The company was founded in 1973 as a joint venture between Irish Shipping, Fearnley & Eger and Swedish company Lion Ferry A/B. Originally it was Irish Continental Line. It first operated ferries between Rosslare and Le Havre (France) with the ferry St. Patrick. When Irish Shipping went into liquidation in 1984 ICL was sold off in a management buyout and took on its current name Irish Ferries.

In 1992, Irish Ferries took over the British and Irish Steampacket Company Limited, a nationalised company which traded under the name B & I Line and operated ferry services between Dublin and Holyhead as well as Liverpool and Dublin.

Over the last number of years, Irish Ferries has invested over 450 million Euro in new fleet and port facilities. Irish Ferries now have the most modern fleet in Europe including Ulysses the World's Largest Car Ferry and their Dublin Swift fast ferry. In 2002 Irish Ferries carried nearly 2 million passengers on their 4 ferry routes to and from Ireland.

In the 2004 Irish Ferries have been voted for the eighth year in succession - and the ninth time overall - Ireland's Best Ferry Company.

This award recognises the investment made by Irish Ferries over the past decade in the purchase of new ferries and in improvements to service at all levels.

Irish Ferries has adopted the motto "The Low Fares Ferry Company", reflecting the determination to offer their customers the very best in ferry fares value.

Holyhead - Dublin, Fast Ferry Dublin Swift
The high speed ferry has been named after one of Dublin's famous literary figures, Jonathan Swift. The Dublin Swift was built in 1998/99 in Australia by Austal Ships, one of the world's leaders in fast ferry design and construction. On board you will find a choice of facilities, including a bar and restaurant, a bureau de change, a gaming area, TV Lounge and a gift shop. The service operates all year round with up to two sailings per day. The average sailing time is 1 hours 49 min.

Holyhead - Dublin, Car Ferry Ulysses
The worlds largest car ferry Ulysses was named in honour of the book Ulysses written by the famous author James Joyce, who was born in a suburb of Dublin. The Ulysses was built in 2000 in Finland by Aker Finnyards. The onboard facilities and attractions include a bar and cafe, an entertainment centre and a shopping arcade. The service operates throughout the year with up to two sailings per day. The sailing time is 3 hours 15 min.

Pembroke - Rosslare, Ferry Isle of Inishmore
The Isle of Inishmore was named after the small island Inishmore off the west coast of Ireland. The Isle of Inishmore was built in Holland in Rotterdam and entered service in October 1996 on the Dublin-Holyhead route. In 2001 it began service on the Rosslare-Pembroke route. The Isle of Inishmore's wide range of facilities includes a restaurant, a Children's Play Area and a shop. The service operates throughout the year with up to two sailings per day. The crossing time is 3 hours 45 min.

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