Category Archives: People

Marl update

Posted on Thursday 16 August 2012 | Leave a comment

I have added more information, from Arthur Young in 1780, to my piece on dredging for marl on Lough Derg. Young provides a few more details on the process.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Shannon, The cattle trade, waterways, Weather

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Cots, nets and salmon

Posted on Thursday 9 August 2012 | Leave a comment

Snap-net fishing in Carrick-on-Suir.

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Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Scenery, Suir, The fishing trade, waterways, Weather

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Plasticine

Posted on Thursday 9 August 2012 | 2 comments

Why, when speaking of the branded product Plasticine, did [do?] Irish teachers insist on using the Irish word marla? Even that word was, according to Terry Dolan’s Dictionary of Hiberno-English [Gill & Macmillan, Dublin 2004; new ed forthcoming], derived from the English marl.

At least in the nineteenth century, marl was a valuable manure or fertiliser and, on Lough Derg, Mr Head of the Derry Estate introduced a system of dredging it from deep water. Read about it here.

 

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, waterways

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Barges, cots and subaltern waterways studies

Posted on Wednesday 1 August 2012 | Leave a comment

I am to speak at Jamestown, near Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim, on Saturday 4 August 2012. Jamestown is having its heritage festival, and large numbers of old (converted) barges will be there. I will be giving one of four talks; mine is entitled

Down with barges: why cots were the really important vessels on Irish inland waterways.

I will be citing His Late Majesty Henry VIII, Fid Def, in support of my contention.

Here is some of the background to my thinking. If you would like to hear more, do come along on the day: the talks are open to all.

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Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Politics, Shannon, Sources, Suir, The cattle trade, The fishing trade, The turf trade, waterways, Waterways management

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Working for Waterways Ireland

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 | Leave a comment

What is the most important (because first listed) skill for those seeking employment with Waterways Ireland as general operatives (basic)?

Good communication skills.

I am very glad to hear it.

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Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, waterways, Waterways management

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Waterways walks

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 | Leave a comment

Look!

Waterways Ireland and a local authority have cooperated in opening a canalside walking and cycling path!

And an excitable minister opened it, saying

This has huge potential for tourism but it also has a huge knock on effect for communities in the health benefit facilities like this bring and this, in turn has benefits in reducing the press on our health services as well. I want to see more walkways because I want to see more people out walking and seeing the natural beauty that we here in Ireland are blessed to have around us.

And rightly so. But you don’t need an expensive canal in order to provide a walk.

 

 

 

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management

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High heels

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 | Leave a comment

High …

…

… heels

PS if you’re the man on the mast, and want copies of the pic above and others, leave a Comment below.

 

 

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Posted in Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, People, Water sports activities, waterways

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Bertie Ahern

Posted on Friday 27 July 2012 | 2 comments

According to the Irish Times, writing about Clones:

[…] But people are trying hard to turn the tide: cleaning its buildings, promoting its hand-made lace, and hoping that the Monaghan part of the Ulster Canal will be re-opened.

The latter was a promise of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Clones is endearingly resistant to trends – it is still the proud capital of Irish country and western music although some admit that the best dancehall is Blacklion’s “ballroom of romance”.

I think Clones must be the last town in Ireland to cling to Bertie’s word.

Oh well, if Bertie says so ….

 

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Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Non-waterway, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management

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Old sod

Posted on Friday 22 June 2012 | Leave a comment

I have long maintained that the histories of Irish waterways and of Irish bogs are inseparable. Here is an interesting piece from the invaluable Kildare Online Electronic History Journal [o si sic omnes] about turf-cutting competitions at Allenwood in 1934. A lanky old sod was present, but so too were relics of old dacency [and see here for the origin of the phrase with interesting links between hats and sashes], perhaps anxious to accommodate themselves to the new regime. [Major de Courcy Wheeler, whose command of the First Official Language was undoubtedly enviable, is mentioned here.]

Waterways, industrial heritage, economic history, social and political history … they are not to be separated.

 

 

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Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Sources, The turf trade, waterways

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Have you seen Brijella?

Posted on Friday 22 June 2012 | Leave a comment

Old Lough Derg hands will ermember Richie and Bridie O’Donoghue’s boat Brijella, based at Kilgarvan, where the kettle was always ready to provide visitors with tea and with the latest news.

Brijella leaving Kilgarvan

But where is the boat now?

Brijella berthed at Kilgarvan

It is understood that her name was changed but her history, since leaving the family’s ownership, is not known. If you have any information, or any photos, please leave a Comment below.

 

 

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Posted in Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, People, Shannon

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