Displaying items by tag: 5Oth anniversary

16th July 2023

P&O Ferries Celebrate 50 Years of Larne-Cairnryan Route Service Across North Channel

P&O Ferries this week celebrated its 50th anniversary of its Larne-Cairnryan route across the North Channel linking Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Since its establishment on 10 July, 1973, the Larne-Cairnryan route has played a vital role in facilitating both trade and tourism.

Over the past five decades, Larne-Cairnryan has operated 44 sailings per week, providing a crucial link between Northern Ireland and the rest of Europe.

Larne-Cairnryan has increased in significance over recent years, with trade on this route rising and the two twin ropax's operating on the route, European Highlander and European Causeway. Each ropax carrying up to 3,500 freight units per week and 370,000 passengers a year.

”We are thrilled to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Larne-Cairnryan route, a remarkable milestone for P&O Ferries, our teams on both sides of the Irish Sea, and the local community,” said Peter Hebblethwaite, CEO of P&O Ferries.

“Larne-Cairnryan has been instrumental in supporting economic growth, connecting people, and creating opportunities in Northern Ireland and Scotland. We are immensely proud of this longstanding commitment and look forward to many more years of providing our passengers and freight customers with exceptional service.”

As part of the commemorative events, P&O Ferries is hosting a celebration event at Larne Port. The ceremony features an exhibition on Larne-Cairnryan over the last 50 years, with historical photography and news clippings highlighting the impact the route has had for the last 5 decades.

To mark the event on Monday, 10 July, spot prizes were given to lucky customers arriving travelling on the ferries in addition a special menu was made available to freight drivers.

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour