PASSENGERS boarding the Stena Europe ferry in Fishguard tomorrow (September 11) should to expect to make way for an unusual passenger.

A replica of Dylan Thomas’ famous writing shed will be sailing across the Irish Sea to take part in the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival in Dún Laoghaire from September 11-14.

The shed - complete with curled pictures on the walls, boiled sweets on the desk and the poet’s jacket still hanging on the back of his chair – is on tour as part of Dylan Thomas 100, the year-long festival commemorating the centenary of the Welsh writer’s birth.

The shed rolled into Oriel y Parc in St Davids for a couple of days in July to compliment an exhibition of Under Milk Wood illustrations by Sir Peter Blake.

The original sits above the boathouse in the seaside town of Laugharne, where Thomas lived with his wife Caitlin (whose family hailed from County Clare),and where he penned some of his most famous works including Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night and his play for voices Under Milk Wood.

Hannah Ellis, Dylan Thomas’ granddaughter, said: “Given my grandparents’ connection with the country, I am really pleased to see the Dylan Thomas centenary and my grandfather’s work being celebrated in Ireland in this way. Ireland shares a language as well as a strong poetic tradition with Wales.

Diane Poole from Stena Line added: “We are delighted to play our part in transporting the writing shed.

“It was quite a sight for our passengers as the shed made its way onto the ship and it caused quite a few raised eyebrows and smiles of recognition.

“We hope that everyone has ‘shed’ loads of fun at the festival celebrating Dylan Thomas and poetry in general.”