Malcolm McRonald tells the story of those boats that plied the Irish Sea between Liverpool, Cork and Waterford, carrying both mails and passengers.

This is the second volume of a set of three to cover the Liverpool-based Irish Sea ferries that will ultimately prove to be the definitive work on the passenger ferries and steamers of the Irish Sea. This volume is particularly concerned with those vessels operating on the routes from Liverpool to Cork and from Liverpool to Waterford. It also describes the coastal cruises offered by some of the ships.

All the routes and services covered in this book no longer operate. Modern travel relies on short sea crossing, rather than on long routes like those from Liverpool to southern Ireland. Passengers and vehicles wishing to travel from Liverpool to Cork or Waterford can reach no further than Dublin by sea. The Cork service in particular has a most interesting pedigree which is discussed in the book.

The book covers every operator on the routes from the dawn of steamships to the current day. Using much original research this book explains the background, origins, history and ships of the major shipping companies, including the St George Steam Packet Co., the Cork Steam Ship Co., the City of Cork Steam Packet Co., Malcomson Brothers, the Waterford Steamship Co. and the Clyde Shipping Co., and will be of great interest to all those who have used Irish Boats.

Malcolm McRonald lives in the Wirral. He has been an active supporter of the Mersey ferries for the past five decades and has been interested in ships all his life. McRonald has been working on this series for the past decade and is treasurer of Friends of the Ferries and chairman of the Coastal Cruising Association.

The Irish Boats Volume 2 Liverpool to Cork and Waterford
By Malcolm McRonald
Published by Tempus Publishing
ISBN 0 7524 3884 0
Paperback, 256 pages
Price £19.99