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Displaying items by tag: Dublin 'Swift'

#fastferry - The introduction next year of a new cruise ferry between Holyhead and Dublin reports Daily Post will see the last fast ferry on the route cut to a summer only service.

Irish Ferries' new vessel W. B. Yeats - currently under construction at Flensburg, Germany - will start up on the Anglesey to Ireland route next September.

It will see the Jonathan Swift docked for winter - with the boat returning in April 2019. This happened to the Stena Line fast boat - the Explorer - until it was phased out completely in 2015.

The W. B. Yeats - sailing alongside the Ulysses - will increase capacity over the winter but passengers will lose the option of the quick crossing.

Fast ferry sailings take around 1hr 50 mins, compared to more than 3 hrs on the other vessels.

One issue of concern for Holyhead is a step up in summer sailings by Irish Ferries between Ireland and France - with the W. B. Yeats switching to these routes between April and September. It doubles the number of summer sailings between Ireland and France.

To read more click here and as reported on Afloat, concerns from Holyhead after Brexit as increased freight and passenger capacity is to operate from Ireland direct to mainland Europe.

Published in Ferry

#DublinSwift- Ulysses departed Birkenhead fresh from annual maintenance today in readiness to resume a sailing from Holyhead in the early hours of tomorrow to Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

During the dry-docking at Cammell Laird shipyard, the operators Rosslare-Pembroke Dock ferry Isle of Inishmore covered the roster of Ulysses in tandem with fast-fast Jonathan Swift.

Incidentally, all of Jonathan Swift's sailings were cancelled today apparently due to adverse weather conditions and these Dublin 'Swift' sailings are expected to operate tommorrow. Although Dublin 'Swift' sailings will not be operating from this Friday, 17 January to 7 February inclusively as the fast-ferry heads off for annual maintenance too.

With Dublin Swift sailings not running during that timeframe, the Dublin –Holyhead route will be maintained by Ulysses and newcomer Cartour Epsilon.

 

 

Published in Ferry

Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove, Tokyo Olympic 49er Sailors 

Dublin dinghy sailors Robert Dickson of Howth Yacht Club and Sean Waddilove of Skerries Sailing Club achieved their goal of representing Ireland in the 49er class, almost six years to the day after first setting foot in a 49er skiff at their home club of Howth Yacht Club in County Dublin in 2015.

The voyage was a magnificent one becoming U23 World champions in 2018 before out sailing rivals double Olympian Ryan Seaton and Seafra Guilfoyle in some style for selection in Lanzarote in March 2021 to win the last European Olympic place for Tokyo.

Follow their progress here.