Tag Archives: Fergus

A gratifying display of loyalty

Posted on Tuesday 4 December 2012 | Leave a comment

His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant took a trip on the Shannon Estuary in July 1856 on the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company’s vessel Erin-go-Bragh. He was greeted by demonstrations of loyalty from the populace, had dejeuner on board off Scattery Island and heard an address from the proprietary, clergymen, merchants, traders and inhabitants of Kilrush, read to him by Colonel Vandeleur. Here is the Freeman’s Journal‘s account of the trip.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Politics, Scenery, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, Uncategorized, waterways, Weather

Tagged boats, Brandon, caterer, Clare, Cratloe, Erin-go-Bragh, estuary, Fergus, Foynes, Garryowen, Goggin, Howard, Ireland, jetties, Kerry, Kilrush, Limerick, Lord Lieutenant, Monsell, Monteagle, Operations, quay, Scattery, Shannon, Stafford, steamer, Tervoe, Vandeleur, vessels, waterways

Theatre steam

Posted on Wednesday 26 September 2012 | 4 comments

The Abbey Theatre has announced that it has bought Nos 15–17 Eden Quay, Dublin 1. No 15 was the address of the main offices of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company.

From the Dublin Almanac of 1845

The company crest is said to be still on the wall. Abbey Street Old seems to run between the two premises; no doubt there will be some means of avoiding any problem.

I wish the Abbey Theatre well in its extension, but I hope it will find some way of honouring the memory of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company and of the underrecognised Charles Wye Williams.

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Operations, People, Restoration and rebuilding, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways

Tagged Abbey Theatre, Charles Wye Williams, City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, Dublin, Eden Quay, estuary, Fergus, Grand Canal, Ireland, Irish Sea, Shannon, steam, steamer, waterways, workboat

I don’t know much about art …

Posted on Friday 18 May 2012 | Leave a comment

… but an excuse to talk about the working history of the Shannon is not to be dismissed. I’ll be at this event in Limerick on Saturday 26 May 2012, delivering a “brief and engaging presentation” (well, there’s got to be a first time for everything). If you’re interested in the sort of stuff this site covers, email the organisers to reserve a place.

Leave a comment

Posted in Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Politics, Shannon, shannon estuary, Steamers, The cattle trade, The turf trade, waterways

Tagged boats, bridge, canal, estuary, Fergus, Ireland, Killaloe, Kilrush, Limerick, lock, Shannon, turf, waterways

The surprising importance of the Shannon steamers in the 1830s

Posted on Wednesday 25 April 2012 | Leave a comment

A short, lavishly illustrated talk in Killaloe Cathedral, Co Clare, at 6.00pm on Sunday 29 April 2012, as part of the Waterways Ireland Discover Killaloe and Ballina thingie.

Leave a comment

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

Tagged boats, bridge, canal, Clare, CoDSPCo, Dublin, estuary, Fergus, Garryowen, Grand Canal, Ireland, jetties, Killaloe, Kilrush, Lady Lansdowne, Limerick, Liverpool, lock, Lough Derg, Montpelier, O'Briensbridge, Operations, quay, Royal Canal, Shannon, turf, vessels, waterways, workboat

Estuarial islands

Posted on Thursday 5 April 2012 | Leave a comment

The Shannon Fergus Islands Group is seeking consultants to undertake

research on access, tourism and agricultural sustainability of the islands while identifying how best to deliver on the vision being ever mindful of the primary constraints of physical access limitations and environmental designation.

Leave a comment

Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Politics, Scenery, Shannon, shannon estuary, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged boats, estuary, Fergus, Ireland, islands, Shannon, waterways

Competition closed

Posted on Friday 30 March 2012 | Leave a comment

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.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, People, Politics, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged boats, Clarecastle, Commissioners, estuary, Fergus, Ireland, Operations, quay, Shannon, Thomas Rhodes, vessels, Waterways Ireland

Prothero

Posted on Tuesday 20 March 2012 | Leave a comment

This site includes several extracts from F E Prothero’s 1896 and 1898 accounts of small-boat trips on Irish waterways. This short page shows what I know about Mr Prothero; I would welcome further information.

Leave a comment

Posted in Built heritage, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, People, Scenery, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Tourism, Ulster Canal, Water sports activities, waterways, Weather

Tagged Barrow, boats, Clones, Dublin, Erne, estuary, Fergus, Grand Canal, Ireland, Killaloe, Limerick, Lough Derg, Lough Neagh, Prothero, Royal Canal, Shannon, Ulster Canal, waterways

Sailing merchant vessels

Posted on Thursday 16 February 2012 | Leave a comment

Niall O’Brien, author of the history of the Blackwater and Bride, has set up a Facebook page about sailing merchant vessels of Ireland and Britain. Many of these used the Irish estuaries — including the Shannon, Blackwater, Barrow and Suir — and thus overlapped with inland navigation.

Leave a comment

Posted in Economic activities, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Shannon, shannon estuary, waterways

Tagged Barrow, Blackwater, boats, Bride, Carrick-on-Suir, estuary, Fergus, Ireland, Kilrush, Limerick, sailing, Shannon, Suir, vessels, waterways, workboat

SS John Randolph

Posted on Saturday 10 December 2011 | Leave a comment

The SS John Randolph, described as “America’s first successful iron ship in commerce”, is commemorated by a historical marker in Savannah, Georgia, USA.

The John Randolph was one of the first six iron vessels built by Lairds of Birkenhead (later merged into Cammell Laird). The other five were built for use on the River Shannon.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, 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, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged Birkenhead, boats, Charles Wye Williams, Clare, Dublin, estuary, Fergus, Garryowen, Georgia, Grand Canal, Ireland, iron, John Randolph, Killaloe, Lady Lansdowne, Laird, Limerick, lock, Lough Derg, Operations, Savannah, Shannon, steam, tug, vessels, waterways

Get me a duck punt

Posted on Tuesday 14 June 2011 | Leave a comment

I have updated my page about the designation of the Shannon and Fergus estuaries as a Special Protection Area for our feathered friends. The more I learn about this proposal, the less I like it.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Natural heritage, Operations, People, Politics, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, shannon estuary, Steamers, The cattle trade, The turf trade, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged birds, boats, Clare, estuary, Fergus, industrial heritage, Ireland, Kilrush, Limerick, Shannon, turf, vessels, waterways