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New Wild Atlantic Way Ferry Sets Sail for Cape Clear Island

24th April 2022
The future's bright and also orange... as the Baltimore newcomer, Carraig Mhór departs for Cape Clear Island bringing tourists out to the scenic west Cork island. The future's bright and also orange... as the Baltimore newcomer, Carraig Mhór departs for Cape Clear Island bringing tourists out to the scenic west Cork island. Credit: Cape Clear Ferries-facebook

A ferry acquired by Cape Clear Ferries set off on its maiden crossing to the West Cork island yesterday and under the new name of Carraig Mhór, writes Jehan Ashmore. 

The Baltimore based operator's latest addition saw Carraig Mhór which has lounges and outdoor viewing decks, enter service on the 2pm sailing from the harbour pier.

In addition to the Baltimore-Cape Clear Island route, the operator also serves the island from Schull, further to the west on the Mizen Peninsula. 

The 96 passenger ferry previously named the Happy Hooker, had served a long career serving the Aran Islands for Doolin2Aran Ferries, having been built in 1989.

Afloat researched that the Happy Hooker had departed Rossaveel, Connemara in January and this led to a delivery voyage along the western seaboard to the ferry's new Cork coast homeport. 

In order to prepare the 19.8m ferry for Cape Clear Ferries, this involved months of work carried out by their crew and by Oldcourt Boats Ltd located on the nearby River Ilen. Gone has the blue hull colour of the Doolin-based operator, as the distinctive twin funnelled Carraig Mhór emerged also with a stricking orange hull and white superstructure reflecting the ferry's new owner. 

The same livery scheme is sported by Cailín Óir, a 100 passenger excursion vessel that had also been a Cape Clear ferry is run by the company's Cork Harbour Cruises which launched in 2021. Such cruises resumed this season having started during the busy Easter Bank Holiday weekend.  

Returning to Carraig Mhór, which has joined another company fleetmate, the 94 passenger ferry Dún an Óir II that serves the island which is three and a half miles long by one and a half miles wide. The ferries offer the opportunity to do whale and dolphins spotting off the island's rugged coastline. 

Afloat tracked the ferry's route passage which offers the added bonus of passing Sherkin Island to reach the Cape Clear where the island is rich in archaeology history with ancient standing stones, Bronze Age monuments and traditional stone walls. 

Cape Clear (Oileán Chléire) has a permanent Irish speaking population of 130. During the summer this number increases significantly, noting there is an Irish Language Summer School. 

Also the summer brings a lively social and traditional music scene with local joined by visitors. 

Facilities on the West Cork island include restaurants and pubs, a range of accommodation including a youth hostel, yurt village, campsite, various guesthouses and a choice of holiday homes.

A Baltimore-Cape Clear Cruise is also available plus further offshore, is an excursion cruise around the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse (“Teardrop of Ireland”) which is also available from Schull.  

These tours are based as the following: Fastnet Day Tour, Sunset/Twilight Tours and Direct Fastnet tours and subject to weather conditions. 

Asides tourism, the company is a vital lifeline for islanders bringing cargoes but only operates out of Baltimore.

Published in Ferry
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!