Irish Ferries

[vic mcclymont]

On the Clan MacIntyre, we arrived in Belfast for a partial discharge, no shoreside phone were installed, nearest phone about half a mile away.
Two of us decided to make our way to the phone to call our girl friends.
Made the calls heading back to the ship, we spotted a Sir Galahad type ship tied up with soldiers guarding the perimeter. We gave them a wide berth, when we heard the command you two here, initially we ignored, until the command became louder.
We walked towards two squaddies, who had their machine guns trained on us.
What you doing, making a phone call, where you from, Clan MacIntyre, which due to the tide going out had disappeared behind the loading sheds.

We were informed, despite our protestation that we were in the UK, we should at all times carry identification with us when we went ashore in Belfast.

Vic

[Tony Taylor]

Tony, I was running in and out of Belfast on a little Container ship in the early 70s {M.V. Container Enterprise } British Rail, The cook used to post hear regular a guy called himself larraty, I believe he is cruising on his own yacht somewhere now in his retirement. Do you remember the squaddies posted every 25 yards on the falls road during the troubles, It was a week before xmas and we where invited to a xmas party I cant remember if it was the seaman's mission or a church hall, As you will remember you where never fully dressed without your silver buttoned barathea jacket I remember we all had badges sown onto the top pocket, An Irish guy called me away from the bar scouse he said you are getting a lot of attention if I where you I would take that jacket with the Cheshire Regiments badge on the pocket off at least until you are leaving

We arrived in Harlands during the night and were shut down by 02.00. Chief told me I was stood down as I was being paid off. I went ashore at lunchtime and was surprised to see soldiers with sandbagged machine gun posts on dock gates. When we asked what was going on they laughed at us and asked where the feck you been, away at sea for 9 months mate, never any nearer to UK than New York. Had a good run ashore with absolutely no bother, I guess we were young and dumb.

[happy daze john in oz]

First and only ferry to Ireland 1968, from Holyhead to Dunleary.
First get the train to Holyhead then suffer the crush of people going your way.

Rough sea, poor food on offer, expensive grog.

After that flying in my mind was the only way.

[Captain Kong]

I do not like to go to N or S of that land.
In Belfast one night we moored at No.1 Jetty to discharge 5.000 tons of Av Gas,
we connected up and the man on the jetty had a problem opening the valve, then it sheered off, so we could not discharge, He told us to go to No,2 Jetty , we let go moved a few hundred yards up and then BOOM/BANG, No, 1 Jetty disapeared in a cloud of flame smoke and flying rubble.,
Lucky, the whole of Belfast would have disappeared if we were there.

and a few lucky escapes down south, with the "boys".
I will never ever visit that land again. you cannot trust anyone.
more later.

[Red Lead Ted]

First and only ferry to Ireland 1968, from Holyhead to Dunleary.
First get the train to Holyhead then suffer the crush of people going your way.

Rough sea, poor food on offer, expensive grog.

After that flying in my mind was the only way.

John, That was the reason we rented an old caravan in a farmers field in Holyhead, Sick of bloody trains from Liverpool to Holyhead every couple of days still recall the route...……………………. Exchange Station L,Pool, Ferry or low level to Birkenhead, Birkenhead to Rock Ferry, Onto Chester, Chester to Holyhead. Bloody nightmare Terry.

[John Arton]

The first time I ever went to Londonderry was on the Beaverpine, where I was 3rd mate. We had been on a KNSM charter loading in Germany and Holland and discharging in St.Croix, Santo Domingo, port au. Prince, Ponce, Kingston and Nassau. On completion of discharge we went up to Baltimore to load grain for discharge in Sharpness and Londonderry. We were meant to discharge in Londonderry first but due to a cock up in the discharge orders we ended up going to sharpness first and as we were too deep to get into sharpness we had to go to avonmouth to lighten. When we eventually got to sharpness we were apparently the biggest ship ever into the dock and until we had discharged more cargoit was only after two days did we actually lie fully alongside. After a week discharging into road trucks we sailed for Londonderry, where we tied up Onan open quay where they had built a portable conveyor belt system to take the train from the ship to the flour mill. Going ashore was not a pleasant time and even our Bristol crew never went ashore at night. I went shopping one afternoon and was amazed to see children begging on the streets along with the huge army presence in sand bagged positions. This would be in 1971 or 1972.
Years later I would enjoy going to both Eire and N. Ireland but there was the odd spot where an English accent was not welcome such as a place in Belfast Lough at the end of a jetty were we discharged caustic soda but in Belfast itself it was fine as was Foynes, Ringaskiddy, cork, maydown and a small port on the east coast where we would discharge sulphuric acid.
Rgds
J.A.

[robpage]

It must have been around 1970 that I went to Belfast on the clan alpine we were having a nice beer in a pub called the Edinburgh opposite railway station not sure which one but we had to leave the pub by 7:45 to get back inside the docks before the 8 curfew the pub was so good next night at dinner head of the shore open the door of the Edinburgh and the inside of been completely redecorated with charcoal a Little face appeared over the bar I said don't worry boys Paddy never got the beer engines . We didn't stop long it didn't feel comfortable at all

[Red Lead Ted]

I hope someone can recall the name of the pub right outside the gates in Belfast you only had to do a right turn, About 20 yards I can still see the jar of pickled eggs at the end of the bar, Happy days Terry.

[Ken Norton]

Discharged a cargo of bagged fertilizer in Belfast early 60s, our derricks were lifting the bags off on pallets and the dockers were loading them on to flat bed carts with iron wheels, it took several men to push and pull these carts. There were quite a number of men and carts engaged in the process all seemed to be going really well until about 11.30 a.m. when all hell broke loose. They started swearing and cursing at each other which soon came to blows, shirts were ripped , blood flying like water with the violence that took place, it went on a while until some big guys appeared from nowhere and they resumed work. We were told it was opposite views in religion whether it was or not will never know, one thing for sure was not going to ask. Having said this they were grafters and we had a quick turn around. Remember the kids outside the dock gates "Have you got a penny mister" loads of them. Not my favourite port although the Porter was good tack.

[j.sabourn]

#18... wasn’t Ma Carrols was it Ted.? Was in the dock area. Somewhere. Had my 21 st. There so must have been jan. 1958. Was also there in June 1953. No trouble wth being under age. JWS