Nama to Nature has been planting trees at Keshcarrigan on the Shannon–Erne Waterway, along which far too many developers wanted to sell houses that would have fast boats parked outside. I don’t know whether my photo shows the Waterways estate or a different one.
Keshcarrigan September 2011
h/t Ireland after NAMA.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Non-waterway, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged boats, canal, Celtic Tiger, Ireland, Keshcarrigan, NAMA, Operations, Shannon-Erne Waterway, trees, waterways, Waterways Ireland
The lake level seems to be down about a foot. Two rumours purport to account for this: either (a) the powers-that-be want us to get used to a new, lower level, so that we won’t notice when Dublin starts extracting water, or (b) the ESB is generating as much electricity as it can before it starts getting charged for water. Such charges would be covered by the same European Commission reasoned opinion as that mentioned here that might see Waterways Ireland being charged to fill the Grand, Royal and SEW.
Or, of course, it could just be that there hasn’t been much rain. According to Met Éireann’s seasonal summary for winter 2012 [two-page PDF]:
Majority of rainfall totals were below normal for winter across the southern half of the country and in some parts of the east. Rainfall totals were below average in the majority of these parts during December and January, while all stations reported dry conditions in February. Most stations the east and south reported a below average number of wetdays (days with 1 mm or more) and the driest winter since 2006 (6 years).
Ardnacrusha usually runs fewer turbines in summer.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Operations, Politics, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Dublin, ESB, Grand Canal, Ireland, Lough Derg, Royal Canal, Shannon-Erne Waterway, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Grand Canal docks, Dublin
Salthouse Dock, Liverpool
Lock 3 Skelan, Shannon–Erne Waterway
Maybe they‘ll give me loads of money for this ….
Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Scenery, Tourism, waterways
Tagged boats, canal, Dublin, duckduckgo, DUKW, Grand Canal, Ireland, Liverpool, lock, Salthouse, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Skelan
Nice PQ from Éamon Ó Cuív here:
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail). Question 446: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Waterways Ireland will have to pay for the abstraction of water for use in the Royal Canal, the Grand Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and other man-made waterways as a result of the reasoned opinion from the European Union in November 2011; the reply sent by him regarding same to the Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8122/12]
Here is the European Commission’s press release on the subject.
Posted in Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Operations, Politics, Shannon, Sources, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged abstraction, Éamon Ó Cuív, canal, Grand Canal, Ireland, Royal Canal, Shannon-Erne Waterway, use, water, waterways, Waterways Ireland
It has not been shown that sobriety increased in Co Leitrim after the canal to Lough Allen was built.
The waterway, completed in 1859, closed in the 1860s. It is not clear that any Killaloe slates ever reached Ulster by the waterway.
The Clones canal today, a united Ireland tomorrow?
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Forgotten navigations, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish waterways general, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Sources, Tourism, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Ballinamore, Ballyconnell, boats, bridge, canal, Clones, department of arts heritage and the gaeltacht, Erne, Ireland, Junction Canal, Lough Allen, Lough Neagh, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Ulster Canal, waterways, Waterways Ireland
The Maritime Journal covers it.
Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Operations, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged boats, Inish Fendra, Operations, Shannon-Erne Waterway, tug, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland, workboat
The Anglo-Celt reports that Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, is to have a new “inner relief road” (a cure for indigestion?). The road will cross the Junction Canal (Shannon–Erne Waterway), or Woodford Canal as the newspaper calls it, on “an expansive new bridge”:
The bridge has to allow enough clearance for boating traffic on the canal. The new road will come out past the Old Ennis Mill location and just before the Quinn cement plant.
The work is to be finished by August 2012. The Waterways Ireland website has, as yet, no information about any interruption to navigation during construction.
Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Irish waterways general, Non-waterway, Waterways management
Tagged Ballinamore and Ballyconnell Canal, Ballyconnell, boats, bridge, canal, Erne, Ireland, Junction Canal, Operations, Shannon, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland
What are waterways halting-sites or harbours used for? After some time spent on the Shannon–Erne Waterway, I can say that they’re not just for cruising boaters. Other users included:
At Ballyconnell, a chap drove down in an elderly tractor with three blue barrels on the back, filled up with water and drove away. He was followed by a couple in a 2011 Cavan-registered Renault Fluence, with six 2-litre plastic containers in the boot, who also filled up and drove off. [I have photos of both the tractor and the car.] When water is charged for by the amount used, Waterways Ireland may have to consider locking its taps.
Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Ireland, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Tourism, Water sports activities, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Ballyconnell, boats, charges, Ireland, Shannon-Erne Waterway, users, water, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Irish waterways history 