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We’d love to be able to publish the news that the Ferry Service has been restored and is now operating normally again - but, so far, Swansea Cork ferries haven’t obliged!
One of the most frustrating things about the whole business is the almost complete lack of ‘news’ about the situation. In a ‘news vacuum’, rumours breed like rabbits - and everybody suspects the worst scenario.
We’ll try to keep this page updated with whatever news there is about the Ferry - but if you get to hear something before we do, please let us know.
We also send out an email newsletter (Read our newletters here - June 2008, May 2008) to people who have requested it - including everybody who has given us their email address through the e-petition page.
If you’d like to receive the newsletter - please contact us.
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7th July 2008
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“World support for Cork’s fight for return of ferry” - Evening Echo
Helen Walsh with some interesting statistics about the Ferry campaign.- here.
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3rd July 2008
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“New Mayor to press for revival of ferry” - Cork Examiner
Noel Harrington - new Cork County mayor, pledges his support for our campaign.Thanks Noel ! See the article here
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29th June 2008
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“Cork waits for its ship to come in”
- an interesting piece by Conor Power in the Tribune.
"It's certainly a profitable route; we've no doubt about that… We're determined to get the route back up and running.
It's almost like a crusade at this stage – the region needs a ferry."
- quote from Capt. Michael McCarthy - Commercial Manager - Port of Cork
See the article here
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May 2008
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Ryanair accepts subsidy for Kerry (airport) route
From the Independant back on May 16 2008
- isn’t it odd how subsidies seem to be available for airports but not for ferries?
RYANAIR last night belatedly confirmed it had taken the Government up on its offer of multi-million euro subsidies to run flights from Dublin to Kerry.
Having previously slammed the subsidies as "extraordinarily excessive and wasteful", the low-cost carrier said its tenure on the route would slash €1.3m from the grants bill over the next three years. That saving implies Ryanair will be paid a subsidy of €7.5m for running the service, under a grant from a public service obligation (PSO) fund.
The low-cost carrier was initially offered the Dublin/Kerry route on Tuesday, snatching the lucrative contract from incumbent Aer Arann.
In a statement last night, however, Ryanair confirmed it had formally taken up the offer and would double the capacity on the Dublin/Kerry service to 400,000 seats annually when the route kicks off on July 22.
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5th June 2008
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Bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com is Front Page News
in the Southern Star !
Many thanks to Frank O’Donovan for the great piece on the front of this weeks’ Southern Star - read it here.
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27th May 2008
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“We’re confident that the Route has great potential” - Port of Cork Commercial Manager Michael McCarthy in this ‘good news / bad news’ article from the Cork Evening Echo. Read the whole article here.
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1st June 2008
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Full Steam Ahead - the story so far...
It’s the start of a new month, and traditionally the start of the summer ‘high season’ when the towns and villages of West Cork should be filled with happy visitors from ‘up country’ and overseas. It’s a promising time, full of hope and opportunity - and a good time to reflect on ‘the story so far’ for our campaign to restore the Swansea Cork ferry.
It’s barely six weeks since this website was created - and in that time we’ve been delighted by the response we’ve received.
We’ve had some media coverage (although, in the early weeks of the campaign we concentrated on filling the website with useful content rather than courting the media). We’ve even been mentioned in the leading UK Newpaper - the Telegraph (even if they did manage to get the website address wrong!) Over the following months - look out for more media coverage as we crank up the publicity.
News of our campaign has spread far and wide - largely due of word-of-mouth (or whatever the online equivalent is..) We’ve had thousands of visitors to the website, from more than 50 countries - and many of them (more than 550 to date) have left us messages of encouragement on our e-petition pages.
Speaking at one of his popular monthly Farmers Markets, John Hosford (campaign co-organiser - Hosfords Garden Centre, Clonakilty) said
The level of positive responses we’ve had so far proves what a vital issue this is for people and businesses in West Cork and Kerry. We must now bring pressure to bear on our elected representatives to get the ferry service restored for 2009.
The recent events with the ‘Christian IV’ prove that there are local operators who are interested in reviving the service - and we, the people of West Cork, need to show our support.
The ‘Help Us!’ page on our website gives contact details for our local Councillors and TDs - it would be great if we could all drop them an email or write a short letter - just to let them know how strongly we feel about having the ferry restored.
As the holiday season approaches - now is an ideal time for all of us who have contact with tourists to spread the words about the campaign.
Please download the car/window/whatever sticker - and display it in your b&b’s, shops, hotels, markets - and encourage more people to sign the e-petition.
If you need any help with organising publicity - please contact us, and we;ll do whatever we can.
Together we can make this work !
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23rd May 2008
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“So near and yet so far !”
Disappointing news today for the restoration of the Swansea-Cork ferry service, as the vessel that several Irish groups were hoping to purchase (the Christian IV) was sold to a Russian company for €13m.
Captain Michael McCarthy from the Port of Cork explained
“I am very frustrated - we have spent a considerable amount of time and money assisting with the negotiations on this vessel - and to have them fail at this late stage is very annoying. Unless the Cork-Kerry region really gets its act together suitable vessels like the Christian IV will again be lost to the region.
It is imperative that a focus is established to re-establish the route.”
Please do what you can to help - without your support, we will not be able to get the service restored - which will have dire consequences for the Tourist industry in the South-West.
Please sign our e-petition, and spread the word amongst your friends and colleagues.
Lobby your local Council & Government representatives, find their contact information on our ‘Help Us!’ page.
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21st May 2008
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“Swansea-Cork Ferry service could be viable on a year-round basis” - Transport Minister - Noel Dempsey
Jim O’Keefe TD (Cork South-West) raised the issue of the Swansea-Cork ferry in the Dail. “To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns regarding the continuing delay in the re-establishment of the Cork-Swansea ferry route, and if he will make a statement on the matter.” and “To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the re-establishment of the Cork Swansea ferry; the efforts being made in this regard; the supports available; and if he will make a statement on the matter”
After due deliberation, the Minister Noel Dempsey responded
“The Cork Swansea Ferries Company suspended its services in 2007, I can appreciate the concerns that have been expressed in the region in response to this development. However, as Minister, I have no direct role in the provision of such a service.
I understand that a number of interested parties and stakeholders have been in discussions with the Port of Cork Company about the possibility of commencing a new passanger and freight service out of the port.
I am informed that a commercial examination of the route has been carried out by the Port of Cork Company. This indicates that, subject to procuring a suitable vessel, the service could be feasible on a year-round basis.
The Port of Cork Company will certainly do what it can to facilitate the resumption of the service.
As Minister for Transport, I feel it is important that the market offers a diverse range of maritime links in and out of the State. This is vital to facilitate trade and tourism. I certainly hope that the current efforts show that the service is commercially viable and that it can be resumed as soon as possible.”
I’m sure we all agree with Noel. If you’d like to drop him a quick email to let him know your views - his email address is in our ‘Help Us!’ section.
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14th May 2008
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This Campaign featured in the Irish Post
“The new Taoiseach and his freshly-installed cabinet will get a crash course in the plight suffered by West Cork business people and English tourists alike since the controversial removal of the SwanseaCork ferry service.”
- read the full article here
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12th May 2008
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Open Letter to An Taoiseach from John Hosford - sent 12th May 2008
Mr. Brian Cowen,T.D.,
Office of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Dublin 2.
Dear Taoiseach,
Congratulations on your election as Taoiseach.
I wish you well on your tenure in office and wish you every success.
I would like to draw your attention to the absence of a direct passenger ferry link to the U.K. from Cork.
This is a grave disadvantage to the whole South-west region as well as to our cross-channel neighbours in Wales and the U.K.
The withdrawal of the Swansea/Cork Ferry cuts off this whole region from our nearest and traditionally most important market with access to some 60 million people and additionally to the Continent with many people travelling via the landbridge of the U.K. Ports .
The tourist industry in the region is suffering substantially due to this ostracisation with social consequences as well for the traditional strong links between the 2 islands.
The ferry needs immediate restoration if the Tourist Industry is to survive, be viable and grow into the future.
The loss of this service is all the more important now because with weight restrictions on aircraft - people need to freedom to bring their own vehicles to transport goods between these 2 neighbouring countries.
I would like to draw your attention to our website
-www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com.
This website will give you a flavour and scope of the depth of feeling that abounds on this most highly and topical subject in the region.
I urge you & your Ministers to raise this matter to the very top of your agenda and do everything in your power to facilitate the return of a high quality passenger ferry service to the U.K..
I am fully aware there are two senior Cabinet Ministers in Cork and would expect nothing less than the highest priority for this most vital issue to the South-west economy.
This issue is about the survival and vibrancy of the tourist industry, regional equity and share-out of the tourism cake and injecting life, vibrancy and survival of rural communities.
This service once restored brings immediate benefits- to retailers, guesthouses, hotels, activity providers and a whole cross-section of the local economy..
The picturesque rural landscapes and seascapes of the South-West are crying out for return of this vital lifeline. The more western parts of this region in the dramatic peninsulas need this service. The whole journey to Rosslare is far too tortuous and people won’t travel to the region where they have a punishing 6 or 7 hour journey.
The area is losing an estimated 37million euro a year due to the suspension of this service. This service is capable of sustaining jobs, it is an immediate financial injection to the region and most importantly will create and sustain jobs where there is little or no new industrial start-ups-sustaining artisan food producers, craft producers and very specialised industries which people have carved out and created. It will provide a vital artery with lateral and substantial veins into the most remote of peninsulas and will stop rural communities from falling into decline and dying.
We urge you to give this matter your most urgent and early attention and exhibit your support of equitable tourism development by the early return of a high quality, reliable and durable Swansea/Cork Ferry service. It will be warmly appreciated by all in the South-West region.
Yours sincerely,
John B.Hosford
If you agree with John’s sentiments - please sign our e-petition today
- and invite your friends and associates to do the same! Thank you...
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6th May 2008
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Double-page feature article in the Cork Evening Echo - gives considerable background details and history of the Swansea-Cork ferry.
Fascinating reading and great support from the Echo - find it here (large file - might take a little while to load....)
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27th April 2008
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Front Page article in the Cork Evening Echo highlighting the campaign.
Thanks folks! Read it here.
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26th April 2008
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Swansea-Cork Ferries website still down !
Exactly a week ago we reported that the Swansea-Cork Ferries website had disappeared overnight - and speculated on what the reasons could be behind this.
Nowadays, your company website is like a shop window - you’d like to keep the glass clean, and dust out any dead insects that might have accumulated.
Before it disappeared, the old website hadn’t been updated for over a year
- but at least it was there (even if there were a lot of dead flies on display!)
An email from Swansea-Cork Ferries on the 23rd April stated
Great thing, tomorrow - but it never comes..... if anything, their site’s even more broken now that it was before...
If the company can’t get a little thing right like setting up a website - what hope do they have of doing something really complicated, like running a ferry service ??
These ‘little things’ are important - it’s all about public relations, commitment, capability and doing what you say you’re going to do.......
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22nd April 2008
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What’s actually been going on since October 2007 ?
In a fascinating interview with us today, Councillor Dermot Sheehan outlined the events surrounding the ferry from October 2007 - February 2008. Dermot has been taking every opportunity to highlight the issue of the Swansea Cork ferry at meetings of Cork County Council...
“Between October 2007 and the end of February 2008, negotiations were going on to put the Ferry service in place for 2008. I was in constant contact with the Port of Cork authorities. It was felt that, because of the delicate nature of the negotiations it was best to let them develop unhindered.
A suitable boat was identified, but a last-minute 5-month delay in the boat that was due to replace it prevented the boat from being available for the Swansea-Cork route this year. The increase in the cost of fuel also affected the financial projections, but this we felt we could overcome. We have a commitment from Cork County Council to help financially with the marketing of the service.
It is now imperative that we secure a boat for 2009 and put everything in place.
It is reported that Deputy Michael Martin (Minister for Trade & Employment) plans to spend €17.3 million this year on advice from outside consultants - which is only a part of the total €88.4 million ‘consultants’ budget.
I am not a consultant but I can tell the Government (for free!) that the tourism industry in West Cork is in crisis.
I have asked the Government to show their support for the Swansea-Cork ferry route and tourism in the South-West by making available the relatively tiny amount of €1 million to be used as a non-returnable deposit to secure a suitable craft for 2009. This would allow for proper marketing to be put in place for a successful and profitable service next year.
To secure a boat now is the No1 priority - once that is done the remainder of the jigsaw will fall into place, and the future of our tourist industry will be a little more secure.”
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19th April 2008
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Swansea Cork Ferries website disappears !
In a fascinating development late this week, the Swansea Cork Ferries website at
www.swanseacorkferries.com
was taken down and replaced by an ‘engineering’ page hosted by the domain registrar.
The website had remained unchanged since the ferry was abruptly cancelled in late 2006 - but this week it disappeared altogether.
Quite what this means is not clear - maybe ‘somebody’ from Swansea Cork ferries has realised that the site is out of date and it has been taken down so that it can be updated. However this is an unusual ( if not inept !) way of doing things - and it does make you wonder whether the timing is purely coincidental - given the recent discussions (reported below) on the future of the ferry - and the recent creation of this website.
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April 2008
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Forum to re-establish ferry route proposed - Irish Examiner reports
CORK County Council was “hoodwinked” into believing there was no EU funding for a tourist ferry to Britain, it has been claimed.
Former county mayor John O’Shea proposed the setting-up of a public forum to re-establish the Cork Swansea ferry link.
A new ferry had been promised last year, he said, and everybody took the commitment in the good faith it was given.
“The ferry was due to be up and running this year,” said the Fine Gael councillor. “But we were too trustworthy and, this year, there is no ferry and there are severe pressure points in the tourist industry in West Cork.” .... more
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November 2007
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Swansea to Cork ferry link may reopen - Irish Examiner reports
A THIRD company is examining the possibility of reopening the Swansea-Cork ferry link, it emerged last night..... more
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October 2007
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Support for plan to refloat Cork ferry- Western Mail
THE loss of a ferry service from Wales to Cork has cost some Irish businesses up to 50% of their incomes, it has been claimed.
Cork county councillor Dermot Sheehan told a meeting of Cork County Council this week the loss of the service was catastrophic for some tourist businesses, especially those in West Cork.
In its past three years of operation, the ferry brought 285,250 passengers and more than 108,000 cars into Cork. more
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09/01/2007
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Swansea Cork Ferries - Government Press Release
John O'Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, today (9th January, 2007) expressed his regret at the decision taken by Swansea Cork Ferries to cancel its service for 2007 with the regrettable reported loss of some 30 direct jobs.
"I am particularly disappointed that this decision has been taken by the company, not apparently for commercial reasons, but due to the failure to find a replacement vessel for the M V Superferry which was sold last October. I was not made aware in advance of the company's announcement but I have asked Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to report to me on the implications for tourism of the withdrawal of this service", the Minister said. "At a time of strong growth in international tourism arrivals and good prospects for the year ahead, it is a blow to lose a direct sea route to Cork and the South West."
"While not wishing to minimise the importance of this service, I understand that it represents no more than 3% of overall tourism business into the region." (our italics)
"Access links to the island of Ireland by air and sea have never been stronger and my expectation is that the capacity which has been lost can be made up on alternative routes, either on the Irish sea southern corridor or through direct air services to the South and South West. The overall economic impact of the cancellation of the service, therefore, may well be considerably less than reported, as there is plenty of alternative choice for the consumer", Minister O'Donoghue concluded.
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September 2007
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Swansea-Cork ferry return hopes rise - Western Mail
FRESH hopes that the ferry link between Swansea and Ireland will be reinstated were on the horizon for tourists and businesses last night.
Cork Port Authority said a number of operators were looking for a ship to re-establish the suspended Swansea-Cork Ferry service...more
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If you have a story to tell (like the ones on our ‘my story’ page) - please email us - and we’ll add your experiences to our website...
To show your support for our campaign - please support our ‘e-petition’ here and we’ll add your email address to our e-newsletter and keep you up-to-date with any developments.
If you’d like an entry on our Links page - please email us.
If you hear anything about plans to bring back the ferry - please email us with the details.
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