Edward Farrell, a boat-owner on the Grand Canal, was held to bail to keep the peace to his brother-in-law, Simon Farrell, also a boat-owner on the same canal, and at whom he presented a loaded gun, the same morning at James’s-street harbour, threatening to shoot him for passing across his (Edward’s) boat for the purpose of getting into his own vessel, which was lying alongside.
Freeman’s Journal 23 November 1842
Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Forgotten navigations, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Sources, waterways
Tagged barge, boat owner, boats, canal, Dublin, Farrell, Grand Canal, Grand Canal harbour, gun, Ireland, Operations, police, shoot, waterways
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Charles Wye Williams, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, Sources, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged 1969, barge, boats, Bord Failte, bridge, canal, CIE, Clondra, Coras Iompair Eireann, Ireland, Office of Public Works, Operations, OPW, Richmond Harbour, Royal Canal, Shannon, waterways, Waterways Ireland
I am grateful to Waterways Ireland for letting me have copies of the recorded numbers of boat passages through Shannon locks and Portumna Bridge for the first five months of 2014. All the usual caveats apply:
On the other hand, the figures do include the Shannon’s most significant tourism activity, the cruiser hire business. And they are our only consistent long-term indicator of usage of the inland waterways.
The total amount of traffic continues to decline.
Private-boat traffic is still below its average for the period but increased slightly on the same period of the previous year [but see the third caveat above].
Hire-boat traffic is just over one third of its 2003 level.
Since 2003, both private and hired traffic have fallen, from the highest figures attained within the period, by about 60% of the 2003 figure. But private traffic first rose by 40% of the 2003 figure, so it is now only about 20% below that figure. Hire traffic has fallen pretty consistently since 2003.
Hire traffic is usually greater than private traffic between April and October (roughly speaking), but the gap is closing.
Carál Ní Chuilín, NI’s [SF] waterways minister, said the other day:
Waterways Ireland delivered a presentation to Ministers entitled ‘Ireland’s Inland Waterways — Building a Tourism Destination’. The presentation provided an overview of the progress that Waterways Ireland is making in placing waterways and the waterway experience at the centre of the tourism offering in Ireland and internationally.
And a good thing too, but the waterways need new water-based tourism products to complement, and perhaps to replace some of, the hire-boat cruising business. Opening new waterways — Royal Canal, Longford Branch, Ulster Canal, Kilbeggan Branch or anything else — is a waste of money until demand, domestic and visitor, private and hired, exceeds existing capacity.
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Ulster Canal, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged barge, Barrow, boat hire, boats, bridge, canal, Clones, cruiser, department of arts heritage and the gaeltacht, Erne, Grand Canal, hire boat, IBRA, Ireland, lock, Operations, Portumna, private boat, product, Royal Canal, Shannon, tourism, traffic, Ulster Canal, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland
I reported here on April’s meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council (inland waterways flavour). I wasn’t there, though, and Carál Ní Chuilín was. Here is her account of the meeting, as explained to the Northern Ireland Assembly yesterday. There is much of interest, including the prospect of new byelaws on the Erne.
Members of the free state parliament don’t, as far as I know, get similar briefings.
It is slightly disconcerting to note that Jim Allister, the Traditional Unionist Voice MLA, seems to be the only person on the island, apart from me, to worry about delays in approving Waterways Ireland’s budgets.
Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Tourism, Ulster Canal, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged barge, boats, bridge, canal, Carál Ní Chuilín, Clones, department of arts heritage and the gaeltacht, Dublin, Erne, Ireland, Lough Derg, Lough Neagh, North South Ministerial Council, Northern Ireland Assembly, Operations, Shannon, Ulster Canal, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland
According to today’s Irish Times [which will disappear behind a paywall at some stage]
EU seeks feedback on plans to invest €500m in North and Border counties.
For full information, go to the SEUPB website. The Consultation Information Document [PDF may open or download as soon as you click] is the more useful and most readable document, but there are several others, including drafts of the PEACE and INTERREG Cooperation Programmes.
I have not myself been initiated into the Mystical Brotherhood of Euroloot Interpreters, so I can’t be sure, but I don’t think that either of these programmes contains, or could contain, anything that could fund the Clones Sheugh. It is difficult to see how a Sheugh-related action could be made to fit any of the objectives of either programme. But who knows what Fine Gael’s desperation might drive it to do? It faces the threat, in Monaghan, that the Shinners might arrive from Stormont bearing money from Her Majesty’s Treasury [NI branch office].
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Non-waterway, Operations, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, Tourism, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged barge, boats, bridge, canal, Clones, department of arts heritage and the gaeltacht, Dublin, Erne, euroloot, INTERREG, Ireland, Lough Neagh, Monaghan, Operations, PEACE, SEUPB, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Here is a new page about Lacy’s Canal.
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Sources, Steamers, The turf trade, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged barge, boats, canal, Granard, Ireland, Lacy's Canal, lost, Lough Ennell, Mullingar, Operations, Royal Canal, turf, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland
From the Freeman’s Journal 3 October 1839:
LISSADILL OYSTERS
Having made a contract with Mr Daniel O’Hara, of No 1, French-street, for the entire and exclusive Sale of all my Oysters, known by the name of Cullamore and Lissadill, and having made arrangement with Mr McCann, owner of the Fly Boats, for the speedy transmission of the Oysters from hence to Dublin, no disappointment can take place. The first cargo arrives THIS DAY, and sent per Order Twice a Week.
As to the quality, flavour, and size, these Oysters cannot be surpassed, and one trial will prove the excellence of them.
M W having taken unusual care of these Oysters, he recommends them as far superior to any that has hitherto been sent to Dublin.
MATTHEW WALSH, Glen-House, Sligo.
28th September, 1839.D O’H begs to return thanks for past favours, and to say that he commences THIS DAY with that delicious dish, so much admired, Cow-heel and Tripe; Beef Steak, and Oyster Sauce, as usual.
All Malt Liquors of the best description.
Private rooms for large or small parties.
1, French-street, and 17, York-street, Sept 30, 1839.
Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Sea, Sources, The fishing trade, waterways
Tagged barge, boats, canal, Dublin, Ireland, McCann, Operations, oysters, Royal Canal, Sligo, waterways
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage on the Black Bridge at Plass[e]y and on Baal’s Bridge in Limerick.
It would be nice if the NIAH provided reliable historical information.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, The cattle trade, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Baal's Bridge, barge, Black Bridge, boats, bridge, canal, Clare, Ireland, Killaloe, Limerick, lost, Lough Derg, Operations, Plassey, Plassy, Shannon, turf, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Houseboat facility starts again.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged barge, boats, bridge, canal, Grand Canal, houseboat, Ireland, Kildare, liveaboard, Operations, residential, Sallins, waterways, Waterways Ireland
… 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.
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 barge, boats, bridge, canal, Dublin, Ireland, Liffey, Operations, quay, Royal Canal, vessels, waterways
Irish waterways history