The event is in aid of three very deserving West Cork based charities, Palliative Care at Castletownbere Hospital, Co-action and Spiritual Care Ireland at the Dechen Shying Spiritual Care Centre also in Castletownbere. Fastnet Line will provide transport for the cyclists to and from Swansea where the first leg of the trip will take place on Friday 1^st July.

Commenting on the event, Paul O’Brien General Manager (Ireland) said, “Fastnet Line is delighted to support these wonderful charities and applauds the fantastic efforts of the people of Beara in promoting these worthy causes as well as their local area. We hope everyone will enjoy their time with us and we look forward to helping in any way we can to promote both the charity event and Beara tourism at the same time.”

The return trip will happen overnight on the Friday night with the numbers added to by some Welsh visitors for the second leg from Ringaskiddy to Castletownbere on Saturday 2^nd July 2011.

The action begins on Thursday 30^th June with the cyclists heading off from Ringaskiddy on board the Julia heading to Swansea overnight. The cyclists will meet with up with their Welsh counterparts and cycle a special route of 100 km which will offer the best south Wales has to offer.

After a long day in the saddle the participants will relax on the Julia with a well deserved meal and who knows a drink or two before getting a good night’s sleep. On Saturday 2^nd July the group will leave Ringaskiddy via Carrigaline, Bandon, Bantry and Glengarriff as they head on towards Castletownbere in West Cork. At the finish of this marathon event the cyclists will be welcomed back home to Castletownbere to a huge welcome.

Ireland rugby photo

To celebrate our first anniversary and combining it with our love of rugby, we at Fastnet Line are giving you and a friend the chance to win a free trip to the Wales v Ireland Six Nations clash which takes place in Cardiff on Saturday 12th March at 5 p.m.

In order to be in with a chance to win please email your answer to the following question to info@fastnetline.com

Q. In their last meeting at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2009 who scored the winning drop goal for Ireland?

Was it:

(a) Johnny Sexton

(b) Paddy Wallace

(c) Ronan O’Gara

Terms and conditions apply. Click here to read more.

*Competition Winner*

Congratulations to Kate Leavy, winner of the return trip and match tickets to see Wales v Ireland Six Nations clash! Enjoy your sailing and the game Kate!

If you don’t win you can still travel with us to Cardiff at some really great prices.

Prices start from €60 per person without reserved accommodation, €78 per person with a reserved pullman seat and starting from €98 per person sharing return including a two berth inside cabin. All of these prices for foot passengers with bus transfers extra. We also have great deals if you want to bring your car.

Sailing on Friday night 11th March at 20.30 and arriving at 08.00 in Swansea on the morning of the game, Fastnet Line will provide bus transport for those travelling as foot passengers to Cardiff from 09.30. Supporters will then have plenty of time to soak up the pre-match atmosphere before the game which kicks off at 5 p.m.

Buses will again take supporters back after the game in plenty of time to check in for the departure of 23.50 and the ferry will arrive back in Cork at 12.00 noon on Sunday 13th March.

I never got to go to the old Cardiff Arms Park but watched our biannual tussles with Wales in the then five nations championship avidly throughout the 1970s and 1980s. I never saw Ireland win in Cardiff until I was 20 years old when that fantastic triple crown winning team finally won in Wales for the first time since 1967 and did it in some style 21-9.

Memories of those days and reading the players names from those team sheets still brings goosebumps – Ringland, Crossan, Kiernan, Lenihan, Anderson against Titley, Holmes, Ackerman, Norster and Moriarty. Great memories of exciting hard fought games. Nowadays we have the fantastic Millennium Stadium to visit and may there isn’t as much singing as I remember but catch a chorus of “Bread of Heaven” or “Land of My Fathers” and it is an unforgettable sporting thrill.

The next edition of Wales v Ireland in the Six Nations Championship takes place on Saturday 12th March at 5 p.m. in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Fastnet Line celebrates it’s first anniversary on the 10th March and we are bringing a special sailing to Wales to ring Irish rugby supporters to one of the best loved fixtures of any year.

Prices start from €60 per person without reserved accommodation, €78 per person with a reserved pullman seat and starting from €98 per person sharing return including a two berth inside cabin. So your return trip to the match (bus extra) and two nights accommodation for an incredible €98 per person.

Sailing on Friday night 11th March at 20.30 and arriving at 08.00 in Swansea on the morning of the game, Fastnet Line will provide bus transport for those travelling as foot passengers to Cardiff from 09.30. Supporters will then have plenty of time to soak up the pre-match atmosphere before the game which kicks off at 5 p.m.

Buses will again take supporters back after the game in plenty of time to check in for the departure of 23.50 and the ferry will arrive back in Cork at 12.00 noon on Sunday 13th March.

Let’s hope we have another memorable encounter between these to great teams and may the best team win!

Julia will be in dry dock in Swansea from next week. Her schedule will be as follows.

The last sailing before annual dry dock will be on Thursday 13th January from Cork to Swansea departing at 20.30 hrs. Julia will remain in Swansea while undergoing annual maintenance up to and including Wednesday 9th February. Her first sailing will be at 20.30 hrs. from Swansea to Cork on Wednesday 9th February 20111.

Bookings can be made on www.fastnetline.com up to three hours prior to departure.

Co-Op shareholders at opening of on board Tourism Information Office

Invest in the West Cork Tourism Co-Op

Shareholders in the West Cork Tourism Co-Op are the ultimate owners of Fastnet Line. When you invest you can enjoy fantastic benefits depending on your level of investment. For instance Platinum shareholders who invest a total of €15,000 benefit from a 50% discount on fares all year round.

Look at the range of benefits below and if you wish to invest please email roymaguire@fastnetline.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 00 353 (0) 86 601 1111

Platinum Shareholder Co-op Membership

Individual A Shares (€10,000) with new B (€5,000)

* Full Access to Tourist Office for display of business promotional material

* Full Access to Web site for links promoting business

* Discount on all fares displayed on web site by 50% fares have to be booked and paid by shareholder using unique membership card & code

* 10% on F&B when travelling on the Julia

* Name of Shareholder listed on Investor board in Tourist Office on ship.

* Full Access to Travel Agent Rates offered by ship, to be passed on to shareholder clients if not paying for fares directly

* Access to Fastnet Line Sales & Marketing personnel for joint sales trade promotions

Gold Shareholder Co-op Membership

Individual A Shares (€10,000)

* 50% discount off peak – 30% peak

* 10% on F&B on board

* Full benefits as listed above

Silver Shareholder Co-Op Membership

Syndicated A and B Share

* Discounts of 30% off peak and 20% peak

* 10% on F&B on board

* Promotions

* Information leaflets on board

Bronze Shareholder Co-Op Membership

Syndicated A Share

* Discount 20% off peak and 10% peak

* Information leaflets on board

Cardiff Bay

The capital of Wales is an exciting place to visit with a compact city centre containing all you need and being a great place to base yourself for an assault on all things Welsh. The advent of a degree of autonomy for Wales within the United Kingdom, with its own government, elected representatives and legislative assembly has given Wales a self-confidence to face the challenges of the new millennium. The Castle remains an iconic feature of the city as it has for over two thousand years alongside the more modern features such as the Millennium Centre, the visitor centre known as “The Tube” and the stylishly classic National Museum. Many people will come for large sporting occasions such as the biennial Six Nations clash between the Celtic cousins Wales and Ireland but Cardiff Bay boasts an impressive array of watersports to participate in as well as nearby walking, horseriding, rock climbing, kayaking and cycling. Golf of course is the vogue sport with the 2010 Ryder cup taking place at Celtic Manor just twenty minutes from Cardiff and is sure to attract thousands of spectators from Europe and the USA. Don’t forget to unwind with shopping, bars, cafes and restaurants or make a beeline for a concert or opera to keep the culture quotient high.