Galway-Iceland Subsea Cable Part of a "New Industrial Revolution"- Ryan

12th November 2022

Ireland is at the nexus of new trans-Atlantic connections - A map showing the new cable route between Iceland and Ireland

Ireland is pursuing a “gateway to Europe” strategy for subsea telecoms cables, Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan pledged as he marked installation of one such link on the west coast.

Speaking at the landing ceremony for “IRIS”, a subsea telecoms cable between Galway and Iceland, Mr Ryan described it as “part of the new industrial revolution – one that combines high quality, digital infrastructure with renewable technology, infrastructure and skills”.

As Afloat reported in September 2020, The new cable, landing in Galway, will provide direct high-capacity links to Iceland with onward connectivity to Northern Europe via Denmark, he said. The cable system will greatly increase capacity and diversity of internet connections to Ireland, he said.

Ireland is “poised to become a key international connectivity hub between North America and Europe”, he and his junior communications minister Ossian Smyth said.

"it is the first subsea cable connected to Ireland that is not linked to Britain or North America"

“The IRIS cable enhances Ireland’s digital connectivity internationally, providing the essential factors needed by businesses to be able to compete globally and attract investment. This direct, high-capacity route to Iceland and through to Northern Europe provides opportunities for all businesses to extend their market reach,” Ryan said.

Mr Smyth described it as a “landmark in the history of Irish communications”, as it is the first subsea cable connected to Ireland that is not linked to Britain or North America.

He noted that Ireland has been an intercontinental communications hub since 1858, when the first transatlantic cable linking London and New York was routed through Ireland.

“This is the start of a strategic move by Ireland to connect directly to Northern and Southern Europe,” Smyth said, declaring that Ireland is “now open for business to further subsea cables”.

The landing station diversity in Ireland is “particularly advantageous”, the ministers noted, because the cable routes come from multiple directions, minimising the risk of simultaneous failure.

The IRIS cable is owned and operated by Farice. a company fully owned by the Icelandic Government, which contracted SubCom, a global subsea fibre optic cable system supply company, to install the cable system.

Published in Galway Harbour

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About The Author

Lorna Siggins

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Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award

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Galway Port & Harbour

Galway Bay is a large bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. Galway city and port is located on the northeast side of the bay. The bay is about 50 kilometres (31 miles) long and from 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) to 30 kilometres (19 miles) in breadth.

The Aran Islands are to the west across the entrance and there are numerous small islands within the bay.

Galway Port FAQs

How old is Galway port?

Galway was founded in the 13th century by the de Burgo family, and became an important seaport with sailing ships bearing wine imports and exports of fish, hides and wool.

How old is Galway bay?

Not as old as previously thought. Galway bay was once a series of lagoons, known as Loch Lurgan, plied by people in log canoes. Ancient tree stumps exposed by storms in 2010 have been dated back about 7,500 years.

What is the tonnage of the port?

It is about 660,000 tonnes as it is a tidal port.

Who is the harbourmaster of Galway port?

Capt Brian Sheridan, who succeeded his late father, Capt Frank Sheridan

When are the lock gates open?

The dock gates open approximately two hours before high water and close at high water subject to ship movements on each tide.

What's the biggest ship that can 'fit' in the harbour?

The typical ship sizes are in the region of 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes

Is renewable energy generating a lot of business for Galway port?

Turbines for about 14 wind projects have been imported in recent years, but the tonnage of these cargoes is light. A European industry report calculates that each turbine generates €10 million in locally generated revenue during construction and logistics/transport.

Is Galway a European cable location?

Yes, Iceland has selected Galway as European landing location for international telecommunications cables. Farice, a company wholly owned by the Icelandic Government, currently owns and operates two submarine cables linking Iceland to Northern Europe.

What's the update on the Galway port expansion plans?

It is "very much a live project", Harbourmaster Capt Sheridan says, and the Port of Galway board is "awaiting the outcome of a Bord Pleanála determination", he says.

Where does all the scrap go at Galway Port?

90% of the scrap steel is exported to Spain with the balance being shipped to Portugal. Since the pandemic, scrap steel is shipped to the Liverpool where it is either transhipped to larger ships bound for China.

Why is Galway Port exporting silage and the Irish farmers are crying out for it?

It might look like silage, but in fact, its bales domestic and municipal waste, exported to Denmark where the waste is incinerated, and the heat is used in district heating of homes and schools. It is called RDF or Refuse Derived Fuel and has been exported out of Galway since 2013.

When is the new ferry starting service from Galway?

The new ferry is arriving at Galway Bay onboard the cargo ship SVENJA. The vessel is currently on passage to Belem, Brazil before making her way across the Atlantic to Galway.

Is the Volvo Ocean Race coming back to Galway?

Two Volvo round world races have selected Galway for the prestigious yacht race route. Some 10,000 people welcomed the boats in during its first stopover in 2009, when a festival was marked by stunning weather. It was also selected for the race finish in 2012. The Volvo has changed its name and is now known as the "Ocean Race". Capt Sheridan says that once port expansion and the re-urbanisation of the docklands is complete, the port will welcome the "ocean race, Clipper race, Tall Ships race, Small Ships Regatta and maybe the America's Cup right into the city centre...".

When is Seafest coming back to Galway?

The pandemic was the reason why Seafest did not go ahead in Cork in 2020. Galway will welcome Seafest back after it calls to Waterford and Limerick, thus having been to all the Port cities.