Fans plans blown off course by bad weather
Four ferry sailings were cancelled yesterday, including three from Dublin, while another set for early this morning has already been cancelled due to bad weather at sea.
Other sailings are also in jeopardy, although most fans have been accommodated on other, slower sailings.
Despite this, many supporters fear travel chaos if more ferry crossings are cancelled today.
Chris Walsh from Blackrock, Cork, travelled across from Rosslare yesterday on a ferry which accommodated some passengers from a fast ferry that had been unable to leave port.
“There was oceans of room,” he said. “But it depends on what ferries go on Friday. If a few of them are cancelled it could be tight.”
A spokesman for Rosslare Port said, however, officials expected everyone to be transported to the game.
Vincent O’Shea of Met Éireann said winds touching storm force and driving rain would severely hamper ferry crossings today.
“Winds could be touching storm force tonight on the south coast of the Bristol Channel,” he said. “I would foresee problems.”
Spokesman for Irish Ferries Don Hall said while a number of today’s sailings have yet to be confirmed because of weather concerns, fans should still be able to get to the match.
“We have no worries at all that people won’t get to the match, but there might be an element of inconvenience,” he said.
The Swift ferry from Dublin to Holyhead was cancelled at 12.30pm and 3.15pm yesterday, although many passengers had been notified on Wednesday and instead travelled on earlier or later sailings yesterday.
Ferry crossings on the same route today at 7.30am, 9.50am, 12.30pm and 3.15pm have yet to be confirmed, although the Rosslare to Pembroke route is unaffected.
Stena Line yesterday cancelled its 6.30pm sailing from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead, although passengers were accommodated on the crossing at 9.15pm.
The 3pm sailing yesterday on the company’s Rosslare to Fishguard route was also cancelled due to the inclement weather and this morning’s sailing at 8am has also been pulled.
Swansea Cork Ferries, however, said their sailings were unaffected by the weather.
Chairman of the Munster Supporters Club John Rochford said he had not received any calls from fans stranded in their bid to make it to Cardiff.
“There has been no crisis yet and if there is we will manage it,” he said.
The only difficulty so far was the dash to Dublin to have the various super-sized flags and Red Army banners certified as fire retardant, after bosses at the Millennium Stadium said they would not be allowed into the ground if they presented a safety risk.
Win, lose or draw, the Munster team will return on saturday night at about 11.45pm and will spend the night in Limerick, with plans afoot for a parade through the city if they win.
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