Category Archives: Sources

Erne eels

Posted on Saturday 17 May 2014 | Leave a comment

Dr William O’Connor has been checking on eels on the Erne too.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Sea, Sources, The fishing trade, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , ,

And I’m like wow …

Posted on Friday 16 May 2014 | 1 comment

… as the young folk say nowadays. Searching the National Library catalogue for prints and drawings of the Royal Canal before 1900 brought up the usual suspects but also a very interesting map and this stunning view of Dublin in 1853. Viaducts! Railways! Steamers! Barges being propelled by sweeps!

I couldn’t find the Royal Canal, though.

1 Comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Operations, Rail, Scenery, Sea, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, The turf trade, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Construction

Posted on Wednesday 14 May 2014 | 1 comment

The government’s new election manifesto construction strategy has just been published and can be downloaded here. I wouldn’t bother, though: there’s nothing in it about the Clones Sheugh and it’s written in the sort of turgid prose that won’t fry your brain: it will instead submerge your brain in a slurry pit and hold it under, providing a slow, choking, unpleasant death.

Anyway, the doughty Rob Kitchin has waded through it on our behalf and gives his conclusions here. I don’t share his enthusiasm for National Spatial Strategies and National Development Plans, but I have some sympathy for him when he says

I would have preferred something a bit more holistic, rather than trying to frame a whole bunch of stuff as a coordinated plan.

Michael Hennigan uses the B word.

1 Comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Safety, Shannon, Sources, Ulster Canal, waterways, Weather

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Green diesel: reasoned opinion [updated]

Posted on Monday 12 May 2014 | 3 comments

Some news on one of our favourite topics.

The European Commission has formally requested Ireland to amend its legislation to ensure that private pleasure boats can no longer buy lower taxed fuel intended for fishing boats. Under EU rules on fiscal marking for fuels, fuel that can benefit from a reduced tax rate has to be marked by coloured dye. Fishing vessels for example are allowed to benefit from fuel subject to a lower tax rate but private boats must use fuel subject to a standard rate. Currently, Ireland breaches EU law by allowing the use of marked fuel for the purposes of propelling private pleasure craft. As a consequence, private leisure boats can not only use fuel intended for fishing vessels, subject to a lower taxation, but also risk heavy penalties if they travel to another Member State and the ship is checked by the local authorities. The Commission’s request takes the form of a reasoned opinion. In the absence of a satisfactory response within two months, the Commission may refer Ireland to the EU’s Court of Justice.

European Commission press release dated 16 April 2014, about three quarters of the way down the page.

Update: I see that the Irish Examiner noticed the EC statement. And NESC believes (sensibly) that green diesel should be scrapped altogether. Which won’t happen, because if you didn’t have unnecessary or ridiculous regulations Irish politicians wouldn’t be able to pretend to be doing something useful by playing with them.

 

3 Comments

Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Politics, Sea, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jetskis, big barges and small fast boats to be registered

Posted on Saturday 10 May 2014 | Leave a comment

As a result of the new provisions, exemptions from the requirement to register will apply in future only to recreational craft less than 24 m in load line length, other than personal watercraft and small fast-powered craft, and to warships.

The saintly Leo Varadkar speaking in the Senate on the second stage of the debate on the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 on 15 April 2014.

Feargal Quinn said:

[…] I have previously mentioned the lack of a small ships register in this country. Therefore, it is impossible to trace the ownership of most private boats unless they have a current free Shannon licence. […] Specifically, I note that this Bill will not include recreational craft less than 24 m in load line length, other than personal watercraft and small fast powered craft, which are required to register, and that warships will not be required to register. Can the Minister elaborate on whether we could move towards having a small ships register and not only one for merchant shipping? […]

Are there any plans by the Government to adopt the UK model in this country, whereby every boat on the waterways must have a boat safety certificate, which includes checks on gas and fuel lines and such matters?

St Leo said (amongt other things):

Senators Quinn and Naughton asked about a small ships register. As far as I understand it, this legislation does not provide for the creation of a small ships register, although it provides for one register with different parts. I see the point being made and will consider it. To the best of my knowledge there is no requirement for mandatory insurance, but I will revert on the issue.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Safety, Sea, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , ,

Rejoice!

Posted on Friday 9 May 2014 | Leave a comment

Waterways Ireland’s annual report for 2012 has now been published and is available for download here [PDF].

The English-language version begins on page 77 of 144; the earlier pages are devoted to an Irish-language version, that tongue being widely used in Belfast North.

The Ulster Scots Foreword gets in twice, but Dawn Livingstone is described as Chief Executive and not, alas, as Heid Fector. In a blow for parity of esteem, only the Foreword has been translated into the Hamely Tongue. And we continue to find “Waterways Ireland” translated as “Watterweys Airlann” in WI’s logo but as “Watterwyes Airlan” in the text. No wonder the shinners are running rings around the unionists [although I see that David Cameron intends to fix that].

Now I must read the report to see if I can spot why its publication was so long delayed, but we must welcome the success of the peace process that has reconciled the NI Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure with the roI Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

I suppose there’s be no chance of the 2013 report being published soon …?

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Sources, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

More manure

Posted on Thursday 8 May 2014 | Leave a comment

Carthach O’Maonaigh has kindly provided more information about the Dublin [and Wicklow] Manure Company and I have updated my posting to include that.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Safety, Sources, waterways

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Eel update

Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2014 | Leave a comment

Dr William O’Connor says that no elver traps are operating on the River Shannon.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Politics, Sea, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, The fishing trade, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , ,

And then there were …? [updated]

Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2014 | 4 comments

IBRA and IMF

In the original version of this post, I wrote:

I don’t know whether the Irish Boat Rental Association [IBRA] still exists. I can’t find a website for it, although there are references to it, and information about it, on other websites. The online Eircom phone book doesn’t have an entry for it, although the Yelp directory has an address in Bray. This site may be IBRA’s, although I can’t find anything saying so. If you know the true position, do please let me know and I’ll amend this.

In a Comment, Steve Conlon said:

IBRA is most certainly alive and well. http://www.boatholidaysireland.com is IBRA’s portal site and the IBRA logo is prominently displayed on the top right hand corner of the page in question. IBRA members were also members of the Irish Marine Federation which explains the listing on their website. With regards to membership, this stands at 7 despite the current difficulties of Shannon Castle Line. Barrow Line Cruisers have recently joined as a full member of IBRA. The IBRA website and group brochure are currently being up dated and a new industry led study into the market for hire boats is being undertaken. IBRA is a member of ITIC, the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation. I hope that this clarifies.

And Sven Neubert said:

IBRA is still “alive and kickin’ ” and we do have regular meetings (next one in June). The webpage is indeed http://www.boatholidaysireland.com and the IBRA-logo can be clearly seen on it, in the top left corner.

But everything else you are saying on this subject is correct and the hire boat industry has suffered big time over the last number of years.

From my point of view this has been widely ignored by the powers to be. The industry may be too small, but some important people seem to forget, that we bring in many tourist every year, and a good share of them spend another while in the country. But that fact doesn’t appear in the statistics…

It is very sad to see the company of a colleague go, with Shannon Castle Line being one of the oldest IBRA members.

You can see my responses in the Comments.

Shannon Castle Line and Waveline

CarrickCraft and Waveline have announced today that they will be merging after the 2014 season [the same press release is on the two websites]. The combined fleet of 125 boats is to be based at the CarrickCraft bases.

And, according to InsolvencyJournal.ie, receivers have been appointed to Skyline Entertainment Ltd and to Twinross Holdings Ltd, two of the companies that have registered the business name Shannon Castle Line. On 11 April 2014 that business name was registered by DDL Marine Limited, a company whose application to register with the Companies Registration Office was lodged on 7 March 2014. For both Skyline and Twinross,

Brian McEnery of BDO was appointed Receiver and Manager by Bank of Scotland Plc on 30th April 2014.

[Update] The 7 May 2014 issue of Iris Oifigiúil covers the matter.

The shrinking of the Shannon hire business, to which I have often drawn attention on this site, seems to be continuing.

 

4 Comments

Posted in Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Water

Posted on Tuesday 6 May 2014 | 4 comments

I have written to Waterways Ireland to ask how it proposes to stop the citizenry from stealing the water it supplies to harbours.

4 Comments

Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Operations, Politics, Sources, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , ,