Tag Archives: boats

Over the sea to Wye

Posted on Wednesday 9 January 2013 | Leave a comment

Here is a page with some photos of what was said to be a Slaney Cot. The photos were taken in October 2010, in the car waiting area at Rosslare harbour; the cot was on a trailer, en route to Fishguard. It was said to have been built in Wexford and to be destined for the River Wye.

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Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Restoration and rebuilding, Water sports activities, waterways

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The Fergus estuary

Posted on Tuesday 8 January 2013 | Leave a comment

I have a page about the Fergus estuary here with links from that page to others about places on the estuary (including Paradise).

Mediaeval fishweir at the Boarland Rock in the Fergus Estuary © Dr Aidan O’Sullivan, UCD 2008

Mediaeval fishweir at the Boarland Rock in the Fergus Estuary © Dr Aidan O’Sullivan, UCD 2008

The UCD School of Archaeology has, for many years, been investigating the Fergus estuary and has found remarkable evidence of settlement and activities on the estuary stretching back to the Iron Age (about 100 BCE) and the Bronze Age (almost 800 BCE). Read about the project here and see more photos of mediaeval fishweirs and earlier artefacts here.

The photo above is used in accordance with the terms set out here.

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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, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Scenery, shannon estuary, Sources, The cattle trade, The fishing trade, waterways, Waterways management, Weather

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Doing the old girl proud

Posted on Monday 7 January 2013 | 1 comment

A few days ago, in a post about the Blarna, I pointed out that the last vessel to be built at the Alexandra Basin in Dublin was Waterways Ireland’s Coill-an-Eo, of which I have photos here. With all the new kit Waterways Ireland has got in the last few years, I was slightly worried that Coill-an-Eo might be retired, sold off or — worse — scrapped, although this news from Arklow Marine Services last October was reassuring. Well, Our Northern Correspondent has been in Roosky and has sent us these pics, with permission to reproduce them here.

Coill-an-Eo 1

Coill-an-Eo 1

1-Coill an Moon 005

Coill-an-Eo 2

Doesn’t the old girl look good? Hats off to Waterways Ireland and to Arklow Marine Services.

 

Update: I’m told that Mooney Boats of Killybegs also worked on the Coill-an-Eo, so hats off to them too. [h/t & © jc]

Further update: Aeroblast Services in Limerick have been on to say that they carried out the blasting and painting contract, and a fine job they did too [the last bit is what I said, not what they said]. Interesting pics of the work under way on their site here.

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

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Northsouthery 121212

Posted on Sunday 6 January 2013 | 3 comments

The North/South Ministerial Council reports here [PDF] on the most recent inland waterways meeting, which was held on 121212. Not much happened (or at least not much that is being revealed to the citizens and subjects). Sponsor departments are to think about having a board; there is still no money for the Clones Sheugh but an interagency groups is to find some [hint: look under the end of a rainbow] and it was John Martin’s last appearance as he will be retiring in March and the search for a new CEO has a process (which is important).

The interesting bit is that WI is to transfer some property at Harvey’s Quay, Limerick, to Limerick City Council, which is making a boardwalk. And something similar is happening in Tullamore. You’re nobody nowadays unless you have a boardwalk; their usefulness in Irish weather is not proven.

Finally, I noted a certain modesty in WI’s aims for 2013, no doubt in keeping with the tenor of the times:

Ministers discussed the main priorities for Waterways Ireland in 2013 and noted progress on the 2013 Business Plan and Budget. The priorities for 2013 include:

• ensure the navigations are open and all existing facilities operational during the main boating season from April to October
• to actively promote the waterways to extend and expand recreational use of the waterways in all its forms.

 

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management, Weather

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Mountshannon

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 | Leave a comment

In the Foreword to his latest book, Portraits of Mountshannon (East Clare Heritage, Tuamgraney 2012), Ger Madden writes of the changes to Mountshannon since 1993:

The Aistear, the children’s playground, the pre-school building, the floating jetties at the harbour, additional restaurants and shops have been hugely positive and successful. The same cannot be said for housing. Ten years of reasonable prosperity for some, has resulted in new private holiday homes built on the fringes of the village and others planned. They are not associated with the needs of the community. The majority of the owners have not the slightest interest in the history, culture or welfare of the community they have chosen to display their wealth.

Any such owners wishing to develop an interest in the history of Mountshannon could not do better than to start with Ger’s book. It’s A4 landscape, with an aerial colour photo of Mountshannon on the front and a map on the back. Inside, the foreword gives a brief overview of Mountshannon’s history. Then follow 52 pages, each with a black and white photo and each covering a building, a tree or a place of interest in and around Mountshannon. Their locations are shown on the map on the back cover.

But, although architectural information is provided, the book is not about the buildings per se. Each page is a window into Mountshannon’s history and, together, they provide a rich account of the place and its people over the centuries. Part of the interest is in the fact that buildings you might pass by without noticing turn out to have interesting stories attached to them. Nor are they all about the distant past: I was glad to see that Mountshannon’s more recent claim to fame, as the last telephone exchange in the country to be automated, was recognised here (although I suppose that too may seem like the distant past to younger readers).

I highly recommend the book. If you’re in the area, you’ll probably know better than I where to get copies; if you’re not, you might ask East Clare Heritage.

Ger runs boat trips to Holy Island during the summer.

 

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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, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways

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The end of an era

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 | Leave a comment

Ger Reid, the Ardnacrusha lockkeeper, retired at the end of December 2012. Ger has guided many boats through the locks over the years and has always been cheerful and reassuring as well as informative, helpful, reliable and competent. He will be sadly missed but I wish him well in his retirement.

Meanwhile, I have heard that Limerick City Council has decided not to renew Pat Lysaght’s contract for work on the river and has suggested that Waterways Ireland should retain him. Pat’s most important role, though, in assisting boats passing through Limerick (220 in 2012), has always been voluntary. Were Pat to cease to provide that service, I think the number of boats visiting Limerick would be greatly reduced.

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Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Shannon, shannon estuary, Tourism, waterways, Weather

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For fans of wooden boats …

Posted on Friday 4 January 2013 | Leave a comment

… a new page of pics taken between October 2010 and December 2012.

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Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Restoration and rebuilding, Water sports activities, waterways

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Around the world with Irish waterways

Posted on Friday 4 January 2013 | 7 comments

Yesterday was one of those days: I managed to track down sources for several pieces of information I’ve been hunting for some time, but in the process I came across a few interesting links, from Gordon of Khartoum to the War between the States.

The starting point was William Watson, manager of the Inland Department and later Chairman of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company. He worked with Robert Mallet on the design of an innovative boat for use on Irish inland waterways. Robert Mallet married a Cordelia Watson in 1831. (I thought that might be a daughter of William of the CoDSPCo but it’s pretty clear from the excellent Mallett Family History site that that was not so.)

One of Mallet’s inventions was a large mortar designed for use in the Crimean War. And one of Mallet’s sons, John William Mallet, went to the USA and became professor of chemistry at the University of Alabama. He joined the Confederate forces, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the artillery and superintendent of the Confederate ordnance laboratories.

Meanwhile Watson’s son Charles Moore went east rather than west. Colonel Sir Charles Moore Watson KCMG, CB, MA, of the Royal Engineers, Watson Pasha, was a general in the Egyptian Army and Governor-General of the Red Sea Littoral. Watson’s base was at Suakin on the Red Sea. The Dubliner was succeeded in that post by a Kerryman, Horatio Herbert Kitchener, from Ballylongford near Saleen on the Shannon Estuary, on which the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company operated.

Watson was “Gordon’s principal friend in Egypt”:

It is certain that Watson was, above all others, the one man in Cairo whom Gordon cared about most, and that he was the last to see Gordon off when he started [for Khartoum].

Gordon died at Khartoum; the relief expedition, led by another Irishman, Sir Garnet Wolseley, arrived two days too late.

A younger brother of Sir Garnet, Frederick Wolseley, went to Australia. His Sheep Shearing Machine Company made a brief expedition into the manufacture of motor-cars, under one Herbert Austin, who later founded his own company. Austin and Wolseley both ended up in British Leyland Motor Corporation, which made diesel engines, some of which were marinised and used in boats on the Irish inland waterways … which brings us back to where we started.

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Scenery, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management

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Melancholy loss of life on the River Shannon

Posted on Wednesday 2 January 2013 | 1 comment

Last Wednesday we were witness to a most melancholy spectacle. We saw three bodies floating on that part of the river Shannon which lies opposite to Castle Lough, in this county. Having rowed in to shore, we gave notice to some persons there, who, without hesitation, prepared themselves, and joined in the sad task of snatching from the watery element the livid bodies of three unfortunate fellow creatures. When we stretched them on the bank they were recognised by one of the Steam Packet Company to be the bodies of Thomas Minshoe, George Halbert, and Robert Williams, three of the unfortunate five that were drowned some few days ago, while on a party of pleasure. The bodies were far advanced in a state of putrefaction and were a revolting spectacle to look on.

A messenger being despatched to Nenagh for the coroner, James Carroll, Esq, that officer, with his usual promptness, reached here in a short time; and having empanelled a jury, “Accidentally drowned during a squall” was the verdict.

It appeared from evidence that the deceased, with others, left Killaloe on Sunday, the 20th ult, for the purpose of having a day’s amusement on the Upper Shannon. They put in at Castle Lough to take refreshment; during the time they were on shore, the wind freshened and blew a gale, upon which they determined to leave the boat at anchor, and proceed home by land, which they accordingly did. On the following morning they returned and found that the ropes, which were for the purpose of lowering the sails, had been stolen. The day being fine and the weather not likely to change, they made light of the inconvenience, and ventured homeward.

After hoisting sails and reaching the centre of the river (which, at this point, is not two miles broad), a squall came on. Having endeavoured in vain to lower sails, which was completely impracticable, on account of the loss of the ropes, the boat suddenly ducked beneath the weight of canvass, and consigned the poor fellows to an early grave. Thomas Minshoe and George Halbert are natives of Liverpool, and Williams from Wales.

No coffins being convenient, three fishermen were appointed to watch the bodies on the shore until the next day. When we saw them coffined, we observed that the ear had been eaten off Williams by, we suppose, a dog, and a part of Minshoe’s left leg. They were interred at Killaloe on the afternoon of Thursday.

1 September 1837

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Posted in Ashore, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Weather

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Blarna, Canima and the Liffey Dockyard

Posted on Wednesday 2 January 2013 | 3 comments

Pat Sweeney, in Liffey Ships & Shipbuilding [Mercier Press, Cork 2010], tells us that in December 1960 Cork Harbour Commissioners got permission to raise a loan of £250,000 to build two diesel-powered tenders to carry passengers to and from transatlantic liners moored in Cobh. The tenders were built by the Liffey Dockyard in Dublin; the MV Blarna was launched in May 1961 and her sister MV Cill Airne in February 1962.

After a varied career, the MV Cill Airne is now back on the Liffey as a floating restaurant. Her website says that she and her sister were the last rivetted ships built in Europe; they were the third-last and second-last ships to be built at the Alexandra Basin, the last being the Shannon Navigation’s Coill-an-Eo.

MV Blarna spent much of her life in Bermuda as a party boat named Canimabut then spent ten years in Canada waiting vainly for restoration or conversion and coming to be regarded as an eyesore. That period is now over: the “Millbank eyesore“, the Canima, sank in December 2012 and “salvage may not be an option“.

h/t Niall Galway

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Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Non-waterway, Operations, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, Tourism

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