Liscannor ferry company agrees sale of Doolin ferry

The sale includes two 200-passenger ferries The Star of Doolin and The Spirit of Doolin, along with the Doolin Discovery, offices and equipment, all of which will transfer to the new owners.

Liscannor Ferry Company Ltd has agreed the sale of its Doolin ferry service to Baid Farantoireachta An Chosta Teoranta, owned by the O’Brien family, it announced today.

The sale was agreed for an undisclosed sum and includes two 200-passenger ferries The Star of Doolin and The Spirit of Doolin, along with the Doolin Discovery, offices and equipment, all of which will transfer to the new owners.

Liscannor Ferry Company Ltd, known as Doolin2Aran Ferries and owned by the Garrihy family, is operated by brothers Joe, PJ, Eugene and Donie and has been a family business for over two decades.

Cliffs of Moher cruises and the Aran Island ferry service were founded in 1999. Over the past 23 years, the business has expanded to include more vessels and staff.

The ferry company sails daily to the Aran Islands from Doolin from April to the end of October or early November each year.

The company transports over 100,000 passengers a year and employs 20 full-time staff.  

Eugene Garrihy, director and owner of the Liscannor Ferry Company said, “I’d like to recognise the hard work of my brothers Joe, PJ and Donie, along with our loyal employees, in building a business that carries over 100,000 passengers per annum and contributed strongly to the economy of North Clare and the Aran Islands. It was also a pleasure to have played a role in the development of the new pier at Doolin.

“We have always had a competitive but strong working relationship with the O’Brien family throughout the years and we wish them the best for the continual growth of the business. As part of the agreement, we ensured that our employees who wish to, will transfer to the new owners.

“With the sale of the Doolin business, I look forward to devoting more of my time to expanding the Dublin Bay Cruises business. Over the past decade, we have successfully established the first cruising business in Dublin and grown it to a position where it carries more than 40,000 passengers per annum and hope to significantly expand these numbers in the coming years, concentrating on the corporate and tourism markets," he added.