Tuesday 13 May 1845
[…] afterwards we met P McHenry and we went to the Atmospheric at Dalkey we travelled at about 30 Miles Pr Hour it is the most Zig Zag narrow disgraceful thing I ever beheld
David Brooke ed The diary of William Mackenzie, the first international railway contractor Thomas Telford Publishing, London 2000
Posted in Ashore, Engineering and construction, Rail, Shannon
Tagged atmospheric railway, contractor, Dalkey, Shannon, William Mackenzie
Proposals in writing will be received by the Court of Directors, at No 105, Grafton street, for drawing six Passage-boats, for three, four, or five years, between the city of Dublin and Monasterevan. The Contractors to be paid monthly.
Proposals to be delivered in two ways, either for the present five stages, from Dublin to Hazle-hatch, Sallins, Robertstown, Rathangan, and Monasterevan; or for four stages, viz Hazle-hatch, Digby-bridge, Elanaree, and Monasterevan. Persons proposing may send proposals either for the whole line, or any one or more of the before-mentioned stages.
Any alteration that shall hereafter be made, by increasing or decreasing the number of Passage Boats, to be mutually allowed for in proportion to the contract.
The boys to be kept in proper apparel, and the contractors to find track lines.
Stables will be found by the Company on the new stages — if they should be adopted.
Proposals will be received until the 1st day of August next, and the contracts to commence on the 1st of October ensuing.
Security in the sum of £500 must be given for the due performance of the contracts.
Signed by order,
W Browne Sec
Dublin Evening Post 17 June 1790
Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, Sources, Waterways management
Tagged apparel, boy, contractor, Digby Bridge, Dublin, Glenaree, Grand Canal, Hazelhatch, horse, Monasterevan, passage boat, Rathangan, Robertstown, Sallins, towing, track line, trackline
In 1849 the Grand Canal Company decided to begin operating a cargo-carrying service on its own canal, initially from Dublin to Naas and from Dublin to Kilbeggan, both destinations on branch lines. According to Ruth Delany, Naas was included because
[…] Daly of Sallins, the only trader to Naas, had announced his intention of withdrawing the service which he was operating at a considerable loss.[1]
It may be the same Daly of Sallins who had leased the Grand Canal Company’s hotel in Sallins after the lease to the Great Southern & Western Railway ended in 1847. Delany says that the Daly family
[…] looked after the maintenance of sections of the banks and trackways for the company under contract and later became the horse contractors for the company’s trade boats.[2]
By 1870, however, the Grand Canal Company had ended that arrangement:
The haulage of the boats by their own horses had been a great success. It had been done at a much less rate, and more efficiently, than was done before by contract.[3]
It is possible that the company used contractors for some of its work some of the time, perhaps to supplement its own resources in busy seasons. A report to the company’s half-yearly meeting in August 1888 included these items>
[…] £103 for a new roof to their stables at Shannon Harbour. […] their horsing account for 52 horses at £669. They had during the last half year replaced several horses worn out in the service by new purchases. Their stud was never in a better condition than at present. […] They had succeeded in obtaining savings in new haulage contracts […].[4]
In February 1890, a new company chairman, Mr William F De V Kane JP, reported that Mr T J Daly, of Sallins, had been appointed inspector and clerk of works to the company engineer, Mr Mulvany, at a salary of £150 a year and travelling expenses;
[…] and the directors were confident that by this appointment an improvement in the management of horses in the country as well as economy would be secured.[5]
Perhaps that Daly was related to the other Dalys. I would welcome further information about the Daly family of Sallins.
[1] Ruth Delany The Grand Canal of Ireland David & Charles, Newton Abbot 1973
[2] ibid
[3] Report to Grand Canal Company half-yearly meeting 26 February 1870 in Dublin Evening Mail 26 February 1870
[4] Freeman’s Journal 20 August 1888
[5] ibid
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Sources, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged contractor, Daly, Dublin, Grand Canal, Grand Canal Company, haulage, horse, horsing, Kilbeggan, Naas, Sallins, towage, tracking
Here is a little information about the steamer Cupid, which was owned or used by the contractor Bernard Mullins on the Shannon in the 1840s.
Posted in Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Politics, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Athlone, Bernard Mullins, bridge, contractor, Cupid, Limerick, Lough Ree, Samuel Cunard, Shannon, Shannon Commissioners, shannon estuary, steamer, transatlantic packets
Waterways Ireland has readvertised for a contractor to build a houseboat facility at Sallins on the Grand Canal:
Waterways Ireland seeks tenders from experienced and competent contractors for the construction of a House Boat Mooring Facility in Sallins, Co Kildare.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged bridge, contractor, Grand Canal, houseboat facility, Ireland, Kildare, Operations, Sallins, tender, vessels, Waterways Ireland
WI’s funds haven’t altogether run out: it’s looking for contractors to dredge the Circular Line of the Grand Canal between Suir Road and Portobello, and to do so to the “original bed level”. That will be welcomed by boaters. Details here.
Irish waterways history 