#Route20thyear – This year Irish Ferries celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Ireland-France link connecting the ports of Rosslare and Roscoff.

Inaugurated in Summer 1995, the service was added to the company's then established continental services to Normandy, via the ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre. The service to provide passengers with a direct service to/from Brittany, a region popular amongst Irish holidaymakers.

Over its two decades in operation, services to Roscoff have recorded some 1,230 ferry arrivals and departures. Passenger carryings on the route are in excess of 1.5 million passengers and 400,000 vehicles.

In recognition of what it terms 'the strong cultural links' that exist between Brittany and Ireland, the intention at the time, according to the company, was to provide a regular and convenient service for Irish and Breton holidaymakers whilst facilitating the development of closer trade links between the two regions.

Since its introduction, the service has continued without interruption serviced in turn by the vessels St. Patrick II, St. Killian II, Normandy and the present cruise ferry, Oscar Wilde.

Today, services to Roscoff form an important part of the wider Irish Ferries Ireland / France route network – one that includes year-round services from Rosslare to Cherbourg and a recently introduced, once-weekly return service from Dublin.