Irish Ships and Shipping 

www.irishships.com

BRITISH & IRISH STEAM PACKET CO.
(B+I LINE) 

©AIDEN MC CABE

THE COMPANY WAS FORMED BY A GROUP OF DUBLIN BUSINESS MEN IN 1836, AFTER A MEETING IN THE COMMERICAL BUILDINGS IN DAME STREET DUBLIN.

THEIR FIRST SHIPS WERE THE WOODEN PADDLE STEAMES- SHANNON, THE 
DEVONSHIRE, AND THE CITY OF LIMERICK, EACH AROUND 400 TONS.
IN THE LATE 1840S THEY INVESTED IN IRON SCHOONERS, THE FIRST BEING THE ROSE, AND THE SHAMROCK, BOTH OF WHICH HAD SCREW PROPELLERS. THESE SHIPS RAN TO  FALMOUTH-TORQUAY-SOUTHAMPTON-PORTSMOUTH AND LONDON.
BY THE 1850S MORE SHIPS WERE NEEDED AND THEY ACQUIRED THE FOYLE, THE NILE AND THE LADY EGLINTON ALL IRON SCREW STEAMERS WITH THE LAST TWO BEING BUILT FOR THE COMPANY.

IN 1860 THEY ACQUIRED THE SMALL PADDLE STEAMER "MARS" FROM THE WATERFORD STEAMSHIP CO. FOR THE DUBLIN-WEXFORD-WATERFORD SERVICE. THIS LASTED TILL 1863 WHEN SHE WAS SOLD TO AN AMERICAN COMPANY; WHO EVENTULLY USED HER AS BLOCKADE RUNNER FOR THE CONFEDERATES IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR!

ALSO IN 1860 THE COMPANY MOVED FROM THEIR EDEN QUAY OFFICES (WHERE THE COMPANY CREST STILL SURVIVES) TO NO.46 NORTH WALL.
IN THE LATE 1860s THEY ORDERED NEW SHIPS FROM WALPOLE, WEBB & CO. OF DUBLIN, THESE WERE THE LADY WODEHOUSE (843 TONS), AND THE COUNTESS OF DUBLIN (760 TONS).

IN 1870 THEY BOUGHT THE LONDON SERVICE OFF THE WATERFORD STEAMSHIP CO., WHICH GAVE THEM A MONOPOLY ON THIS ROUTE. THEY ALSO ACQUIRED THE AVOCO (824 TONS), AND THE CYMBA (654 TONS) FROM THE WATERFORD CO.

 IN 1878 THEY ORDERED THEIR LAST IRON SCREW STEAMER THE LADY OLIVE (1,031 TONS) FROM A & J INGLIS OF SCOTLAND. OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS SOME OF THE SHIPS THEY ACQUIRED WERE:
THE LADY MARTIN—1888 (1,245 TONS)
THE LADY HUDSON-KINAHAN--- 1891 (1,368 TONS)
THE LADY WOLSELEY---1894 (1,450 TONS)
THE LADY ROBERTS--- 1897 (1,462)
THE LADY GWENDOLEN 1911 (2,163 TONS)

DURING THE 1ST. WORLD WAR THEY HAD TWO SHIPS BUILT FOR THE DUBLIN-LONDON ROUTE, THE LADY WIMBORNE (1,542 TONS) BUILT IN SCOTLAND AND THE LADY CLOE (1,581 TONS) BUILT IN MIDDLESBROUGH. THESE COULD ACCOMMODATE 70 PASSENGERS AND CALLED AT FALMOUTH-TORQUAY AND SOUTHAMPTON.

IN 1917 THE LIVERPOOL SHIPPING CO. OF POWELL, BACON AND HOUGH WERE TAKEN OVER BY THE KYLSANT ROYAL MAIL COMPANY AND RENAMED COAST LINES. BY THE END OF 1917 COAST LINES HELD ALL THE SHARES IN THE B+I LINE. COAST LINES GROUP INCLUDED:
CITY OF CORK STEAM PACKET CO.
THE BELFAST STEAMSHIP CO.
BURNS & LAIRD
CITY OF DUBLIN STEAM PACKET CO. (TAKEN OVER IN 1920)
TEDCASTLE, McCORMACK OF DUBLIN (1919)
THE DUBLIN AND LANCASHIRE SHIPPING CO. (1922)
DUNDALK & NEWRY STEAM PACKET CO. (1926)

IN 1923 THE LADY LOUTH (1,870 TONS) WAS DELIVERED FROM THE ADROSSAN 
DOCKYARD WHO ALSO DELIVERED THE LADY LIMERICK (1,945 TONS) AND THESE SHIPS TOOK UP THE NIGHTLY SERVICE BETWEEN DUBLIN AND LIVERPOOL. THEY HAD ACCOMMODATION FOR 80 FIRST CLASS AND 90 STEERAGE PASSENGERS.

IN 1929 THE LADY MUNSTER 1,871 TONS (FORMLY THE GRAPHIC) TOOK UP THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL SERVICE AND WAS FOLLOWED BY THE LADY CONNAUGHT 1,869 TONS (EX.HEROIC) AND THE LADY LEINSTER 2,254 TONS (EX.PATRIOTIC). ALSO IN 1929 THE COMPANY TOOK DELIVERLY OF THE CATTLE BOAT LADY MEATH 1,598 TONS.

THE EARLY 1930s SAW THE DEPRESSION AT ITS DEEPEST AND SHIPPING ALL OVER THE WORLD SUFFERED, HOWEVER COAST LINES REMAINED BUOYANT AND PROFITABLE. IN 1936 THE COMPANY OFFERED A CONTROLLING INTEREST IN THE B+I LINE TO THE IRISH GOVERNMENT BUT THEY DECLINED AND B+I REMAINED WITH COAST LINES.

IN 1937 THE TWIN SCREW MOTOR VESSEL LEINSTER 4,300 TONS WAS DELIVERED FROM HARLAND & WOLFF OF BELFAST AND IN 1938 THE MUNSTER 4,300 TONS FOLLOWED. TWO NEW CATTLE CARRIERS WERE ALSO BUILT AT THIS TIME, THE KILKENNY 1,320 TONS BUILT BY THE LIFFEY DOCKYARD IN 1937 AND THE DUNDALK 630 TONS FROM ADROSSAN IN SCOTLAND.

DURING THE 2ND. WORLD WAR THE B+I LOST 2 PASSENGER SHIPS, THE INNISFALLAN SANK BY A GERMAN BLITZ ON LIVERPOOL IN 1940, AND THE MUNSTER SANK BY A MINE OF THE BAR IN LIVERPOOL ALSO IN 1940.

AFTER THE WORLD THE LONGFORD (EX.LADY CONNAUGHT) AND THE LOUTH (EX.LADY MUNSTER) WERE USED ON THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL ROUTE.
IN 1948 THEY TOOK DELIVERY OF TWO NEW PASSENGER VESSELS THE MUNSTER AND THE LEINSTER, BOTH 4,115 TONS. ON THE CORK-FISHGUARD SERVICE A NEW INNISFALLAN 3,705 TONS WAS DELIVERED FROM DENNYS OF SCOTLAND. 

IN 1959 THE B+I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE LIFFEY DOCKYARD BUILT MEATH 1,550 TONS TO CARRY CATTLE AND SHEEP BETWEEN DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER. IN 1960 THEY ACQUIRED THE WICKLOW 600 TONS FOR GENERAL CARGO.

WHEN THE IRISH GOVERNMENT TOOK OVER THE B+I IN 1965 (INCLUDING THE CITY OF CORK STEAM PACKET CO.) IT CAME WITH 10 PASSENGER AND CARGO VESSELS OWNED BY THE COMPANY. THESE INCLUDED THE MUNSTER-LEINSTER AND THE INNISFALLAN ALL BUILT  JUST AFTER THE WAR. 

THE IRISH TRANSPORT MINISTER ESKINE CHILDERS (LATER PRESIDENT OF IRELAND) APPOINTED NEW DIRECTORS WHO THEN SET ABOUT ORDERING NEW VESSELS TO REPLACE THE THREE OLDER PASSENGER SHIPS.
 
THEY TOOK DELIVERY OF THE M.V.MUNSTER (5000 TONS-1000 PASSENGERS AND 220 CARS) FROM THE NOBISKRUG YARD IN RENSBURG GERMANY IN 1968.THIS ORDER HAD BEEN ORIGINALITY PLACED BY LOIN FERRY OF SWEDEN. THE INNISFALLAN (5000 TONS) FOLLOWED FROM THE SAME YARD IN 1969, WITH THE LEINSTER (5000 TONS-1200 PASSENGERS-240 CARS) BUILT BY THE VEROLME DOCKYARD IN CORK USING THE NOBISKRUG PLANS AND DELIVERED IN 1969.

THE FIRST SAILING BY THE NEW MUNSTER FROM LIVERPOOL, ON THE 15 MAY 1968 TOOK 6HR.30MINS. 3 HOURS QUICKER THAN THE PREVIOUS MUNSTER. 

IN MAY 1969 THE INNISFALLAN BEGAN A NEW SERVICE FROM THE TIVOLI BERTH IN CORK TO A NEW BERTH IN SWANSEA, AND THE LEINSTER STARTED ON THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL ROUTE IN JULY 1969.

IN THE 1970s THE COMPANY'S FREIGHT SHIPS WERE OPERATING WELL. THE 
KILKENNY-TIPPERARY-AND THE WICKLOW WERE RUNNING WITH CONTAINERS TO ROTTERDAM AND FLEETWOOD WEEKLY. THE KILDARE TO LIVERPOOL AND THE CHARTERED NANOMARK TO LE HAVRE.

IN 1978 THE COMPANY ORDERED A BOEING JETFOIL (257 SEATS) FOR THE DUBLIN LIVERPOOL ROUTE. (THEY HAD THOUGHT OF USING HOVERCRAFT AND EVEN SET UP A COMPANY CALLED IRISH SEA HOVERCRAFT.) IT BEGAN ITS SERVICE AS THE "CU NA MARA" IN EARLY 1980 TAKING 3HR.-10MINS. AND MAKING TWO RETURN TRIPS A DAY.

BUT THE HIGH OPERATING COASTS AND LOW PASSENGER FIGURES COMBINED WITH HER PERFORMANCE IN BAD WEATHER LED TO HER BEEN SOLD AND THE SERVICE SHUT DOWN. AS OF APRIL 2002 SHE WAS STILL SAILING IN JAPAN AS THE GINGA BETWEEN NIIGATA AND SADO ISLANDS.

ON THE 22 MAY 1979 THE M.V.CONNACHT (6,800 TONS—1,500 PASSENGERS—350 CARS) WHICH HAD BEEN LAUNCED THE YEAR BEFORE FROM VEROLME DOCKYARD BEGAN A NEW SERVICE TO PEMBROKE FROM CORK. THE INNISHFALLAN WAS SOLD TO CORSICA FERRIES AND RENAMED CORSICA VIVA.

THE COMPANY THEN STARTED A ROSSLARE—PEMBROKE SERVICE WITH A SERIES OF CHARTERED SHIPS INCLUDING THE VIKING 111 AND THE STENA NORDICA. THEY THEN SENT THE CONNACHT ON TO THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL RUN AND SWITCHED THE LEINSTER ON TO THE CORK RUN ON 3 SAILINGS A WEEK.

IN 1980 THE COMPANY ORDERED A NEW VESSEL FROM VEROLME DOCKYARD. A NEW LEINSTER (6.900 TONS –1500 PASSENGERS AND 350 CARS.) TOOK UP THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL SERVICE IN JULY 1981 UNDER THE COMMAND OF COMMODORE GERALD BARRY, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN IN COMMAND OF THE MUNSTER-THE INNISFALLAN, THE LEINSTER 68 AND THE CONNACHT ON THEIR MAIDEN VOYAGES.

 (COMMODORE BARRY AGED 64 SADLY DIED IN 1982 A FEW HOURS AFTER RECEIVING A RETIREMENT PRESENTATION ON BOARD THE LEINSTER IN LIVERPOOL, HE HAD BEEN AT SEA 47 YEARS.)

IN 1981 THE COMPANY REPORTED A LOSS OF 7.5 MILLION AND DECIDED THAT THEY HAD TO RATIONALISE. ONE WAY THAT THEY ACHIEVED THIS WAS TO HAVE THE INNISFALLAN COVER BOTH ROUTES TO AND FROM PEMBROKE.

IN 1981 THE COMPANY WANTED TO START A NEW SERVICE TO HOLYHEAD FROM DUBLIN, BUT MET WITH A LOT OF OPPOSITION FROM THE SEALINK OWNED PORT.  ON THE 2ND.MARCH 1982 THE SEALINK STAFF IN SMALL BOATS BLOCKED THE CONNACHT FROM DOCKING AT HOLYHEAD, DOING THE SAME TO THE LEINSTER ON THE 9TH.  THE CREW OF THE MUNSTER THEN BLOCKED SEALINK'S ST.DAVID FROM DOCKING IN DUN-LAOGHAIRE. EVENTUALLY THIS WAS RESOLVED AND A NEW SERVICE BEGAN BETWEEN DUBLIN AND HOLYHEAD.

IN JANUARY 1983 THE COMPANY WANTED TO CLOSE THE CORK SERVICE BUT 
FOLLOWING PRESSURE FROM THE IRISH GOVERNMENT THEY DECIDED TO KEEP IT GOING. THEY CHARTERED THE SILJA LINES FENNIA TO COVER THE SUMMER SEASON, BUT BY THE END OF THE SUMMER THEY HAD LOSS'ES OF £2 MILLION. THE SERVICE WAS THEN CLOSED DOWN.

THE MUNSTER WAS SOLD TO A COMPANY IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND RENAMED FARAH 1, LATER SHE WAS SOLD ON TO CHINA WHERE AS OF 1999 SHE WAS STILL SAILING AS THE TIAN PENG.

IN 1983 THE B+I WERE FORCED TO MOVE THEIR PASSENGER SHIPS FROM TRAFALGAR DOCK TO BROCKLEBANK DOCK BY THE MERSEY DOCK CO., WHO WERE LOSING £1 MILLION A YEAR KEEPING TRAFALGAR OPEN. ON THE 18 OCTOBER 1983 THE CONNACHT MADE THE LAST SAILING FROM TRAFALGAR WITH THE LEINSTER MAKING THE FIRST TRIP TO BROCKLEBANK.

IN 1985 BOTH B+I AND SEALINK AGREED TO SHARE RESOURCES AND REVENUE BETWEEN THEM, IN THE HOPE OF MAXIMINING PROFITS AND CURTAILING LOSS. ON THE B+I SIDE THE CONNACHT CONCENTRATED ON THE HOLYHEAD ROUTE WITH THE LEINSTER'S MORNING DEPARTURE FROM DUBLIN TO LIVERPOOL AND A RETURN TRIP OVERNIGHT. 

1986 SAW THE CLOSURE OF THE PEMBROKE-ROSSLARE ROUTE. A NEW SERVICE 
ROSSLARE-FISHGUARD STARTED, RUN BY BOTH COMPANIES USING THE INNISFALLAN AND THE ST.BRENDAN (EX.STENA NORMANDICA). THIS WAS MARKETED AS SOUTHERN SEAWAYS.
THE INNISFALLAN WAS SOLD TO STRINTZIS LINE AND RENAMED IONIAN SUN.

IN JANUARY 1987 ALL B+I SHIPS WERE LAID UP FOR 6 WEEKS BECAUSE OF AN OFFICERS STRIKE OVER MANNING LEVELS. 

THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN B+I AND SEALINK ENDED WHEN B+I MAINTAINED THAT SEALINK HAD BROKEN IT BY USING THE STENA SAILOR (EX.DUNDALK), FOR FREIGHT TO DUN-LAOGHAIRE WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE USED DUBLIN.
ON TOP OF A DEFICIT OF £100M. THE COMPANY THEN DECIDED TO CLOSE THE LIVERPOOL SERVICE, THE FISHGUARD ROUTE WITH SEALINK, AND START A NEW SERVICE TO PEMBROKE.

THE DUBLIN-LIVERPOOL LINK OF 152 YEARS ENDED ON THE 6TH.JANUARY 1988, WITH THE CONNACHT MAKING THE LAST SAILING FROM DUBLIN.
SHE THEN MOVED TO ROSSLARE TO START THE NEW SERVICE TO PEMBROKE ON THE 12TH.JANUARY 1988.
AFTER THE SEASON ENDED THE CONNACHT WAS SOLD TO BRITANNY FERRIES AND RENAMED THE DUCHESS ANNE. (LAST HEARD OFF AS THE DUBROUNIK WORKING THE ADRIATIC).

THE COMPANY THEN USED A SERIES OF CHARTERED SHIPS ON THE ROSSLARE ROUTE INCLUDING:
ST.PATRICK 11—THE VIKING—EARL HAROLD—THE NORRONA—AND THE CRUISE MUHIBAH WHICH THE COMPANY CHARTERED BAREBOAT FOR 2 ½ YEARS AND RENAMED THE MUNSTER.

IN 1990 THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO PRIVATISE THE COMPANY. BIDS CAME FROM IRISH CONTINENAL GROUP, P+O, AND THE DANISH GROUP MAERSK. 
ON THE 1ST.JANUARY 1992 THE COMPANY WAS TAKEN OVER BY IRISH CONTINENAL GROUP.
IN 1992 THEY CHARTERED THE STENA NAUTICA FOR THE ROSSLARE ROUTE, RENAMED HER THE ISLE OF INNISFREE AND AT 20,000 TONS AND ABLE TO CARRY 1,840 PASSENGERS AND 410 CARS SHE WAS THE BIGGEST FERRY ON THE IRISH SEA.
 
IN 1993 THE INNISFREE WAS SENT ON TO THE DUBLIN-HOLYHEAD ROUTE AND THE LEINSTER TO ROSSLARE. THE LEINSTER THEN HAD HER NAME CHANGED TO THE ISLE OF INISHMORE. 

IN 1994 AN ORDER WAS PLACED WITH THE DUTCH YARD VAN DER GIESSEN-DE NOORD, FOR A 23,000-TON PASSENGER AND FREIGHT VESSEL TO REPLACE THE INNISFREE. 
DELIVERED IN 1995 THE NEW ISLE OF INNISFREE HAD THE NEW COMPANY LOGO OF IRISH FERRIES ON BOTH SIDES.

AND SO THE NAME B+I LINE WAS NOW GONE, A NAME THAT HAD LASTED FOR 159 YEARS.

©AIDEN MC CABE 2001

Acknowledments and thanks to  E.R.READER, H.P.SMYTH, F.FORDE, 
SHIPS MONTHLY, AND IRISH FERRIES.

Back to Home page