New 60-seater cruise vessel is back on the Lagan

VISITORS to Belfast can now sail the Lagan daily on a new cruise service introduced by whiskey entrepreneur Peter Lavery.

The MV Lady of the Lagan, which will depart four times a day from the Big Fish monument on Donegall Quay, has cost more than £250,000 to launch.

The company behind it is Waterways Belfast Ltd, founded by Lottery winner Lavery and fellow entrepreneurs Sean Donnelly and brothers Jeremy and Simon Rogers.

The service will navigate around Belfast Lough, highlighting key additions and developments to the shoreline which have helped to transform the city into a world class tourism destination.

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Waterways Belfast's founding director Peter Lavery, who has also just launched Belfast Titanic Distillery, said: “It has always been a passion of mine to see the sights and sounds of Belfast Lough being brought to a wider audience in the form of a quality maritime experience.

“After many months of searching, we were able to secure the MV Lady of the Lagan and we now have a fully licensed river cruiser which will offer a unique insight and experience into Belfast’s expanding maritime history tourist product."

The 60-seater vessel, which will also be available for corporate functions, leaves Donegall Quay each day at two-hour intervals from 10am, with tours costing £30 for adults and £20 for kids.

Its first passengers were pupils from St Mary’s primary school in Kircubbin, who won a competition to name the new vessel, and runners-up from Holy Cross boys primary school in Belfast.

A former luxury cruiser on Lough Erne, the Lady of the Lagan is expected to operate all year round, with Belfast-born captain Alan Gilfillan at the helm.

Built in 1998, the Lady of the Lagan (16 metres in length and 5 metres wide) is a 160hp passenger vessel with a maximum speed of 10 knots.