The photograph shows the Royal Iris with many passengers and a Transatlantic Liner in the background. The Royal Iris was built to ferry passengers across the Mersey and it was owned by the Wallasey Ferry Company. Many of the ferries operating in Liverpool were named after flowers. During War World I it was taken by the Admiralty to assist in landing troops in the operation at Zeebrugge which was aimed at closing the entrance to the Bruges Canal and block the access of German submarines to the Channel. The operation resulted in extensive damage to the Iris and another similar ship, the Daffodil, but both ships made it back to the UK. The Iris had a large unexploded shell in its engine room and photographs in the National Archives in Kew show the extensive damage to both ships. Following repairs, the ships returned to service on the Mersey and were allowed to add the word Royal to their names in honour of their service in Zeebrugge. Palmer Brothers of Ringaskiddy bought the ship to complement their other ex Liverpool ships Rose and Lily as tenders to the transatlantic liners which were calling to Cork Harbour. When the Royal Iris was purchased it operated in Dublin Bay to act as tender to the liners which brought passengers to participate to the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932 and also operated harbour trips from Dublin. Later the ship went to Cork and tended liners and operated harbour trips until World War II. After the war the ship was sold to the Cork Harbour Commissioners and renamed Blarney. Following a short period of service it was scrapped as the liner service finished due to airline competition.

This description is derived from the original Index Books created by Independent Newspapers

Physical description: 1 photograph : glass plate negative ; 11.2 x 8.2 cm