ICL LTD.

In 1973 A NEW COMPANY WAS FORMED WITH FEARNLY AND EGER OF NORWAY-- LION FERRY A/B OF SWEDEN AND I.S.L. IT WAS CALLED IRISH CONTINENTAL LINE AND STARTED A NEW SERVICE BETWEEN ROSSLARE AND LE HAVRE/CHERBOURG IN JUNE 1973 WITH THE M.V.ST.PATRICK.

In November 1986 sole ownership of the two Irish Continental Line vessels was acquired, a move which cleared the way for the completion of the sale which took place in March 1987 when a consortium of institutional investors was successful in its bid for the company.
For Irish Continental Group, as the new holding company was now known, 1987 was to be one of the most exciting in the 19 years history of the Ireland-France ferry service. Under new ownership, a big revamp began.
Irish Ferries and Belfast Ferries (then in operation) were the new operating divisions. The Board of Directors was restructured, a new Managing Director was recruited, and steps were taken to revitalise the company.
APEX fares and other incentives were introduced to give customers the benefit of discounts for early bookings. Freight customers were given a new, more competitive tariff structure. New quality standards were introduced throughout the company and the ships were refurbished to become ‘floating hotels’.
Much organisational change took place internally, and outwardly there came a change of image. A new corporate identity and logotype were introduced with strong new colour themes and a shamrock motif which featured prominently. This new design style was carried through in all the company’s promotional literature and advertising.

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Photos from Bryan Holmes 2008

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The start of the France service 1968.

M.V.Killian 1982	Photos from John Devaney





M.V.St.Patrick football 11 in Paris 1980	ST. PATRICK SOCCER SQUAD 1970s 7 sea's WINNERS.	St.Killian-V.Beech,M.O'Sullivan,A.Murphy,M.Smith
St.Patrick-A.Murphy and P.Feelin
1979 saw one of the worst storms in the last 100 years and the following photos from the Le Harve press sent in by Phil Smyth show some of the damage the St.Patrick took and the damage it caused on her car deck during her voyage from Rosslare.
	The enormous waves generated in Le Harve during the storm.

The first Irish Continental Line ro/ro passenger ferry, which opened the Rosslare to France route in 1973
as a subsidiary of Irish Shipping Ltd. has gone to the breakers in India as the Greek EXPRESS POSEIDON.
Originally ordered by Lion Ferry, AB in Bremerhaven . she was launched as the 5,456 gross SAINT PATRICK
on 17th January 1973 for Irish Continental Line. She served this route until 1982 when she was transferred to
Belfast Car Ferries, renamed SAINT COLUM 1. In 1990 she was sold to Greece , becoming in turn the
DIMITRIOS EXPRESS, POSEIDON EXPRESS 2, and finally the EXPRESS POSIEDON.