Photographs © Tony Brennan 2007

The splendidly restored former Port of Cork passenger tender CILL AIRNE arrived at Dublin Port during the week beginning May 21. After serving the Port of Cork on tender duties she latterly operated as a training vessel until sold in a somewhat run down condition in 2004. [click here]. She was acquired by the Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company and extensively refitted at Cork Dockyard in 2006. She was later moved to Baltimore during spring 2006. Her apparent "Mersey Ferry" lines are enhanced by her new livery which is certain to ensure that visiting Merseysiders may continue to mistakenly identify her as a former Mersey Ferry!

Though Cill Airne was built in Ireland by the Liffey Dockyard Ltd in 1962, her marine architects being Graham and Woolnough of Liverpool who were also responsible for designing the current Mersey Ferry vessels and her sister ship BLARNA of 1961.