Marine Infrastructure: Ferry Services

Major investment programmes to improve the marine infrastructure are being enacted within the county at present. These include the development of marinas, and the provision of ferry slipways at Buncrana and Rathmullan, along with pier improvements on the county's western seaboard.

Lough Foyle Car Ferry

Colour photo of the Greencastle Harbour to Magilligan Point car ferry. Photo shows the ferry vessel docking close to the harbour on the County Donegal side of Lough Foyle at Greencastle harbour in Inishowen, Co Donegal

Colour photo of the Greencastle Harbour

Lough Foyle Car Ferry
Colour photo of the Greencastle Harbour

Lough Foyle Car Ferry

Colour photo of the Greencastle Harbour to Magilligan Point car ferry. Photo shows the ferry vessel docking close to the harbour on the County Donegal side of Lough Foyle at Greencastle harbour in Inishowen, Co Donegal

Colour photo of the Greencastle Harbour

Enlarge image

On June 30th, 2000, Mr Brian Cowan, T.D, Minister for Foreign Affairs formally announced a funding package to enable the Councils of Donegal and Limavady (Co Derry) to proceed with the Lough Foyle Car Ferry Project. Their aim was the provision of a car ferry facility at Magilligan Point on the Northern side of the Lough, and Greencastle Harbour on the Co Donegal side, thus enabling the visitor greater ease of access to the entire region. This major cross-border project saw significant investment in the communities of Greencastle and Magilligan, and proposes to open up the whole region for tourism. The traffic figures so far are ahead of projection, with 205,000 passengers and 61,000 vehicles having used the service since its launch in June 2002.

The proposed ferry link between Rathmullan and Buncrana will provide a much-needed boost for the local economies in both areas; this service will be another link in the development of the "Columban Corridor" from Scotland (Campbellstown-Ballycastle Ferry) along the Causeway Coast across the Foyle, (Greencastle-Magilligan) into Inishowen and across the Swilly to Rathmullan. The Inishowen Electoral Area members, along with Council officials have met with South Ayrshire (Scotland) Council delegates on two occasions. On both occasions, South Ayrshire Council members and officials expressed their strong support for the project. It was agreed to set up a group consisting of councillors and officials from both counties to further this project.