Category Archives: Sources

The fuel on the hill …

Posted on Thursday 28 March 2013 | Leave a comment

… may be plentiful but, according to today’s file, it seems there are still only seven licensed traders in marked fuel on the Shannon.

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

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The Charles Wye Williams bridge campaign

Posted on Friday 22 March 2013 | 1 comment

Dublin City Council has published its call for proposals for naming the new bridge across the Liffey. According to RTE, various bolshies and literary types have been suggested, as though we didn’t have enough of them (and of politicians too). Accordingly, I have submitted an application suggesting that the bridge be named after a successful entrepreneur who understood technology and created employment: Charles Wye Williams, the Father of the Shannon, whose fleet of nine steamers and fifty-two barges gave us the Shannon as we know it today.

I will be happy to send a copy (PDF) of my application to anyone who is willing to support it.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, waterways, Waterways management

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WI CEO salary

Posted on Friday 22 March 2013 | 2 comments

In 2005 the Waterways Ireland CEO earned £86590. Subsequent annual reports have not disclosed the CEO’s earnings; the report for 2011 says this:

WI salaries

Martin is the CEO; Russell, Brownsmith, D’Arcy and Dennany are (or were: Dennany has since retired) Directors, and thus senior to the three regional managers whose earnings have been disclosed. I think we can assume, therefore, that all five earned more than €100,000, which is £85,187.65 at the moment.

According to the information booklet for the CEO’s job, published here today [downloadable .doc],

The salary range for the position is sterling and as follows: £61,217- £84,630. Salary at appointment will be at the minimum point of the scale.

So it seems likely that the new CEO will be earning considerably less than the outgoing CEO, than the senior directors and than the regional managers, and perhaps less than other staff.

There is a defined benefit pension, though, which is a rara avis these days.

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Posted in Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Operations, People, Politics, Sources, waterways, Waterways management

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WI CEO update

Posted on Friday 22 March 2013 | Leave a comment

I mentioned yesterday that the job of Waterways Ireland Chief Executive had not yet been advertised. It has now.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Politics, Sources, waterways, Waterways management

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Weather and water levels

Posted on Friday 22 March 2013 | Leave a comment

Have a look at the water level at Banagher Bridge. As I write at 0823 on 20130322, the latest data is 23 minutes old. The level has been falling for the last five weeks, but are there already signs of an uptick? (Or am I assuming there should be one after last night’s rain?)

Not interested in Banagher? Pick your own spot.

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Posted in Ashore, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Natural heritage, Operations, Shannon, Sources, waterways, Waterways management, Weather

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WI CEO

Posted on Thursday 21 March 2013 | 6 comments

John Martin, Chief Executive (or, as we say in Ulster Scots, Heid Fector) of Waterways Ireland, was due to retire at the end of March 2013. The job has not yet been advertised and Mr Martin has been asked to stay on until his successor has been appointed.

His retirement was not a surprise: for instance, as I reported here, Ministers thanked him at the North-South Ministerial Council meeting on 121212:

Ministers thanked John Martin CEO of Waterways Ireland who is due to retire in  March next year for his contribution to the Body and noted the process for appointing a new CEO.

So why the delay? It is of course possible that headhunters are beating the bushes seeking retired chief executives of waterways bodies who could be persuaded to apply, but I would have thought that a public position should be publicly advertised. I have asked the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for information.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, Sources, Uncategorized, waterways, Waterways management

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NAMA the boat-owner

Posted on Wednesday 20 March 2013 | Leave a comment

I asked NAMA (or rather its PR agency) how many private pleasure craft (boats) are “in NAMA”, having been owned by individuals or companies whose loans are now with NAMA.

I was told that “[…] the Agency has had an interest in less than five boats; all bar one of these have been sold.”

My guess is that that means four boats, which is not many, although I don’t see why private pleasure craft should be business assets (other than for, say, hire firms) in the first place. I don’t know whether any of them were based on inland waterways.

I have not asked banks or other lenders how many boats they have had in their fleets.

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Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Politics, Sources, Water sports activities, waterways

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Lock sizes on the Shannon Navigation

Posted on Wednesday 20 March 2013 | Leave a comment

Some figures.

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

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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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Buying diesel

Posted on Tuesday 19 March 2013 | Leave a comment

The Revenue Commissioners’ latest list of holders of marked fuel trader’s licences doesn’t seem to have any new names on it. So, as far as I can see, there are no licensed sellers on the Grand Canal, the Royal Canal, the Barrow, the Shannon–Erne Waterway or that part of the Erne in the republic. There are seven licensed sellers on the Shannon, with none north of Carrick-on-Shannon or south of Portumna. The seven licensed sellers are (north to south):

  • CarrickCraft, Carrick-on-Shannon
  • Emerald Star, Carrick-on-Shannon
  • Rooskey Craft & Tackle, Rooskey Quay
  • Hanley’s Marina, Ballyleague (opposite Lanesborough)
  • Quigley’s Marina, Killinure, Lough Ree
  • CarrickCraft, Banagher
  • Emerald Star, Portumna.

If I’ve left anybody out, please let me know and I’ll correct my error.

Note that the requirement for a licence includes anyone delivering green diesel, or keeping it for delivery, so that purporting not to charge for the diesel makes no difference.

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

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