O'Malley Ferries, November to February timetable (1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027): Tuesday to Saturday shown; Monday, Friday and Sunday differ, and the March and April timetable follows
Weather and holidays O'Malley Ferries publishes no separate timetable for Christmas or bank holidays. Atlantic weather can stop sailings; call 098 25045, 086 887 0814 or 087 660 0409 before setting out for Roonagh, especially over Christmas and New Year.
Marks on the operator's table Some winter departures carry a 'TL' mark and Sunday carries an asterisk on O'Malley Ferries' table, without an explanation on the page. Those departures appear in the operator's booking calendar like the others. Ask the office if you need to know what the marks mean.
Clare Island Ferry Co (O'Grady's) A separate company, Clare Island Ferry Co, also sails between Roonagh and Clare Island with its own tickets and times. Its published table ends in late September; it says a daily service runs from October to April, weather permitting, and asks passengers to confirm times on 098 23737.
Vehicles and cargo Cars and other vehicles go on O'Malley Ferries' cargo service, which has its own timetable and tariff; book it by phone on 086 887 0814 or 098 25045.
Map – Roonagh – Clare Island ferry
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (non-islander), single | €9 |
| Adult (non-islander), return | €17 |
| Child or student (non-islander), single | €6 |
| Child or student (non-islander), return | €10 |
| Free Travel Pass holder | Free |
| Islander adult, single | €5 |
| Islander adult, return | €9 |
| Islander child or student, single | €3 |
| Islander child or student, return | €6 |
O'Malley Ferries' ferry price list, with separate islander and non-islander rates; the headline is the non-islander adult single. The operator does not state the age range for the child fare on the ferry. The same page has a second table for a road transport service on the island, and those prices are not ferry fares. Free Travel Pass holders travel free. Book online through the operator's booking page or by phone on 098 25045; the operator says pre-booking is essential, and its ticket office at Roonagh Pier only opens in the busy summer season. Vehicles travel on the separate cargo service at cargo rates. All fares in euros (EUR).
Two companies sail the short hop from Roonagh Pier, west of Louisburgh, to Clare Island at the mouth of Clew Bay. This page follows O'Malley Ferries (Clare Island) Ltd, a family firm based on the island that runs three licensed boats, the Naomh Ciaran II, the Tormore and the True Light. O'Malley gives the island's distance from Roonagh as 5 km and the trip as about 20 minutes. The other company, Clare Island Ferry Co, sells its own tickets and keeps its own timetable, which is not shown here.
O'Malley works to three timetables a year. From November to February there are four round trips on most days, with the first boat leaving the island at around 8 in the morning. Monday's first departures are a few minutes earlier, Friday has an extra evening round trip, and Sunday drops the early boat and runs three. From 1 March the March and April timetable moves the last boat of the day in each direction an hour later. No separate Christmas or bank holiday times are published, so ring ahead around the holidays.
Fares are charged per journey, single or return. A visitor pays EUR 9 single or EUR 17 return; a child or student pays EUR 6 or EUR 10, although the page does not say up to what age the child rate applies. Free Travel Pass holders travel free, and islanders have their own lower rates. The price list also shows a road transport service on the island with separate prices: that is not part of the ferry ticket.
O'Malley's contact page says that pre-booking is essential, and its ticket office on Roonagh Pier only opens in the busy summer season, so in winter book through the online calendar or call 098 25045. The company also runs the cargo boat to Clare Island and Inishturk, which carries cars, vans and other goods at cargo rates and is booked by phone. Because two ferry companies share the pier, check that the boat you board belongs to the company that sold your ticket.
- Be at the pier in good time; on car ferries vehicles may need to arrive earlier than foot passengers.
- Check the operator's notices on the day — Atlantic wind and swell can cancel or reschedule island sailings.
- Some island operators advise booking ahead in June, July and August, and for groups.