Page 180 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

CROSSING THE IRISH SEA

By Carl H. Larsen Taking the Ferry from Ireland to Wales

e arrived in Britain through the back door,
by ferry from Ireland.
W No long delays at London’s confusing
Heathrow airport, waiting for baggage to arrive or jos-
tling for a place to sit on a packed train into town from
the airport.
Visiting the United Kingdom from Ireland may grow
more popular with tourists as Dublin lures an increas-
ing number of cruise ships making the Irish port their
departure and arrival point.
It’s an easy trip, in daylight, just lasting a morning.
The daily voyage takes roughly 3 1/2 hours, with a
choice of two large ferries transiting the Irish Sea at
virtually the same time. And it’s as easy to make the
crossing in the reverse direction, from Wales to Dublin.
Leaving the port of Dublin, the ships arrive in Holy-
head, Wales, within minutes of each other. There, a
short shuttle bus ride brings passengers to the train
station, where a connecting high-speed train makes
the five-hour journey to London, or points in between in
Wales and England.
Dublin’s busy port is located just east of the city’s
center.
At 7 a.m., bound for a departure, my wife Sharon and
I pulled up by taxi to the Irish Ferries terminal. For a
small fee, we could have taken a connecting bus from
central Dublin, but heavily laden with baggage, we
decided that arriving by taxi was best.
Tickets in hand, we dropped our suitcases off (no
extra fees) and then headed aboard the ship. From
our vantage point aboard, we could see a long line of
trucks (“lorries”) and cars being driven aboard the vehi-
cle decks of the huge ship.
Operated by Irish Ferries, this ship is named Ulysses
after the famous novel by Irish writer James Joyce.
It has a variety of welcoming features, from a video
arcade, large arcade, restaurants, and even cabins.
There’s an extra-fare lounge serving complimentary

Ulysses (center), with Irish Ferries’ Isle of Inishmore
(top) and the Dublin Swift.

180 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018