ was chartered for part of B&I’s final season between Swansea and Cork
due to mechanical problems with the ‘Innisfallen’

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:-

The ‘Celtic Pride’ on her inaugural visit to Swansea in April 1987

A stern view of the ‘Celtic Pride’ on the Ferryport berth at Swansea

The ‘Celtic Pride’ at Swansea Ferryport

A close-up of the bow of the ‘Celtic Pride’ at Swansea

An overview of Swansea Ferryport with the ‘Celtic Pride’ alongside

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.
We thank Matthew Punter for the use of this photo

M.v. ‘Superferry’ on the Ferryport berth at Swansea

The above photos of the interior of m.v. ‘Superferry’ were kindly provided by Peter O’Sullivan

The ‘City of Cork’ (a.k.a. ‘Egnatia II’) was chartered by Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd. for the 2001 season

The Fastnet Line

After an absence of three years, the Swansea-Cork ferry service was restarted in March 2010 by the Fastnet Line.
Below is a photograph of the Fastnet ferry ‘Julia’ at Swansea Ferryport on the 12th March 2010 after her inaugural sailing from Cork the previous evening.

The Julia, built in 1982, has sailed several routes in the Scandinavian Peninsula. The vessel has 10 decks with maximum capacity for approximately 440 cars and 30 freight vehicles and the total passenger capacity of the vessel is 1,860. The Julia has a fine array of restaurants and bars, a childrens’ play area and a cinema, as well as over 300 passenger cabins, rendering her particularly suited to the night crossing between Cork and Swansea.

Mini bus entering the car deck

Stern view of the Julia

Below is a video of the mv Julia turning in the River Tawe

The photos below were taken on our recent visit to the Julia at Swansea Ferryport. Our thanks to Joy Gillen of the Ringaskiddy office for making the arrangements and to Capt. Ivan Walsh for his time and enthusiasm in explaining the operating systems on the bridge and accompanying us on a tour of the vessel.

We had all worked for many years on the loading and discharge of previous vessels operating on this route and were very impressed, not only with the size of the ship and it's facilities, but also with the overall quality and general condition of the vessel.