Craic On

Shame About the Foyle Ferry

Nov30

by admin on November 30, 2015 at 4:22 pm

The Foyle Ferry, which went from Greencastle to Magilligan every half hour or so, won’t be starting again in Spring.

Indeed, it seems that the ferry has been sold – so it’s not a negotiating ploy or Mexican standoff between the owners and the local councils.

That’s a great shame!

Donegal is the only county in Ireland not to have a railway.

What we have instead is the Foyle Ferry linking parts of the north to the Republic.

The railways in Ireland are heavily subsidised.

That’s something that Donegal has lost out on as it has no railways to subsidise.

So, you would think that the Government would subsidise the Foyle Ferry instead.

Not a bit of it!

Not a penny do they give.

Foyle Ferry Ticket Office at Greencastle

It was the local councils on both sides of the border who had to dip into the slim moneypots they were sent, so that they could keep the ferry alive.

However, the ferry journey is no more.

There’s not even a ferry now.

It will hit Greencastle and its businesses very hard.

Indeed, I remember one business in Greencastle telling me that ferry trade accounted for 30% of the income for the business.

That’s going to be a big hit for them.

It will hit Moville too.

On group of people who come to Moville regularly from the North said to a local restaurant owner in October “See you next Spring”.

It could be a while before they come back with their business.

Foyle Ferry at Greencastle at Greencastle Pier

The Foyle Ferry should have been an important part of cross-border co-operation after the Good Friday Agreement.

If anything was to get a grant from both Governments it was the Foyle Ferry.

However, they left it to local councils who can subsidise it no more.

Without intercession from the two national Governments the Foyle Ferry will remain closed indefinitely.

And that’s a shame!