County Mayor welcomes luxury cruise ship to Cork

A luxury expedition cruise ship, which made its maiden voyage to Schull recently, will return to Cork next month when it visits Kinsale and Bantry harbours.

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins was on hand to welcome the cruise ship ‘Island Sky’ during its first visit to Schull.

The Noble Caledonia vessel, carrying 97 passengers attended by 63 crew, overnighted in the West Cork town with passengers boarding the Cape Clear Ferry the following morning to visit Cape Clear.

On arrival on the island they were greeted by the Birdwatch Ireland warden and guides who conducted a walking tour of the area.

Traditional Irish music band Comhaltas Baile Núis provided on board entertainment and in the afternoon passengers visited Ireland’s most southwesterly point, Mizen Head.

As is tradition, Mr Collins made a presentation to the ship’s Captain Jose Fonseca to mark the occasion of the ship’s maiden voyage to the town.

Mayor Collins said that it was an honour to welcome the vessel and its passengers to Schull.

“There was such a wonderful atmosphere on the pier as the talented traditional musicians entertained the passengers and I’m certain everyone enjoyed their trips to Cape Clear and Mizen Head.

“With 76% of cruise passengers surveyed on a visit to Ireland saying they were very or quite likely to return either on another cruise or on a holiday, Cork County Council is playing a long game here too. Showcasing West Cork’s natural, unspoilt beauty and culture to these discerning visitors will pay dividends in the future and we look forward to them returning to the region.” 

The Island Sky will return to West Cork shores in early August as part of its ‘Around The Emerald Isle’ cruise.

The ship will arrive at Kinsale harbour on August 4 before departing that evening for Bantry.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey said that expedition cruising is the fastest growing segment of the cruise industry and West Cork’s unique harbours and islands, along with its rich cultural, historical and food offerings, make it “a compelling proposition for cruise planners and their guests seeking out destinations less visited”.

He added: “The past two years have been challenging which is why it is wonderful to see cruise liners of all sizes returning to County Cork and to West Cork in particular.”