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St. Bridget Another Former Aran Islands Ferry Departs Dublin's Grand Canal Dock In Preparation for Seasonal Bay Cruises

5th February 2023
St Bridget emerges onto the Liffey from Dublin's Grand Canal Dock basin's Buckingham Lock, following a winter-layover. The 96 passenger Dublin Bay Cruises vessel departed Dublin Port to Dun Laoghaire Harbour from where it is based for the forthcoming season. In the background Naomh Éanna (blue cover on wheelhouse) a former Aran Islands freight/ferry which recently became partially submerged in a graving dry-dock that was built more than 200 years ago.
St Bridget emerges onto the Liffey from Dublin's Grand Canal Dock basin's Buckingham Lock, following a winter-layover. The 96 passenger Dublin Bay Cruises vessel departed Dublin Port to Dun Laoghaire Harbour from where it is based for the forthcoming season. In the background Naomh Éanna (blue cover on wheelhouse) a former Aran Islands freight/ferry which recently became partially submerged in a graving dry-dock that was built more than 200 years ago. Credit: Dublin Bay Cruises-facebook

Dublin Bay Cruises St. Bridget which departed the capital and headed across the scenic bay to neighbouring Dun Laoghaire Harbour from where it is based, is preparing for another busy season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 96 passenger vessel (spelt St. Bridget) had routinely been docked in the Grand Canal Dock Basin during the winter will however see cruises resume in March, running out of Dublin, Howth and Dun Laoghaire. In addition from this harbour, evening excursions encircling Dalkey Island is another option.

During St. Bridget's departure last weekend, the vessel passed the fornlorn Naomh Éanna which in January as Afloat reported, had keeled over heavily to port while in a Georgian era graving dry dock. This one of three dry docks (the largest infilled) adjoin the basin and is where ship repair and building took place. 

The former unique CIE operated passenger /freight ferry on the Galway-Aran Islands route, has languished in the capital since withdrawn from service in 1988.

In recent years there were plans to restore the veteran vessel which awaits a more uncertain future given water damage incurred of the Liffey Dockyard 1958 built ship's rivetted hull.

As for the St. Bridget, the vessel is operated by the Garrihy family in which they used previously on Aran Islands service under the name of Galway Bay. Last year, however they sold their west of Ireland sister operation, Doolin2Aran Ferries to rivals The Doolin Ferry Co.

This operator is owned by the O’Brien family, which had the 1992 purpose built passenger/cargoship Oileáin Árann (successor of Naomh Éanna) running Galway-Aran Islands. The ferry was sold to container shipping operator Samskip and renamed the Sæfari which remains operating in Iceland.

As for Ireland's largest islands operator, Aran Island Ferries’ passenger only Saoirse na Farraige, custom built for the longest domestic ferry route entered service from Galway in 2021. Up to then, there was a 33 year absence of service following the end of Naomh Éanna's career, though there has been and continues to be a 'freight' only service run by Lasta Mara Teoranta.

St. Bridget's recent exit of the Grand Canal Basin dock involved use of Buckingham Lock, which is the only functioning lock of three. The others locks, named Camden and Westmoreland where also opened in 1796 as part of the dock basin linking Dublin with the river Shannon

When the locks were in construction and then known as the Ringsend Docks, they were the largest in the world. The development led to surrounding warehouses, factories, milling operations and gasworks lining the dock quays.

By the 1960's the use of cargoships and coasters declined from docking including use of the inner basin. This is now where Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre is sited and among the high rise buildings is Google's Dublin (EU HQ) and CIE's Grand Canal Dock (Barrow St) DART station.

With St. Bridget's recent albeit brief return to the Liffey, the 1977 built vessel formerly based in France, made a transit through the nearby raised Thomas Clarke (East-link) toll-bridge.

Once through the bridge, St. Bridget motored along the fairway channel from where notable landmarks of the port among them the container cranes, the Poolbeg chimneys, the North Bull and North Bank Lighthouses formed a mix of maritime and industrial landscapes.

This before entering the wonderful expanse of Dublin Bay, with its splendid panorama reaching far along the horizon along with the natural world of marine wildlife.

Add to all this the backdrop of the capital with its mountains and of those in Co. Wicklow.

Published in Dublin Bay
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020