This is a page for anoraks: it has photographs of details of the Inis Cealtra, which joined the Waterways Ireland fleet in 2009. Inis Cealtra is an island on Lough Derg, near Mountshannon, and is also known as Holy Island.
These photos were taken at Portumna, at the head of Lough Derg, on 20 June 2009. The boat was built in Killybegs and sailed (non-stop, in thirty hours) down the west coast of Ireland, up the Shannon estuary to Limerick and through Ardnacrusha Lock to Lough Derg.
The Maritime Journal has a comprehensive description of the vessel and its equipment. My captions below represent my guesses about what some of the features are; if I’ve got anything wrong, or if you spot anything interesting I’ve missed, do please leave a comment at the end of the page and I’ll make the appropriate correction.
Inis Cealtra at Portumna
Old and new
The stern
Stern and side rails can be opened
It needs better provision for fenders
Looking forward along the port side
Twin exhausts to port, presumably engine and generator
Engine-room air intakes
The workshop is lower than the wheelhouse to allow a view over its roof
The spud legs are carried on the load-bearing deck
Mizzen mast with navigation lights and camera
Ratchet straps and tie-down points
Guerra crane and control panel
Locked control panel
Laocoon, beware
Fire hose
The foremast seems to be demountable
The full height of the foremast with lots of lights
Well for access to workshop and toilet
Manual bilge-pump
Radar. Is that a liferaft below the mast tripod?
Lifering and wheelhouse door
Foredeck and anchor winch
Inside the wheelhouse
Winch controls to port, manual pump (I think) to starboard
Pusher bow
Anchor
Port side from forward
Depth markings
Cameras on workshop roof; perhaps aimed at rear deck
Yellow coil
Towing winch
Bitts
Starboard hatch
Port hatch
Towing cruciform
A traditional touch: tyres
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Irish waterways history 
Laocoon reference. Sea-serpent?
So the spud legs go down through the capped black tubes when its working. I see now.
Two serpents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laocoön
I think you’re right about the capped black tubes (photo “The spud legs are carried on the load-bearing deck”) above. At first I thought the aluminium hatches might be for the spud legs but the Maritime Journal article http://www.maritimejournal.com/archive101/2009/march/vessel_launch/inis_cealtra_to_help_shape_the_shannon mentions a Hercules flush-deck hatch http://www.kortpropulsion.com/hercules_hatches.htm for access to the storage room (it doesn’t mention that there are two hatches on the rear deck).
bjg
Hi
A very good article.
Well done.
Inis Cealtra and Mountshannon a scond home.
to me and family.
Pat
Limerick
Thanks, Pat.
You might be interested in my Limerick Navigation pics at http://www.pbase.com/bjg (which will be transferred to this site when I get a chance!). bjg
Nice river work-boat.
I ran work boats like this in the Houston, Texas area.
Hi Folks
Question,Are their many workboats with Cummins Engines operating throught Ireland at present
I’m afraid I have no idea how I could even begin to try to answer that question. You might be able to trace sales of parts to dealers or mechanics, but I have no access to that information. Sorry about that. bjg