Category Archives: Restoration and rebuilding

The Limerick Navigation: lock sizes

Posted on Wednesday 20 March 2013 | Leave a comment

Here is a table showing the sizes of the locks on the (now abandoned) Limerick Navigation.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Non-waterway, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management

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Sailing in the Lowtown high

Posted on Friday 8 March 2013 | Leave a comment

WI & L&MK at Lowtown, with pics and map, here.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, The turf trade, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

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Mark Twain and the Cammoge drownings of 1849

Posted on Wednesday 6 March 2013 | 3 comments

Mark Twain wrote:

There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.

I have indulged in just such conjecture about the design of the ferry boat in use at Cammoge in 1849, crossing the outlet from Poulnasherry Bay, west of Kilrush on the Shannon estuary. The news reports of the time give very little information about the design of the boat, and the reliability of that information is questionable, which makes my speculation even more dangerous. Nonetheless, I thought it might be useful to set out some thoughts on the subject in the hope that other folk, who know more about the background, the location or naval architecture than I do, might be able to help to clarify the design.

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Posted in Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, The turf trade, waterways, Weather

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Myths and legends of the Shannon

Posted on Wednesday 6 March 2013 | 4 comments

I feel it necessary to point out that Thomas Rhodes (1789–1868), engineer to the Shannon Commissioners, whose name is on a plaque on Athlone bridge, was not a brother of Cecil Rhodes. Thomas was born near Bradford, the son of a carpenter called James Rhodes; Cecil was born in Bishop’s Stortford, the son of a clergyperson.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, waterways

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News from the Suir

Posted on Friday 1 March 2013 | 2 comments

Some chap from Limerick has been quoted in the Nationalist (Clonmel) as supporting South Tipperary County Council’s proposed taking in charge of the towing-path between Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel.

And Carrick-on-Suir River Rescue needs help raising funds to buy a premises.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Sources, Suir, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

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Crossing the Liffey

Posted on Thursday 28 February 2013 | 2 comments

Thanks to Paul Quinn for pics of the construction of the new LUAS bridge across the River Liffey in Dublin.

DSCF0945

The Powers That Be

Dublin City Council tells us that “Construction on the bridge is due to commence in Autumn 2011”, which is nice to know, although an update would be nicer. Its PDF has a diagram of the bridge. If you can find anything about the bridge on the website of the National Transport Authority (which is paying for it), do please let me know. Incidentally, I hadn’t realised that the NTA’s reach had extended to passengers on ships, including those on inland waterways.

graham projects

The contractors

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Drilling contractor

The contractor is Graham Projects Ltd; Quinn Piling were working there a few weeks ago, but seem to have finished their end of things by now; I can’t find a website for Hilliard & Hilltwister Ltd of Listowel, Co Kerry.

from o'connell brg.

Looking east from O’Connell Bridge

from butt bridge looking west

Looking west from Butt Bridge

looking north

Looking north from Burgh Quay

looking north from burgh quay

Looking north to the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company offices

looking south from eden quay

Looking south from Eden Quay

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Steamers, Uncategorized, waterways, Waterways management

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Project boat available

Posted on Saturday 23 February 2013 | 1 comment

Suitable for conversion to comfortable houseboat. Needs work. Houseboat moorings now available at Shannon Harbour.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, waterways, Waterways management

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Revising the Royal

Posted on Friday 22 February 2013 | 1 comment

Ewan Duffy of IndustrialHeritageIreland and I have both, in recent times, uncovered new information about the history of the Royal Canal after it was taken over by the Midland Great Western Railway in 1845: a period that, because (I think) of the absence of company archives, is not well covered in published histories of the Royal. Ewan today said that he will be posting new material about the stretch from Lock 1 to Lock 5 on 30 March 2013, so watch that space.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Non-waterway, Operations, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Steamers, waterways, Waterways management

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Dargan, O’Regan, steam and the Newry Canal

Posted on Wednesday 20 February 2013 | Leave a comment

I wrote here about Simon O’Regan’s passenger-carrying screw steamer tried on the Grand Canal in Dublin in 1850. I am grateful to John Ditchfield for pointing me to an article about what happened next: steam trials on the Newry Canal in 1850, but this time with a lumber (freight) boat.

I would welcome more information about Simon O’Regan or about the use of steam power on the Newry Canal.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, Steamers, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management

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Grand Canal Dock improvements

Posted on Tuesday 19 February 2013 | Leave a comment

L & M Keating at work here.

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Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, waterways, Waterways management

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