Irish Ferries

Irish Ferries is an Irish shipping company belonging to the Irish Continental Group (ICG). In 1992, ICG took over the British and Irish Steam Packet Company (B&I Line) and subsequently invested 500 million euros in fleet renewal to build one of Western Europe's most modern ferry fleets.

Irish Ferries connects Ireland with Britain and France. The main route runs from Dublin to Holyhead in Wales, with up to three ferries in operation. The crossing takes from 2 hours 15 minutes on the fast ferry Dublin Swift, or 3 hours 25 minutes on the cruise ferry Ulysses. Further routes connect Dublin and Rosslare with Cherbourg in France.

Flagship vessel Ulysses is the largest ferry on the Irish Sea. She was launched on 1 September 2000 at the Aker Finnyards shipyard in Rauma, Finland, and on entering service in 2001 was the largest car ferry in the world by vehicle capacity. With 12 decks, a length of 209 metres and 50,938 GT, she carries 1,875 passengers and 1,342 cars, or around 4,100 lane metres of freight.

The fleet also includes W.B. Yeats, Isle of Inishmore, Isle of Innisfree, Isle of Inisheer and James Joyce, the ship renamed from Oscar Wilde that now serves the Dublin-Holyhead route. On board, passengers will find cabins, restaurants, bars and shops. Cars, motorhomes, motorcycles and bicycles can all be carried.