This article is from page 21 of the 2012-06-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
IRELAND’S first ever mainland ferry commuter service will begin in Ballyvaughan this Monday, June 25, with the first official sailing of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop.
The service will run a week-long trial service to coincide with the final of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway, with plans to extend the service to a full-time commuter sailing if the demand exists.
Early indications are encouraging for the organisers, with a number of sailings already booked out. The service is designed to a business model which would see Clare commuters using the ferry to get to work in Galway City, with tourists making the return leg of the sailing.
“It is very exciting. We have been waiting a long time for this to happen so it is very exciting now,” said founder of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop, Gwen Ryan.
“It will be running for a week but already we can see that the demand and the interest is there. People have been booking tickets already, especially coming from the Clare side. To date, we only have a few tickets booked from Galway across but the main target audience for this is tourists who may not even have arrived in Galway yet to book their tickets.
“We have heavy booking on the service from Clare over to Galway and a couple of sailings are already booked out.
“For instance, the Saturday sailing, over in the morning to the Volvo Ocean Race, and back again in the evening is already fully booked out.”
A number of tourist operators in Ballyvaughan are offering discounts to people who use the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop during the trial week in operation.
The “fast ferry” service will be operated by Rib West who are a fully licensed enclosed passenger rib provider.
The vessel can hold just 10 people during each crossing, which makes early booking a priority.
The Ballyvaughan Bay Hop will run three return services each day between Monday and Friday, June 25 to 29. These services will depart the New Pier in Ballyvaughan at 7.45am, 12.30pm and 5.30pm, with the return sailings coming from Galway Harbour at 8.45am, 1.30pm and 6pm.
Three sailing will also take place on June 30, to coincide with the Volvo Ocean Race.
For more information on the service or to book tickets, visit www. ballyvaughanbayhop.com, email res erveyourseat@ballyvaughanbayhop. com or ring 086 8102090.