#Schedule -Ireland’s longest river crossing by car ferry, operated by Shannon Ferries, have introduced a winter schedule timetable, writes Jehan Ashmore.

A winter sailing frequency on their 20 minute crossing of the estuary along the Wild Atlantic Way, between counties Clare and Kerry was introduced last weekend.

According to the operator, there will be single ferry operating with sailings from Killimer to Tarbert every hour on the hour from 7am to 7pm.

For crossings in the opposite direction, sailings from Tarbert to Killimer are every hour on the half hour from 7.30am to 7.30pm. Whereas, Sunday sailings commence two hours later.

The winter sailing continuous to 31st March, 2017, from thereon a revised schedule begins for April and May in advance of high-season traffic over the summer months.

Carrying a mix of vehicle types, including coaches and HGV’s, are a pair of UK built double-ended ro-ro half-sisters ferries. Shannon Dolphin (52 cars/350 pass) and the slightly larger Shannon Breeze, albeit in terms of a 60 vehicle capacity.

The ferries were purpose built by Appledore Shipbuilders, north Devon, during 1995 and 2000 respectively.

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#ManxWinterSchedule – Isle of Man Steam Packet's winter season sailing schedule started earlier this month.

The winter schedule sees ro-pax Ben-my-Chree operate two Heysham services daily from Monday to Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays involving one Heysham and one Liverpool (Birkenhead) sailing on each day, as she has done in recent years.

Ben-my-Chree will operate throughout the winter on this schedule, and she also has two return services to Dublin planned for Christmas, sailing to the Irish capital on the evenings of December 20th and December 27th, returning to Douglas overnight in both instances.

The fast-craft ferry Manannan will return to service on Thursday, March 26th for the 2015 summer season.

Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: 'Following the technical difficulties suffered by Manannan this summer, the repairs were completed in late September and she has been performing well since then.

'Despite having to reschedule sailings, 2014 has been a successful year in terms of passenger numbers and having opened our 2015 bookings on October 1st, early figures are very encouraging, suggesting we are on course for another successful year for passenger numbers.'

While she is in dry dock during the winter, Manannan will undergo her regular annual maintenance and overhaul.

As for the Ben-My-Chree, her next statutory dry-docking for her biennial overhaul is not due until April 2016.

#ManxWinterSchedule – The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.'s fast-ferry Manannan will take the final sailing of the 2014 summer season on her Liverpool service on Sunday, 2 November. The sailing next month marks the start of the Manx operator's winter schedule.

The winter schedule will see ro-pax ferry Ben-my-Chree operate two Heysham services per day from Monday to Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays seeing her carry out one Heysham and one Liverpool (Birkenhead) sailing on each day, as she has done in recent years.

Ben-my-Chree will operate throughout the winter on this schedule, and she also has two return services to Dublin planned for Christmas, sailing to the Irish capital on the evenings of 20 December and 27 December, returning to Douglas overnight in both instances.

Manannan will return to service on Thursday, 26 March for the 2015 summer season.

Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: 'Following the technical difficulties suffered by Manannan this summer, the repairs were completed in late September and she has been performing well since then.

'Despite having to reschedule sailings, 2014 has been a successful year in terms of passenger numbers and having opened our 2015 bookings on 1 October, early figures are very encouraging, suggesting we are on course for another successful year for passenger numbers.'

While she is in dry dock during the winter, Manannan will undergo her regular annual maintenance and overhaul. The Ben's next statutory dry docking for her biennial overhaul is not until April 2016.