Council pays tribute to former mayor and disability campaigner, Cllr Jordan Ryan

Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey described the news as a shock and expressed “extreme sorrow” on behalf of the authority.

“Cllr Ryan was a man of values and principles who was extremely proud to represent his constituents,” said Cllr Harvey. “His passionate and thoughtful contributions to Council meetings will be sorely missed by every Member, no matter their political colours. I pass on our deepest condolences to Cllr Ryan’s family and friends.”

A life of service to Fishguard and Pembrokeshire

Cllr Ryan was a former mayor of Fishguard and Goodwick, reflecting his long‑standing commitment to local public service. He joined Pembrokeshire County Council in May 2022, initially elected as a Labour representative before continuing as an unaffiliated councillor.

He also served as Chairman of the Policy and Pre‑decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee for a year, and was widely recognised for his campaigning on disability issues.

Remembered for integrity and dedication

Colleagues said Cllr Ryan’s contributions were marked by integrity and dedication, and that his absence would be felt across the chamber and the wider community.

Messages of condolence have been extended to his family, friends, and constituents.

#cllrJordanRyan #councilTribute #disabilityCampaigner #fishguard #fishguardNorthEast #formerMayor #pembrokeshireCouncil #pembrokeshireCountyCouncil

Pembrokeshire photographer Stephen Lucas wins inaugural Langdon Down Award

When Stephen Lucas lifts his camera to his eye, he sees more than just a landscape. For the Fishguard photographer, the sea, sky and wildlife around him are a source of inspiration, a way to connect with the world and share its beauty with others. Now, his vision has been recognised on the international stage.

Stephen’s striking black‑and‑white image of a Cornish seascape has won the very first Langdon Down Award at the My Perspective competition, an annual showcase for photographers who have Down’s syndrome. The award, named in honour of pioneering physician Dr John Langdon Down, was created this year to highlight the talent of UK entrants.

For Stephen, who has long been passionate about nature and conservation, the accolade is a dream come true. “I’m very happy and proud to win this award,” he said after receiving the prize at a ceremony in London. “I’ve entered before, so it is amazing to win such a special prize in this competition. I love nature, and especially sealife animals, and it’s great I can also take photos of my special place.”

Photography runs in the family. Stephen was inspired by his brother Owen, also a keen photographer, to take up the art. Living by the Pembrokeshire coast, he has developed a particular love for whales, dolphins and birds, and is an active member of the Sea Trust conservation organisation. His work often reflects this deep connection to the natural world.

The winning image impressed judge Rory Langdon‑Down, a renowned portrait photographer and great‑great grandson of Dr John Langdon Down. He praised Stephen’s “wonderful depth” and “cinematic style,” noting that the choice to present the seascape in black and white gave it a timeless quality.

The competition itself has been running since 2010, offering photographers with Down’s syndrome the chance to “flip the lens” and show the world from their perspective. This year saw a record 250 entries from around the globe, ranging from vibrant cityscapes to intimate portraits and nature studies.

Carol Boys OBE, Chief Executive of the Down’s Syndrome Association, said Stephen’s photograph was a worthy winner: “The entries we receive provide a unique glimpse into how people who have Down’s syndrome see and relate to the world around them. Stephen’s stunning photograph, which captures both the power and soothing aspect of nature, is a very worthy winner of the inaugural Langdon Down Award.”

For Stephen, the award is more than a trophy. It is recognition of his talent, his passion for the natural world, and his determination to share that vision with others. Standing beside his family at the Langdon Down Centre in London, he proved that with creativity and perseverance, a photographer from a small coastal town can capture the imagination of an international audience.

#DownSSyndrome #DownSSyndromeAssociation #DrJohnLangdonDown #Fishguard #LangdonDownAward #LangdonDownCentre #Pembrokeshire #Photographer #photography #RoryLangdonDown

£15.5m upgrade proposed for Fishguard ferry terminal

A £15.5 million upgrade to Fishguard Harbour is moving forward, with early-stage plans submitted for a major overhaul of the ferry terminal and surrounding infrastructure.

The proposals — understood to be led by Stena Line, which operates the twice-daily ferry to Rosslare — aim to replace the ageing linkspan bridge and temporary jack-up barge with a modern floating pontoon, improving safety and streamlining access for passengers and vehicles.

The scheme forms part of a wider £20 million investment programme announced by Stena Line last year, which includes improved terminal facilities and long-term infrastructure upgrades to support both freight and tourism growth.

To support the new pontoon, the latest plans include capital dredging of around 78,000m³ of seabed, with material disposed of at a licensed site in Milford Haven. A new reinforced concrete bankseat and tubular steel guide pile would anchor the structure, while land reclamation would extend pedestrian and road access to the terminal.

The works also involve the demolition of disused infrastructure, including an old RNLI slipway, and the installation of a rock armour revetment to protect against coastal erosion. A storm sewer extension and other utility upgrades are also proposed, alongside various temporary and ancillary works.

Documents submitted to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) describe the development as essential to maintaining ferry operations and improving long-term resilience. The new pontoon would allow safer berthing and reduce reliance on temporary infrastructure.

The planning boundary sits entirely within Fishguard Bay, a designated Special Area of Conservation, meaning environmental assessments are a key part of the process. Stena Line has already submitted detailed statements to NRW addressing marine biodiversity, flood risk, and coastal processes.

Fishguard Harbour — a strategic gateway to Ireland since 1906 — has long played a vital role in Welsh transport. It’s also becoming an increasingly important stop for cruise tourism, with vessels like the AIDAbella bringing over 2,000 German visitors to the town earlier this year. The proposed upgrades aim to future-proof the site for both commercial and leisure traffic while minimising disruption to ferry services.

More Fishguard stories from Swansea Bay News

Fishguard Port to see £20m investment
Published June 2024: Stena Line outlines plans for major infrastructure upgrades, including a new pontoon and improved passenger facilities.

Massive cruise ship brings over 2,000 mainly German tourists to Fishguard
Published May 2024: The arrival of the AIDAbella cruise liner highlights Fishguard’s growing role in Wales’s tourism economy.

#Ferry #Fishguard #FishguardHarbour #StenaLine

#Pembrokshire #fishguard the last invasion https://youtu.be/aRtsgOYJoD4?si=NfqkUbnk81-xSY30

The poem does not mention the captured soldiers. Of which some escaped with the help of the jailor's daughter, who later returned with "her" soldior to open a pub in Merthyr Tydfil

Public meeting to explore future of Fishguard Library amid cost-saving consultation

The meeting, scheduled for 6.30pm on Monday 14 July at the Town Hall, forms part of a wider consultation led jointly by Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Fishguard & Goodwick Town Council (FGTC). The aim is to explore potential operating models that could help reduce the library’s running costs and ensure its long-term sustainability.

FGTC is currently considering taking over the management of the Town Hall through a Community Asset Transfer, and one option under discussion is the creation of a Community Managed Partnership Library — a model that would rely on support from local volunteers.

The meeting will focus on explaining how such a partnership could operate and gauging whether there is sufficient community interest to make it viable. However, organisers stress that this is just one of several options being considered.

The full list of proposals includes:

• Relocating the library to smaller premises elsewhere in the locality
• Sharing the existing library space with a third-party tenant, such as a shop or café
• Increasing the annual financial contribution from the Town Council
• Reducing the library’s opening hours
• Creating a Community Managed Library Partnership
• Closing the library and replacing it with mobile library provision

Consultation documents outlining each option in detail will be available from Thursday 10 July via the Pembrokeshire County Council website, with paper copies in both English and Welsh available at the Town Hall.

The consultation will remain open until Wednesday 20 August at 5pm, and all residents are encouraged to take part.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We know how important the library at Fishguard Town Hall is to local people and alongside Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council we aim to strike a balance that continues library provision while also providing savings.”

“Please take up the opportunity to review the consultation documents when they go live and also attend the public meeting on Monday July 14th, 6.30pm at the Town Hall to hear more.”

A spokesperson for Fishguard & Goodwick Town Council, said: “We know how important Fishguard Library is for our communities and want to ensure the continuation of the fantastic service provided by the library staff, whilst acknowledging the need to reduce costs.”

“It is therefore important that people take this opportunity to share their thoughts and views and the Town Council would encourage everybody to take part in this consultation and to attend the public meeting on July 14.”

The consultation comes amid growing pressure on local authorities to find cost-effective solutions for public services, and follows similar community-led initiatives across Wales.

#CllrRhysSinnett #communityAssetTransfer #Fishguard #FishguardGoodwickTownCouncil #FishguardLibrary #FishguardTownCouncil #FishguardTownHall #libraries #PembrokeshireCouncil

New operator and Sunday Service boost for TrawsCymru T5 route

Ceredigion-based company Richards Bros has been awarded the contract to run the T5 route, which connects Aberystwyth and Haverfordwest via key coastal communities including New Quay, Aberaeron, Cardigan, Fishguard and St Davids. The service is a vital link for both residents and visitors travelling across Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

The first phase of improvements begins Sunday 20 July, with the introduction of a year-round Sunday service — a move welcomed by local communities who have long called for better weekend transport options. A revised Sunday timetable for the T1 route will also be introduced on the same day.

Further upgrades are planned for Sunday 31 August, including:

• Hourly service Monday to Saturday for improved frequency
• Later evening journeys to support travel for work, education and leisure
• New distance-based fares for fairer pricing
• A new Aberystwyth–Aberaeron Day Ticket allowing unlimited travel on both the T1 and T5

Looking ahead, passengers can expect brand-new vehicles on the T5 route from March 2026, designed to enhance comfort, accessibility and environmental performance.

Lee Robinson, Executive Director for Regional Transport at Transport for Wales, said the changes reflect a commitment to building a “modern, reliable and accessible public transport network” across West Wales.

Simon Richards, Director of Richards Bros, added: “We’re proud to deliver a high-quality, dependable service that makes a real difference to the communities we serve.”

#Aberystwyth #Bus #Cardigan #Fishguard #Haverfordwest #NewQuay #Pembrokeshire #publicTransport #RichardsBros #StDavids #TrawsCymru

Fishguard Port to see £20m investment

The upgrade centres around a new linkspan, a crucial piece of infrastructure that allows ferries to load and unload. 

Stena Line has said it is applying to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for a marine licence application for the replacement linkspan, with construction scheduled to start in 2026. The new linkspan is expected to be completed and operational in 2027. 

The investment is intended to secure the port’s future for the next 30-40 years, addressing the aging infrastructure of the existing single-lane linkspan which dates back to the 1970s. 

A previous plan to build a new linkspan was cancelled in 2018, causing local concern about the port’s future. 

The Port of Fishguard is operated by Stena Line Ports Ltd., who are the statutory Harbour Authority.

Stena Line operates a twice-daily ferry service between Fishguard and Rosslare (Republic of Ireland). 

There have been other changes at the port related to Brexit, including improved customs infrastructure and increased parking for heavy goods vehicles. 

Stena Line is investing £20 million to upgrade the linkspan (a type of drawbridge for ferries) at Fishguard port, aiming to secure the port’s future for the next 30-40 years. Construction is planned to begin in 2026, with the new linkspan expected to be operational by 2027.

Ian Davies from Stena Line told the BBC that development would “offer many things”.

Mr Davies said: “Because the structure is a lot bigger, in essence it means that in future we can fit any size of ferry on to this berth which we don’t have that flexibility at the moment.

“As was shown during Storm Darragh, and the issues up at Holyhead, we were able to bring some other ships in to Fishguard but it was quite a struggle to do that. This really adds to the resilience that Stena Line ports have. We can bring vessels in, change vessels around, if and when the circumstances arise.

“It brings us right up to date. It’s a commitment really for the next 30-40 years that we have the infrastructure now to take this port to wherever the business takes us.”

#Fishguard #FishguardHarbour #PortOfFishguard #Rosslare #StenaLine

Massive cruise ship brings over 2,000 mainly German tourists to Fishguard

The 71,304 tonne ship carrying 2,174 passengers is on a nine-day cruise of Britain and Ireland and left Hamburg on 30 May before sailing to Portsmouth and Falmouth in England and then Cork and Dublin in Ireland.

The AIDAsol was built in 2011 at a cost of $420m. The ship has 14 decks and can carry 2686 passengers and 609 crew.

The ship arrived at Fishguard Harbour at 6.30am this morning (5 June) and will head off this afternoon at 3.30pm to Portland before returning to Hamburg on 8 June.

Passengers were greeted by Fishguard Friendly Faces, a group of around 30 volunteers who greet cruise ships to hand out goody bags and impart their local knowledge and enthusiasm.

Some passengers headed off on day trips to St Davids Cathedral, Carew Castle and Tenby, while others made use of a free shuttle bus to explore Fishguard.

The AIDAsol will return to Fishguard twice more this year as part of it’s scheduled UK and Ireland tours on 17 July and on 29 September.

#AIDACruises #cruiseShip #Fishguard #FishguardHarbour #Pembrokeshire #tourism