Isle of Inishmore
| Built | 1997 Van der Giessen, Rotterdam, Holland. |
| Size | 34, 031gt 182.5M x 27.8M x 5.8M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 2,200 Berths: 226 Cars: 886 |
| Engines Speed |
4 x Sulzer (23,040kW) 21.5kts |
| Route | Dover – Calais |
The Isle of Inishmore is the second of two high-capacity ferries completed in Holland by van der Giessen-de Noord. She was Europe’s biggest ro-pax vessel when introduced and the largest Irish-flagged passenger ship. She replaced the 1995-built Isle of Innisfree (now operating in New Zealand) on the Dublin-Hollyhead route and increased both freight and passenger carryings until herself being replaced by the Ulysses in May 2001. She was then moved to Rosslare-Pembrook Dock and again succeeded in generating additional traffic, completing two round trips every 24 hours, with crossing times of three hours and 45 minutes.
In 2001 was replaced on the Pembroke Dock to Rosslare crossing by the Blue Star 1. The charter of Blue Star 1 freed up Isle of Inishmore to launch the company’s new Dover – Calais route. She sailed for Denmark for refit and modifications, including the replacement of the stern ramp with sliding doors and installing a “cow catcher” at the bow to fit at both Dover and Calais berths. Following berthing trials on 19 June 2021, she operated Irish Ferries first commercial sailing between Dover and Calais on 29 June 2021.
Ulysses
| Built | 2001 Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland |
| Size | 50, 938gt 209M x 31.2M x 6.4M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 1,875 Berths: 228 Cars: 1,342 |
| Engines Speed |
4 x MAK (31, 200kW) 22kts |
| Route | Dublin-Holyhead |
Irish Ferries claim that the Ulysses’ is the world’s largest and most reliable car ferry, and the marketing of this has helped Irish Ferries gain an increasing passenger and freight market share in the highly competitive Irish Sea central corridor. Named after the James Joyce book that immortalised life at each hour of June 16, 1904, the 12 deck high Ulysses offers passengers the chance to learn more about the book while exploring the many public rooms on a James Joyce walking tour. With a 22-knot service speed, she crosses the Irish Sea in just over 3 hours and completes two trips every 24 hours taking up to 2,000 passengers and almost five kilometres of vehicle space on three decks capable of swallowing-up 1,342 cars or 240 trucks.
Epsilon
| Built | 2011 Cantieri Navale Visentini, Italy |
| Size | 26,375gt 186.50M x 25.60M x6.85M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 400 Berths: 272 Cars: 70 |
| Engines Speed |
2 * MAN 9L48/60B 24kts |
| Route | Dublin-Holyhead Dublin – Cherbourg |
The Visentini built Cartour Epsilon was delivered in 2011 to Sicilian ferry operator Caronte & Tourist.
In 2013, the Epsilon was chartered to Irish Ferries to expand the Dublin – Holyhead route in response to Stena Line placing the Stena Superfast X on the route, as well as launching a new weekend Dublin – Cherbourg route at weekends.
On 11 February 2016, Epsilon made headlines after passengers were injured, and a number of her vehicles were damaged after sailing into Storm Imogen while en route from Cherbourg to Dublin.
W.B. Yeats
| Built | 2018 Flensburger Shiffbau-Gesellschaft, Germany |
| Size | 51,388gt 194.8M x 31.6M x 6.7M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 1,800 Berths: 440 (cabins) Cars: 1,216 |
| Engines Speed |
4 × MaK 8M43C 22.5kts |
| Route | Dublin – Cherbourg |
A new build ship, at the time unnamed, was ordered from German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG)in May 2016. At the time of the order, the vessel was planned to enter service in May 2018. When her keel was laid in September 2017, the expected delivery had slipped to July 2018. In October 2018, her name was announced to be W.B. Yeats, chosen in an online competition.
W.B. Yeats‘ hull was launched on 19 January 2018, but further delays during the fitting out led to Irish Ferries delaying her entry into service first to late July, then to September. Parts of her superstructure were built in a separate yard, and transported to Germany by barge. By August, it was being reported that her delivery would likely not take place until October, but work was further delayed and she did not begin sea trials until late in the month.
Irish Ferries eventually took delivery of the ship on 12 December 2018. She arrived in Dublin on 20 December 2018, following berthing trials in Cherbourg and Rosslare. W.B. Yeats finally made her much delayed first commercial sailing on 22 January 2019 when she struck the berth attempting to dock at Holyhead leaving a dent in the ship and bending the ramp in the impact delaying the offloading by some time.
As a result of the delays, ICG cancelled an order for a sister ship from FSG.
Oscar Wilde (2)
| Built | 2006 Aker Finnyards Helsinki Shipyard, Finland |
| Size | 36,249gt 186.M x 27.2M x 6.5M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 2,080 Berths: 134 (cabins) Cars: 450 |
| Engines Speed |
4 × MAC diesel engines 27kts |
| Route | Rosslare – Pembroke Dock |
Isle of Innisfree
| Built | 1991 Boelwerf, Temse, Belgium |
| Size | 28,838gt 163.4M x 27.6M x 6.2M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 1,850 Berths: 132 (cabins) Cars: 700 |
| Engines Speed |
4 x Sulzer diesel engines 21kts |
| Route | Dover – Calais |
Isle of Inisheer
| Built | 2000 Astilleros Españoles S.A. Seville, Spain |
| Size | 22,152 gt 179.95M x 25.24M x 6.5M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 589 Lane Meters: 1950 |
| Engines Speed |
4 x Wärtsilä 9L38 diesel engines 2 x Wärtsilä 6L20 diesel engines 22.5kts |
| Route | Dover – Calais |
Fast Ferries:
HSC Dublin Swift
| Built | 2001/2018 Austal Ships, Australia |
| Size | 8,403gt 101.4M x 26.65M x4.3M |
| Capacity | Passengers: 900 Cars: 251 |
| Engines Speed | 4 * Caterpillar 3618 36kts |
| Route | Dublin – Holyhead |
Built as a passenger and vehicle catamaran ferry, Westpac Express was demonstrated in 2001 to American Military Sealift Command, who signed a 3-year lease. The ship was converted to a military positioning ship.
In March 2011, the WestPac Express was deployed as part of the US response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. In recognition of this service, Admiral Mark Buzby presented the ship’s crew with United States Merchant Marine Outstanding Achievement Medal at a ceremony onboard the ship in Yokohama, Japan. Her lease was renewed successively until the end of 2017.
In April 2016 WestPac Express was sold to Irish Continental Group, who maintained the lease to the Military Sealift Command until the end of 2017.
With her charter to the US Navy completed, in January 2018 WestPac Express sailed for Belfast, for conversion to a civilian hight speed ferry. She entered service on Irish Ferries Dublin – Holyhead route in April 2018.
