After opening Lough Derg, we passed by Holy Island, with its ruins and round tower looming in the distance. The island contains about twenty acres, and so valuable are the feed derivable from the host of penitents who repair to do their stations on the Holy Isle, that the ferry, between it and the main, is rented for a considerable annual sum.
JK [Sir James Emerson Tennent Bart]Letters to the North, from a Traveller in the South Hodgson, Belfast; Milliken and Son, Dublin 1837
On Thursday evening, the body of a fine female child was found sewed up in a bag on the banks of the canal near Killaloe. A man was taken up on suspicion of being the murderer, but was subsequently liberated. A verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown was returned at the inquest which was held.
Limerick and Clare Examiner 10 November 1847
Posted in Canals, Extant waterways, Ireland, People, Shannon
On Saturday, a party of the Revenue Police, stationed at Killaloe, detected an illicit still at full work at Mountshannon, in the County of Galway. They destroyed a quantity of potale and singlings, and brought away the still, worm, and head, which they lodged in the King’s Stores, Limerick, yesterday. The party also captured several men employed on the works, whom they transmitted to Ennis jail.
Waterford Mail 15 March 1840 quoting the Limerick Star
Posted in Ashore, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Operations, Shannon, Waterways management
Tagged Clare, Galway, Ireland, Lough Derg, Mountshannon, Operations, potale, Shannon, singlings, still, waterways
On Tuesday morning, Mr Ounsel, of Portland near Portumna, left Killaloe at 6 o’clock, to walk down the bank of the Canal to O’Brien’s Bridge, there to meet the packet boat — he took with him a long gun for the purpose of shooting ducks. As no account could be had of him at O’Brien’s Bridge, it was supposed he fell into the river, and in the course of the day a hat, and a book belonging to him were found on the shore; there is no doubt but he has met a watery grave — to-day several boats are searching for the body.
Clonmel Herald Wednesday 3 February 1830 quoting Limerick Chronicle Saturday 30 January 1830
The Black Bridge at Plassey has long had a place in the hearts of Limerick people. It was damaged in the floods of 2009 and has been closed to the public ever since. Limerick Council says it can’t afford to repair it. Limerick Council is, as far as I can see, in breach of the terms of its lease of the bridge from the Department of Finance; the Department of Finance could, but has chosen not to, insist that the Council repair the bridge.
In the meantime, the Minister for Finance, for reasons best known to himself, wants a new, er, iconic footbridge in Limerick city and is prepared to spend €6 million of taxpayers’ money, via Fáilte Ireland, on a structure that can scarcely avoid blocking some of the finest views in the city.
Now, the Limerick Leader tells us, the ghastly edifice is to cost almost €18 million: €6 million from the Minister for Finance (who represents Limerick), €4 million to be borrowed and €7.8 million from the leprechauns’ pot of gold under the thorn bush. Or somewhere. Even Fianna Fáil councillors think this is insane, which is saying something.
This ridiculous proposal should be abandoned immediately and a much smaller sum should be spent instead on repairing the Black Bridge as part of a European Route of Industrial Heritage.
The Minister’s €6 million is a gift-horse that should not only have its teeth inspected: it should be taken out and shot and its carcass sent to the burger factory.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Natural heritage, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Black Bridge, bridge, canal, Department of Finance, ERIH, floods, flow, Ireland, Killaloe, Limerick, Limerick city, Limerick Council, Limerick Leader, lost, Lough Derg, Minister for Finance, Operations, Plassey, Shannon, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Martin McGuinness [SF] was asked recently, in the Northern Ireland Assembly, about blueways:
Leslie Cree [UUP]: It was interesting to read that Waterways Ireland has developed this first blueway in the Carrick-on-Shannon area. Can he share with us if, in fact, Waterways Ireland has developed any projects for the Erne waterway itself?
Mr McGuinness said:
These projects are under ongoing consideration by Waterways Ireland, as the development of blueways and greenways could add to our tourist potential. It is clear from how greenways have been used, particularly in the west of Ireland, that they have huge health benefits for those now walking and cycling and involved in physical activity.
There is a proposal for another greenway from Derry city to County Donegal. Blueways and greenways offer important tourist potential, and it is exciting to see that Waterways Ireland is considering the linkage in the Leitrim area and how it can be extended to Lough Erne.
But, if I might remind TPTB, not everybody likes walking, cycling and physical activity; not everybody is going to be rolling around in a kayak or paddling a canoe. There are older folk, there are those who rightly view exercise with the gravest of suspicion and there are those whose interests simply lie elsewhere.
It is for such folk that I have developed the Greyway [TM] concept. It’s the same as a blueway or a greenway but without the sweating or the lurid dayglo clothing.
The basic idea is that you form a “route” or “way” as a marketing concept to get more people using your existing assets. Your expenditure is low: research, product development, marketing and information provision rather than infrastructure; self-guided rather than staffed user experiences. Direct income might be low too, although there may be ways to extract cash from users; there might also be spin-off opportunities for other providers. [All my usual reservations about small-scale providers apply here too.]
There might be Greyways catering for
You need a theme to attract people: “come and walk/drive the X Greyway and see all the lovely/interesting Ys”. No doubt there are several possible values for Y: bunnies, trees, fish, bogs, hills …. But the main thing that Waterways Ireland has to sell, and that it does not currently sell, is its industrial heritage. The Shannon, in particular, exists as an improved navigation only because of (a) steam, (b) the British industrial revolution, (c) Irish agriculture and (d) low politics. And industrial heritage is something that interests some at least of the older folk. Package it into routes and sell it for grey pounds, euros or dollars.
There is all sorts of interesting stuff along the Shannon, mostly just lying there, and it should be put to work. The most concentrated section is along the old Limerick Navigation, from Limerick to Killaloe: for instance, last time I looked seven of the original twelve milestones were still present. [The distance was 12 Irish miles, approx 24 km or 15 statute miles.] It’s a walkable route and it includes
But there could also be driving tours along the middle Shannon, between Portumna and Athlone, where there is lots to see, and from Lanesborough upwards. Shannon Harbour might eventually house a museum ….
What I’m suggesting is that Waterways Ireland should designate the Shannon as the first route (as opposed to site) in Ireland within the European Route of Industrial Heritage [ERIH] framework. ERIH’s website includes descriptions of the route system and of anchor points, which may be too advanced for present use, but why not a European Theme Route in Transport and Communication? Ireland might even make a case for the use of advanced (or at least interesting) transport technology (steamers) in carrying agricultural produce to industrial markets.
Furthermore, if CIE were to cooperate, the railways might be brought in too, and the livestock trade, and Dublin Port, and a regional route linking to Liverpool and the railway to Manchester ….
There is an interesting story to be told about the Shannon and its links to the east coast and beyond; its industrial heritage could be used to attract tourists and entertain natives.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Non-waterway, Operations, Rail, Restoration and rebuilding, Sea, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, The cattle trade, Tourism, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Athlone, canal, Clare, department of arts heritage and the gaeltacht, Dublin, ERIH, estuary, Fergus, Grand Canal, greyway, industrial heritage, Ireland, Killaloe, Limerick, lost, Lough Derg, O'Briensbridge, Royal Canal, Shannon, steamer, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland
Downriver from Shannon Harbour to Dromineer in December 2014. It began as a bright, cold morning.
Leaving Shannon Harbour after icebreaking between the locks
Flooding to the south-east
But southward, look …
The Brosna
Heading for Banagher Bridge 1
Keeping close to the pontoons
Heading for Banagher Bridge 2
Heading for Banagher Bridge 3
There is a YouTube video of the shooting of the bridge here. It seems to start automatically, including sound; I don’t know how to avoid that.
Looking back at Banagher
Colours
Invernisk
Shannon Grove
Current
Scarpering heron
Colours
Marker and gauge
House
Boats at Meelick
Meelick weir
East bank
Protective boom
Sluices
Through Meelick Lock
One bird
Many birds
Reeds
Architecture
Munster Harbour
Delaying Eamon Egan
Gateway to civilisation
Connacht Harbour
Lough Derg: weather has changed
Journey’s end, Dromineer
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Irish waterways general, Natural heritage, Operations, Shannon, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Banagher, barge, boats, bridge, canal, Dromineer, floods, flow, Ireland, jetties, lock, Lough Derg, Meelick, Portumna, quay, Shannon, Shannon Harbour, Tipperary, vessels, Victoria Lock, water level, waterways, Waterways Ireland, weir
Irish waterways history 