Category Archives: Sources

Dry docks

GRAND CANAL

At a Meeting of the Company of Undertakers of the Grand Canal, duly convened by public Advertisement, and held at the Company’s House in Dublin, on Monday, the 6th day of April, 1840,

WILLIAM MURPHY, Esq., in the chair,

The following Resolution, moved by James Pim, jun., Esq., seconded by James Dawson, Esq., passed unanimously in the afformative: —

Resolved — That the Court of Directors of this Company be authorised, if they shall see fit, to call the attention of the Government, of the Chamber of Commerce, of the Ballast Corporation, of the several Steam Companies, and of Capitalists generally, to the important advantages which the Grand Canal Company’s Floating and Graving Docks at Ringsend offer to all parties connected with the Shipping interests of the Port of Dublin, and to apprize them that this Company will at all times be ready to entertain any well considered proposition for increasing the general usefulness of these Docks, on the fairest and most liberal terms as regards the Public. Under the firm persuasion that by whatever well-arranged proceeding this important portion of the Company’s property can be best made available in increasing the Trade and promoting the prosperity of the City of Dublin, it will be rendered the most effectually conducive to the interests of the Company.

By order, JOHN McMULLEN,
Secretary of the Company.

From The Freeman’s Journal 8 April 1840.

Perhaps Waterways Ireland might follow the example of its predecessors and, rather than getting into bed with the DDDA, might consider some “well considered proposition for increasing the general usefulness of these Docks”.

 

Willie Leech and the Royal trade

I have uploaded an old article of mine based on an interview with Willie Leech of Killucan, whose father ran the last trading boats on the Royal Canal.

F E Prothero on the Royal Canal in the 1890s

His brief notes here.

Royal water

Here is a page about feeders to the Royal Canal. My confidence in the accuracy of this list is low, so comments would be welcome.

Grand water

Here is a page about the feeders that supplied water to the Grand Canal. There will soon be a page about the Royal Canal feeders; these will lead to an examination of the current and proposed supply of water to the Royal.

Kildare canal history

John W Freeman of Donadea, near Naas, Co Kildare, has very kindly sent me a copy of his third book, Reflections through a Parish Window, which he published in November 2010, and tells me that he is at work on his fourth book. As usual, his third has several items of waterways interest from the land between the canals: Donadea is south of the Royal and north of the Grand.

John gives special thanks to Essie Conroy of Lowtown (19th Lock), who died in September 2010. There is an article (p111 et seq) about her grandparents, Murt and Mary Murphy; Murt, originally from Ballycowan near Tullamore, died in 1922 aged 73. The Lowtown section also includes photos of a model flyboat, the wooden canal boat 104B (Maid of Erin, owned by Roches of Tullamore) and Essie Conroy with one of Ted Barrett’s boats at Lock 19. Her husband John Conroy is pictured on p123.

There is a photo of another wooden canal boat at Lowtown. It has the name Ocean Star written across its stern and what look like horizontal wooden slots on both sides of the rudder. The crew are named as William Connolly and his son Patrick, with Thomas Murphy (Essie Conroy’s father) standing on the bow holding a rope.

Other Grand Canal items include a photograph of 31M at Landenstown (p56)  and two photos of Robertstown, one undated (p120) and the other taken in 1895 (p116). There is a photo of the Royal at Kilcock (p64), perhaps taken in the 1980s, and a short article about the Royal with a photo of Lock 1 (pp137–8). There is even a photo of Guinness Liffey barges of, I think, the first fleet (p68).

Perhaps the most surprising item is a photograph from the Irish Press of 23 October 1947 with this caption:

Propeller-driven “water-bike”, built by motor and cycle mechanic Patrick Kennedy, of Corduff, Co Kildare, to contact his clients in their village homes along the Grand Canal. Comfortably seated on the kitchen chair “tandem seat” is Christie Brereton, Patrick’s assistant, enlivening the pair’s progress with his accordion. These mechanics say that they will perfect this style of transport for river and lake travel.

The photograph is a little blurred, but the two men can be seen clearly, with Patrick in front clasping the handlebars. The structure of the craft seems to include at least two 40-gallon drums but the steering and propulsion methods are not specified. If anyone has any more information about this craft, do please leave a Comment below.

All in all, a lot of very interesting material once again, and I am looking forward to John’s fourth book.

 

Killaloe eel fishery

Text of aD in Limerick Leader seen on 5 April 2012

Conservation of Silver Eels on the River Shannon

Expressions of interest are invited from all interested parties to assess eligibility for a competitive tender process to award Silver Eel Operations contract on the River Shannon at ESB Eel Weir Killaloe, Co Clare.

To be eligible for consideration interested parties must have:

  • the appropriate eel fishing experience ;
  • knowledge of the River Shannon and Killaloe region as applicable;
  • suitable certified equipment;
  • appropriate insurances;
  • tax certificates, if appropriate;
  • Training records
  • other documentation as may be deemed necessary by ESB.

To register your interest, please contact:

ESB Fisheries Conservation,
Ardnacrusha Generating Station,
Limerick, Co.Clare

before 16.00hrs on Friday 13th April 2012.

Phone: 061 350598/350538; Fax 061 344560
Email: tom.obrien1@esb.ie

================================

More on the eel fishery here.

Lowtown

Statement from Lowtown Marine here.

Competition closed

Nobody has attempted to identify this quay, so the competition is now closed and I’ll drink the sherry myself.

It is, of course, the downstream quay at Clarecastle at the head of the Fergus Navigation.

Clarecastle downstream

Here is the upstream quay, just around the corner.

Clarecastle upstream

The upstream quay bears the following inscription.

Inscription at Clarecastle

I really must return and get a better photo when it’s less slippy. Note that, although this is on tidal waters, Thomas Rhodes was the engineer.

Did you know that Clarecastle still has its own port authority? Go to this excellent pub and ask John Power about it. His brother (Dr Joe) wrote the definitive history of Clarecastle. John has lots of interesting old photos and maps on display in a really good traditional pub. He’s got a facetweet thingie too.

Upward-only rent reviews

Upward-only rent reviews seem like one of the more insane inventions of recent years. But I suppose that, if you’re the landlord, they’re a Good Thing. So what are the ten marinas that have UORR leases from Waterways Ireland? Answers on a postcard please ….

h/t Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein), who brought this interesting waterways issue to light.