Rosslare Harbour

Rosslare Harbour Irish: Cuan Ros Láir
County Wexford
Roslare Europort
Location
Grid reference:	T136124
Location:	52°15’5"N, 6°20’29"W
Data
Local Government

Rosslare Harbour is a major port in the very south-east of Ireland, in County Wexford. The village grew up to serve the needs of the harbour of the same name (now called Rosslare Europort), first developed in 1906 by the Great Western Railway and the Great Southern and Western Railway to accommodate steam ferry traffic between Great Britain and Ireland. This port today also serves trade with France and the traffic is mainly roll-on roll-off ferries.

The harbour is located close to the previously existing settlement of Ballygeary, in the townland of Ballygillane Big, but Rosslare Harbour was named after the village of Rosslare, now known as 'Rosslare Strand', some two and a half miles away (or five miles by road) along the coast. The name of the latter is from the Irish Ros Láir, meaning 'Middle Peninsula'.

This is not the biggest port in the Republic of Ireland; as a commercial port, Dublin dominates, though there are plans to expand the harbour and its facilities to offer an alternative to Dublin Port and ease trade with Europe without the need to go through Britain.

The harbour was first developed in 1906 by the Great Western Railway and the Great Southern and Western Railway to accommodate steam-ferry traffic between Great Britain and Ireland. This port has since grown to be a major international port, known as 'Rosslare Europort', and now also serves freight and passengers to and from France and Spain. Traffic is mainly roll-on roll-off (RoRo).

Rosslare Harbour railway station opened on 30 August 1906.

Rosslare Europort

Rosslare Europort (Europort Ros Láir) is a modern seaport at Rosslare Harbour. The port is the premier Irish port serving the European continent with 36 direct services to Europe weekly. It handles passenger and freight ferries to and from Cherbourg, Dunkirk and St Malo/Roscoff, in France, Bilbao in Spain and Fishguard and Pembroke Dock in the United Kingdom. Since Brexit, the port has been expanded rapidly, providing new or increased direct sailings with extra capacity from Ireland to mainland Europe. The direct routes between Ireland and the continent allow freight transport firms to bypass land bridge through the United Kingdom, in case there is congestion at British ports.

The harbour was developed by Edwardian railway companies, and the port is today operated by Iarnród Éireann, Ireland's national railway operator.

Village

Although the harbour itself is located close to, and for census purposes is co-terminous with, the village of Ballygeary, and within the townland of Ballygillane Big, it was named after the village of Rosslare, some two and a half miles away (or five miles by road) along the coast. The village of Ballygeary was divided into two townlands, one known as 'tin town' and the other as 'straw town'. It is believed this was because of the roofs on the houses.

The village has a number of guesthouses, hotels, a Roman Catholic church, a bank and some shops. Just south of the harbour is a small strand leading to Greenore Point, where grey seals can sometimes be seen.

The harbour has an RNLI lifeboat station.

Railways and ferries

Rosslare Harbour railway station opened on 30 August 1906. This allowed the creation of port facilities and the opening of a ferry route to Pembrokeshire. Today most of the saliing from the port are to Pembroke Dock and Fishguard.

Railway services provided by Irish Rail on the Dublin-Rosslare railway line from Rosslare Europort railway station to major places such as Wexford, Enniscorthy, Arklow, Wicklow, Greystones, Bray to Dublin Connolly.

See also

• Rosslare Strand
• Wexford

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Rosslare Harbour)