IWNSpring2014

CONTENTS 2 NAVIGATION NOTICES 3 NEWS 5 WI REPORT PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 6 HEAD OFFICE REPORT 7 CANAL BYE-LAW CAMPAIGN 2014 is a special year for the Association as it celebrates its diamond anniversary. Happy Birthday IWAI. Already there are a 9 AGM ELECTIONS number of events organised by branches around the country. 10 TRAINING As mentioned in the last edition of IWN, to celebrate our sixty 11 BOOK REVIEW years in existence, we are publishing an anniversary book. The book will be launched in October in various locations along the 13 SLANEY NAVIGATION waterways. We owe a great gratitude to Past President Brian Cassells who kindly volunteered to take on the unenviable task of 14 APPS ON BOARD compiling this book. 16 CSIG UPDATE Amendments to the Canal Bye-Laws were published for 18 HOLLAND’S TURF CANALS consultation on 6 January with a very short twenty one day period of return for submissions. There are major concerns on these 20 TRAVELS WITH HAWTHORN amendments to the existing bye-laws, not just because of the impact on our members, but also on the waterways and 23 GOING WITH THE FLOW communities we all know and love. The key objectives of the 25 GREEN & SILVER process must be to ensure that the canal regulations encourage and nurture the growth of domestic and international tourism on 26 BRANCH REPORTS these fine navigations. 27 Boyne I would like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely the IWAI 28 Lough Erne sub-committee: Greg Whelan, Alan Kelly and John Dolan who 29 Newry have worked tirelessly on the submission to have it completed and 30 Barrow lodged by the 3 February deadline. Thanks is also extended to North Barrow members who have helped out in any way. Please see report on 31 submission on page 7. 32 Lough Derg 33 Belturbet The Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill will be 34 Boyle River considered by the Houses of the Oireachtas this year. IWAI was Offaly asked to submit comments and questions to the Department of 35 Transport, Tourism and Sport. The bill was examined in full and a 36 Slaney submission was made to the department. 37 Cruising Club 38 Kildare Credit is due to Martin Donnelly and his team for compiling a comprehensive submission in a very short timeframe. See page 3. 39 Dublin 40 Lagan Again the topic of Dunrovin is to the fore front. A number of 41 Shannon Harbour suggestions were received on the way forward for the site. All Corrib suggestions are currently being considered by the Executive 42 44 Carrick-on-Shannon January 2014 started off as a very busy year. Apart from the above mentioned projects, we are also concentrating our energies on the following: Maintaining and growing Membership • Website Redesign • Branch Web Site Training Next Issue: SUMMER 2014 • Calendar of Events • Preparations for AGM Publication Date: 3 June 2014 • Action Plan Re Emergency Services • IWAI Display in the Maritime Museum • Storage for Archive Materials. INLAND WATERWAYS NEWS Magazine of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland The AGM this year will be held on the 25th April in the Bush Hotel Carrick-on-Shannon. Please come along, your support is Opinions expressed in the Inland Waterways News are not necessarily much appreciated. It is a great opportunity to meet and chat to those of the IWAI branch representatives and members. The evening finishes with supper and refreshments. Looking forward to seeing you all there. Editor: Colin Becker. E-Mail: [email protected]. Post: 2 Kylemore Park, Taylor’s Hill, Galway In conclusion, by the time this publication comes to print, we will be preparing for the boating season ahead and I would like to Sub-Editor: Nicki Griffin wish all members a happy and safe boating season in 2014. Cover photo: Athlone Marina by Giles Byford Carmel Meegan Layout & Printing: I-Supply, Galway Volume 41, Number 1. ISSN 1649-1696 Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 1

NEWS Editor’s Corner LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Navigation RESPONSIBLE BOATING Notices You’ll have heard of the old Chinese saying that goes along Sir, me and as we meandered south I the lines of ‘May you live in About thirty years ago we were tied was appalled to find myself motoring GRAND CANAL interesting times’ – supposedly a up outside Sean’s in Athlone, my through an oil slick. One of the boats MN#5 of 23/1/14 - Sallins curse. Well, these have been exuberant teenage children and I. It ahead of me had decided to empty The Grand Canal at Sallins will interesting times for our was one of those warm summer his/her bilges. It was a sad reflection be closed to navigation from association, not least because of evenings and all was well with the on our attitude to this wonderful Mon 27 Jan until Thurs 13 Mar world, almost. My eldest could not facility we have here in Ireland and 2014 while new moorings are the challenge presented by WI’s resist the water and being a good prompted me to consider whether being constructed. Due to the proposed new bye-laws. In swimmer he was in there splashing the person responsible didn’t think presence of workboats, preparing this issue of IWN I was about as we liked to do at various there was anything wrong with pontoons and chains across the actually struck by the amount of spots along the way. It was my emptying oily bilge-water into our rivers and lakes or perhaps they just canal, no passage will be activity that is going on. Aside unpleasant duty to put an end to the didn’t care? permissible. from the bye-law topic, there’s fun and point out that in fact he was also the ongoing discussions swimming in sewage. Athlone was We are a community and if one boat ERNE NAVIGATION about Dunrovin, the proposed not the only place where you might is prepared to pollute our rivers and MN#2 of 9/1/14 - Crom Jetty change to vessel registration find yourself dipped in the proverbial lakes it reflects on all of us. If we can The public mooring jetty at Crom requirements from the Dept. of but thankfully all that has changed afford a boat then we can afford to on Upper Lough Erne is closed Transport (RoI), the work the and on a recent trip upriver I found deal with oily bilge-water responsibly. for improvement work until Mid- CSIG is doing, the training myself tied in the same area and it There are filter systems available or March 2014. For further details activities at branch and central was wonderful to see the water in we can empty it by hand and such good condition. I accidently please contact: Lough Erne level, the restoration projects on dropped my bicycle pump in the dispose of it in a less damaging way. Warden on +44 (028) 6632 water and was amazed to clearly see Our waterways are a priceless 2836 the Newry, Boyne & Lagan and heritage from which we derive then there’s all the various rallies, it two meters down. I wasn’t able to endless pleasure. We have a duty to CICs, meetings and other gigs retrieve it but its image, easily visible protect them and we have an SHANNON-ERNE on the river bed, made me conscious obligation to not pollute them. We WATERWAY presented in the enclosed of the improvement since that are today’s caretakers of this MN#129 of 7/11/13 - Lock 6 Annual Events Calendar. The summer so long ago. treasure. How are we going to pass The SEW will be closed to truth is, we are actually a pretty it on to our children and navigation at Lock 6 Ballinamore busy organisation and we get a Which brings me to the point of this grandchildren, healthy or polluted? It piece, we boat owners have an until early April 2014 to facilitate lot done and that makes life is our choice. the necessary repairs to lock interesting. I don’t see that as a important part to play in the health of our beautiful inland waterways. gates. A section of the canal problem. On my return journey I shared Yours etc, bank walkway adjacent to Lock Roosky Lock with two other private Hugh Lynch. MV Rupanco, 6 Ballinamore will also be closed Colin Becker Editor, IWN boats. They left the lock ahead of Cloondavaun Bay Marina for the durations of the works. NEW HOME FOR NEW FOX Fox at work Photo: BJ Goggin The 12th Roscommon Scout refurbish the boat over the next Troop are entering into an 24 months and put it into service agreement with Waterways as an Ambassadorial Barge for Ireland to take over the former the Scouting movement. workboat Fox (aka 113B). The vessel was withdrawn from 113B was the second boat in the service with WI a couple of years Shannon Navigation ago. The Scouts credit their maintenance to carry the name interest in a barge to an IWAI Fox. The original Fox is still in use Rally visiting Lanesborough four in, based in Athlone. years ago. The plan is to 2 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

Ashtown to Castleknock: Towpath Blackwater River & Errina/Plassy Canal: upgrade to cycle standard. Strengthening works were carried out on the embankments between the river and canal. SHANNON-ERNE WATERWAY Numerous storm felled trees were removed from the Blackwater River. Leitrim Village: Access improvement will commence in Feb 2014. Carrick-on-Shannon & Battlebridge Lock: Quay walls repaired and repointed to reduce Ballinamore: Access improvement will leakage. BARROW NAVIGATION commence in Feb 2014. In Spring/Summer of 2014 it is hoped to Routine maintenance activities, such as, Tirmactiernan: Access improvement works progress canoe trails on the Lough Allan repairs to towpaths, channel, locks, jetties, are continuing at Lock 15. Canal and on the Camlin River near Clondra. supplies and overflows where required Rural canal loop walks will be developed Lock 6 Ballinamore: working to repair lock ERNE SYSTEM gates and leakages which will require a from Battlebridge to Drumleague and further to Drumhauver Bridge. Crom: The fixed level timber public jetty at navigation closure between November 2013 Crom on Upper Lough Erne will be replaced and April 2014. In Spring/Summer of 2014 it is hoped to with floating moorings. Canoe Trail: Working on improved carry out an upgrade to Connacht Harbour and to progress a scheme to revitalise the Routine maintenance activities to ensure waterway infrastructure for canoeists. quay parking and frontage area on the that public facilities remain in a safe, user Angling: Works to replace the existing Roscommon bank of the river near the friendly condition will continue throughout fishing stands at Coologe/Derrycassan are bridge in Roosky. the winter months. now completed. GRAND CANAL Walks: Working on improving walking route between Lock 9 Kilclare Locks 1-3 Main Line: Ancillary lock and Leitrim Village. improvement works. Navigation: Cutting of Sallins: Houseboat mooring, visitor jetty and bushes and shrubs SHANNON LOCK & new pumpout project. along various stretches BRIDGE TIMES The spring works program consists of is ongoing between routine maintenance activities, such as, December 2013 and LOCKS & BRIDGES repairs to canal embankments, towpaths, February 2014. channel, locks, jetties, supplies and SHANNON Period Weekdays Sundays overflows where required. NAVIGATION Mar 14 - Apr 3 09.00-18.30 10.30-16.00 LOWER BANN Works continued on Apr 4 - Sept 25 09.00-20.30 09.00-18.00 the Shannon to Drumaheglis Marina & the Cutts: New maintain amenity areas, Sept 26 - Nov 1 09.00-19.30 10.00-16.00 partnership dredging contract with service blocks, Nov 2 - Mar 13 09.00-12.30 10.00-12.30 Ballymoney Borough Council to dredge navigation markers and Lunch break 13.00-14.00 Drumaheglis Marina and the Cutts locks over the winter navigation channel and lock chamber under period. PORTUMNA BRIDGE a single contract. Contract period Mid Feb - 31 March. As normal for the Period Weekdays Sundays winter season, there Toome: Installation of new lock gates. was trimming back of Mar 14 - Apr 3 09.45 11.00 12.30 11.00 12.30 vegetation overgrowth Toome: Provision of improved security in various areas along 14.30 16.30 17.30 14.30 16.00 measures at Toome Lock house to facilitate the system but mainly use by community-based group. April 4 - Sept 25 09.45, 11.00, 12.30 11.00, 12.30 along the Lough Allen Toome Canal: Tree cutting along east bank. canal, the Boyle Canal, 15.00, 17.30, 19.30 15.00, 17.30 Battlebridge Lock, Portna: Installation of new lock gates. Ballinasloe, Gilloge Sept 26 – Nov 1 09.45, 11.00, 12.30 11.00, 12.30 Portna: Completion of improvement works Lock, Victoria Lock and 15.00, 17.00, 18.30 14.30, 16.00 to campsite at lock to facilitate users of the Clonlara. Lower Bann Canoe Trail Lough Allen Canal: Nov 2 – Mar 13 09.45, 11.00, 12.30 11.00, 12.00 Movanagher: Completion of new campsite Maintenance works at lock were carried out to strengthen towpaths Carnroe: Dewatering and inspection of lock. along sections of the Lough Allen Canal. Cutts: Dewatering and inspection of lock. Acres Lake: Capital Carry out full navigation inspection with WI Inspectorate works continued with completion of the Power washing of all jetties and lock areas new access ramp and steel support Initiate the provision of new WI interpretive structure following signage along the navigation replacement of the jetties at the ROYAL CANAL beginning of the Ongoing routine maintenance activities to season. canal towpaths, channel, locks, back drains, supplies and overflows Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 5

IWAI AT WORK IWAI AT WORK from the Executive. It will have a brighter, more modern look, will be easier to navigate and will adapt to whatever device you HEAD OFFICE REPORT SPRING 2014 are using to access it. Hopefully considerable delays before first it will be ready to go live at the aid treatment is received because start of the boating season. There has been no Council association so please come once the ambulance arrives at Colman is also looking for meeting since the last issue of along and make your voice the marina, if the person photographs that represent your IWN so Hon. Secretary Kay heard. requiring assistance cannot be branch/locality for inclusion in Baxter summarises some of the brought by others onto dry the website. activities on the Executive’s CANAL BYE LAWS ground, the paramedics then Colman has also provided agenda. As most of you know by now, have to call in the fire brigade. excellent training to all branch Waterways Ireland has We have made contact with a webmasters in the use of WELCOME proposed changes to the number of other stakeholders, Wordpress to manage their The Executive would like to Canal Bye Laws which will including Waterways Ireland and branch website content. Not all welcome any new members who have a significant impact on Irish Water Safety. We are also branches are currently using have joined the Association in users of our canals. The public seeking a meeting with the wordpress but ideally they 2014. We hope you find your consultation period closed on Director of Operations in the should be. This would allow us first edition of IWN informative, 3 February. The Executive Ambulance Service. Our aim is to to portray a consistent image to educational and most of all formed a sub-committee get agreement to a consistent anyone accessing a number of interesting. To existing members chaired by past president Greg approach across all areas, so that the branch websites. who have renewed their Whelan tasked with drafting a people at least know where they membership, thank you. To those submission on behalf of the stand (or lie as the case may be). A final word on websites to all of you still to renew, doing so Association. Greg and his If all area ambulance services webmasters. It’s vital that all before the end of this month Canal Action Group have done were to take the same approach branch websites are updated (March) will ensure you continue trojan work in a very short then at least emergency services regularly with any news re local to receive your copy of IWN, space of time to raise operators could be told to alert events, change of officer contact along with all the other benefits awareness of this issue and both the fire brigade and the details, etc. Anyone seeking of being a member. spearhead a very active ambulance on receiving a call information on your branch campaign seeking to have should see the most up to date IWN is always looking for these amendments revised from a boat or marina. information available. interesting material to publish. If before they are signed into DUNROVIN there is anything of interest legislation. In addition over A total of 12 submissions were 60TH ANNIVERSARY happening in your local area, let 1800 letters of support were received from branches with BOOK the editor know at received and delivered to suggestions in relation to the The book being compiled by [email protected] The addition of Waterways Ireland. As yet the way forward with Dunrovin. Of Brian Cassells to mark the 60th any high resolution pictures to outcome is unknown. (See these 7 were in favour of some Anniversary of the Association illustrate the piece is also very update opposite – ed) sort of collaboration with the this year is proceeding according welcome. RNLI in developing the site. to plan, and will be launched in EMERGENCY Members of the Executive have October Many thanks to all who AGM SERVICES met with both members of the have contributed. The IWAI AGM 2014 will take The Executive has taken on Athlone Branch and members of place on Friday 25 April 2014 at board the concerns raised by a RNLI Lough Ree. By the time of 2014 SEASON 8pm in The Bush Hotel, Carrick number of members in going to print the submissions As we are nearing the start of on Shannon. relation to the apparent and the result of these the 2014 season, the Executive inconsistencies in the response information gathering meetings would like to wish all members As usual all members will receive of emergency services to calls will have been brought to the and their families a safe and notification, agenda, etc by post for assistance aboard vessels Council Meeting on 8 March and enjoyable spring, summer and in advance of the meeting. We or jetties. Some ambulance we hopefully will have a decision autumn on our beautiful would like to encourage as many personnel are not permitted to as to how to proceed. waterways. Here’s hoping for members as possible to attend. If access jetties or vessels as they some of the glorious sunshine you wish any items to be have not been supplied with, WEBSITES we had last year. included on the agenda please or trained in the use of, A new look website is under notify the honorary secretary in personal flotation devices. In development for the Association. writing at least 28 days prior to areas where this is the case It’s being developed by Colman the above date. Mail to and where there is a retained Byrne assisted by (or should that [email protected]. This is your fire service this can lead to be hindered by) a sub-committee MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS Members are respectfully reminded that 2014 subscriptions are now due. You can renew using the IWAI Online 365 system at www.iwai.ie/join or by direct payment to your branch treasurer. Members paying by direct debit will be renewed automatically and need take no action 6 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

IWAI AT WORK IWAI AT WORK BYE-LAW CAMPAIGN 2014 interest was not on our main message. An IWAI Facebook page was set up. Other individuals and groups have undertaken similar activities with blogs, social media and petitions. By a few days prior to the deadline of 3 February, the IWAI had nearly 1800 letters of support from communities (and members) and we knew of a few hundred other submissions being made. A 30 page IWAI submission was prepared detailing our concerns about the proposed changes and on your behalf, I delivered that directly to the CEO of Waterways Ireland on Monday 3 February. Many thanks to all of you who contributed to the campaign to date. The waterways will benefit from your input. And there is more work to do. Those who Boat free canals if bye-laws go through? attended the branch officers Photo: Conor Nolan meeting on Sunday 9 February will know that the IWAI will be active on this for some time to For the last couple of months From the date of release of the and the Gaeltacht was IWAI has led a campaign proposed bye-laws, many IWAI questioned in the Seanad and come. This campaign will against the proposed members started to express their the Dail. Questions from continue, and indeed it may be amendments to the canal opinions on the IWAI forum and politicians further increased the fore-runner of other bye-laws. IWAI President elsewhere. Oireachtas exposure on the campaigns. For me, it has shown that we are at one on core Carmel Meegan explains A key item in the IWAI plan was matter. values and that the IWAI is ‘THE what has been happening. the development of an IWAI met with Waterways VOICE OF THE WATERWAYS’. Dear Members, information campaign for Ireland for a full and frank communities adjoining the discussion; where we outlined Yours, in boating, As you know, the IWAI raised waterways. Those communities the concerns of our members, Carmel Meegan, serious alarm at the proposals by along the Grand Canal, Royal and the IWAI view of the impact Waterways Ireland for the Canal Canal and River Barrow will be of these bye-laws. President, IWAI Bye-Laws. The story to date is as hugely affected by of the loss of follows. the economic, tourism and social The IWAI campaign continued, Concerns about possible changes benefits that would result from a raising increasing concerns as IWAI carefully to the bye-laws had been decline in boating activity examined each The President sends a message to Minister Deenihan expressed by branches and triggered by the new bye-laws. item in the Photo: Noel Griffin members in the recent past. The The IWAI Executive agreed CAG proposed bye- Canal Action Group (CAG), a proposals. A meeting for branch laws. These sub-committee of the IWAI officers was held to advise the concerns were Executive, was formed late in structure and system of outlined in a 2013 to co-ordinate the IWAI information planned for the next series of press response to the proposed few weeks. Arrangements were releases, changes. On 30 December last, made for public meetings for distributed from Waterways Ireland issued the communities. These IWAI a specific IWAI draft bye-laws to IWAI, advising consultations resulted in email address they would be formally published hundreds of letters of support and resulted in on 6 January. A quick review of starting to roll in to the IWAI. many media the draft indicated that The politicians at national and enquiries. The immediate action would be local level realised the IWAI followed required. Strategies and plans seriousness of the issue. An these up, were drawn up over 1 & 2 invitation to send information on resulting in radio January and the CAG and some the matter to the Joint interviews and others met on 4 January to Oireachtas Committee on press articles. To finalise planning the campaign. Environment, Transport, Heritage some of those The IWAI made its first press and the Gaeltacht was taken up press enquiries release on 6 January, welcoming by the IWAI. Mr. Jimmy Deenihan IWAI said ‘no the public consultation period. TD, Minister for Arts, Culture thanks’, if their Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 7

IWAI AT WORK IWAI AT WORK In commercial marinas only insurance is a requirement. CANAL BYE-LAW CAMPAIGN - WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? • An independent disputes resolution process should be put in place in cases where a permit. In relation to the Effin Bridge lifts to cost €25.00? mooring permits we would like deposit is being withheld. Photo: Conor Nolan to see the following: On the spot fines at the rate of €150 per day are quite high. • That an independent system The IWAI is of the view that the including arbitration be authority to issue fines be at an available on the designated appropriate senior and trained long term mooring spaces level within Waterways Ireland. including location and cost Most importantly, the factors. establishment of an independent • That houseboat mooring appeals process other than permits be of sufficient bringing the matter to the duration given their District Courts should be in designation as a home. place. Greg Whelan, chairman of the • A passage permit with a • A Winter Mooring Permit in For some vessels, particularly Canals Action Group briefly restriction of 5 day long line with current Shannon those of a significant heritage, explains the association’s mooring for €130 Navigation rates for mooring the WI Dry Docks are their only position on the proposed in the period 1 October to option for repairs. A waiver for changes to the canal bye- • A new free 30 day visitor 31 March. certain dry dock fees should be laws. permit made for vessels over 50 years of • The rationale for the • An extended mooring permit ages. IIn 1988 bye-laws were imposition of a cash deposit, introduced for the maintenance for one particular location at insurance and an indemnity As regards tolls we are of the and control of the canals. These a cost ranging from €160 to needs to be clearly spelt out. view that these should not be provided for a lock toll fee of 63 €1,600 An extended exorbitant or a disincentive to cents, a passage and mooring mooring permit for Grand canal usage . permit for €126 and one Canal Dock to cost €2,500 monthly mooring permits at • €25 lock toll at Grand Canal €12.60 per month. There was a and Spencer Docks €10 charge for use of one of the locks in the Grand Canal Docks. • €25 fee for the lifting of the Given the lack of private marinas railway bridge at Newcomen on the canals, the tradition Junction evolved that the Passage and • A €10 per day fee for Mooring Permit was sufficient mooring in Grand Canal and and Waterways Ireland through lack of enforcement tacitly Spencer Docks after 5 days accepted this. • On the spot fines for failure to meet the above conditions In 2013 Waterways Ireland at the rate of €150 per day began to enforce the 1988 bye- laws and introduced a new • Increased costs for use of WI concept of a yearly Extended Dry Docks Mooring Permit. The monthly permit was discontinued. This • New houseboat permits with new permit annualised at the a price range of €1,250 to monthly rate also had a €250 €3,500 were also proposed. deposit. The IWAI’s legal advice • There were a number of was that this lacked legislative other items proposed such as support. In addition Waterways the Barrow licence at €50 Ireland began to enforce the 5 per annum. day aspect of the passage permit. A new indemnity form As the President has mentioned was introduced for boaters to we set about a campaign to sign and again our legal advice inform branches, particularly on this and feedback from boat those most affected by the insurers was that it contained a proposals. The IWAI also set numbers of risks and in addition, about consulting with these lacked fairness to the citizen. branches so that a submission could be made. In January 2014 Waterways Ireland launched a 21 day • We would prefer to see consultation period on revised an Annual Touring Permit that and additional bye-laws. These would allow boats to moor in included: designated locations for more Bush Hotel special for AGM for IWAI Members: than five days. We of course 1x double room per night incl. breakfast '119.00 welcome the 30 day visitor 1x single room per night incl. breakfast #79.00 8 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

IWAI AT WORK IWAI AT WORK The current elected members: Les Saunders, Mick Kinahan, Mick Farrell, Sam Herraghty, COUNCIL AND EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS Tommy Meegan, Siobhan Cluskey and Stephen Maher all The Executive of IWAI is made For a number of years now it has Membership Secretary: Ms. offer themselves for re-election. up of 11 members: President, been the practice that the names Maria Stuart (Current Nominations are now invited for Vice President, Immediate Past of members putting themselves Membership Secretary) members to serve on the President, Hon Secretary, Hon forward for election to the Directors: Mr. Tommy Executive and Council for the Treasurer, Membership Secretary Executive be notified to all coming year. Nominations must and 5 others, all of whom are members of the association as McLoughlin, Mr. Brian Cassells, be received by the Hon. Mr. Mike Kingston, Mr. Martin directors of IWAI. The executive part of the package of Secretary no later than 28 March is empowered by the Articles of information sent out prior to the Donnelly (all current Directors) 2014. Nominations must be in are offering themselves for re- Association to co-opt additional AGM. That will be done again writing and be signed by the non-voting members to the this year. However, in the election. candidate, the proposer and executive if required. interests of transparency it was Director Mr. Paul Garland is seconder. E-Mail nominations are decided that the names of those retiring at the AGM and not acceptable provided Ten members of the executive: who are already known to be offering himself for re-election. President, Vice President, Hon corroborating e-mails are Secretary, Hon Treasurer, willing to serve on the Executive Mr. Greg Whelan is willing to re- received from the candidate, the should be published. Membership Secretary and the 5 join the executive as Immediate proposer and seconder. other directors are elected to At the time of publication, the Past President. Nominees for membership of office by the Annual General following members had already Council and Executive positions Meeting. The Immediate Past indicated their intention to stand Elected Members of Council: must be fully paid up members President is automatically elected for election for the positions At the AGM each year, six of the association in good to the executive in accordance indicated: members are elected to serve as standing. with the Articles of Association. ordinary members of Council. In President: Ms. Carmel Meegan accordance with a resolution of While members frequently serve (Current President) Council last year, nominations Send nominations to: more than one term in office, for those positions are to be Kay Baxter they must put themselves Vice President: Mr. Derry Smyth invited prior to the AGM and the Hon Secretary, IWAI forward for election at the AGM (Current Vice-President) nominations received notified to 24 Ashfield each year (except the Immediate Hon. Treasurer: Ms. Jean members with the AGM papers. Boyle Past President). Kennedy (Current Treasurer) Co. Roscommon E-Mail: [email protected] ENDEAVOUR CUP 2000 Ruth Heard Because of their continued In recognition of her work and efforts and commitment to the Please forward your nominations achievements in promoting the restoration of the Boyne Canal in writing, indicating clearly who conservation and development is proposed to receive the award of Ireland‘s inland waterways. 2008 Michael Slevin and the reasons for the proposal. For his work on the IWAI Web- Any member can make a 2001 Kilbeggan Grand Canal Site…the single most important nomination. Harbour Restoration Amenity promotional achievement of the Co Ltd For restoration and IWAI on both a national and Please send your nominations, renovation of the harbour and international level either by post or e mail to: IWAI store at Kilbeggan and other Secretary, Kay Baxter, 24 works on the Kilbeggan line of 2009 River Bann & Lough Ashfield, Boyle, Co. Roscommon the Grand Canal. Neagh Association or by e-mail to 2002 Lough Neagh Rescue For their work on the Ram’s [email protected] Island project For all that they have done and Endeavour Cup continue to do in making Lough 2010 Brian Cassells Photo: Michael Savage CUP HISTORY Neagh a safer place for all. For the work he has done and In 1999, Alf Delany, one of the continues to do for the founder members of IWAI, 2003 Ian Bath 2014 NOMINATIONS presented a trophy to the For inspiring the restoration of so Association. Nominations are invited for the association to be awarded to a much of our waterways. 2011 John McKeown recipient of the Endeavour Cup person or group for some For all the work he and his team for 2014 noteworthy goal or achievement 2004 B.J.Goggin in Waterways Ireland have done on the inland waterways. The For his work as editor of Inland over many years to restore the The cup is awarded to the trophy is a beautiful silver cup Waterways News Royal Canal to Navigation individual, group or branch originally presented in the 1930s (whether part of IWAI or not) for motor-boat racing, but the 2005 Carrick Cubs 2012 Pat Lysaght that has undertaken some club to which it had belonged For their work in introducing a For the support and assistance project or achieved a goal that is had been defunct for many new generation to the unfailingly and unselfishly worthy of recognition in respect years. waterways offered to boaters transiting the of activities associated with the 2006 Sean Fitzsimons Limerick Navigation waterways. Previous recipients of the award were: 2013 Reggie Redmond For his long and loyal service to The cup will be presented to the 1999 Eddie Slane (RIP) the association ‘A Champion of the Waterways recipient at the AGM on Friday In recognition of his work and 2007 Boyne Restoration and a Dedicated IWAI Supporter’ 25 April 2014. achievements in promoting the Group - Dublin Branch (now restoration of the Royal Canal. Boyne Navigation Branch) Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 9

IWAI AT WORK IWAI AT WORK worked wonderfully and nigh on participation in a project. Best please send the cheque. This examples here are Queen’s €1200 was raised. University who provide IWAI TRAINING That night the CPR/AED scrolls chemicals, equipment and training and we provide BE PREPARED: FIRST were awarded to the participants manpower for giant hogweed who participated in the training AID ON THE CORRIB course. eradication. Woodland Trust The boy scouts have a motto: ‘be provided strimmer training for prepared’. Some years ago the Thanks must go to Lorraine, our volunteers who maintain Corrib Branch implemented a Olivia and Noel for a successful Canal Wood on their behalf. policy of ‘what if’ and the venture and to the generosity of Webmaster training • Local council officials can help Committee decided to purchase members who contributed too. A local council director of Photo: Joe Byrne a number of water pumps so handsomely. health and safety has agreed that we could render assistance Now, what will the next project to give informal H&S briefing We had a few reports in in an emergency. This move has be? to all workparty volunteers. recent times of training served the branch well with This will be particularly useful activities going on at both several boats being recovered. Peadar Canavan in making people aware of central and branch level for In 2013 the committee discussed the importance of site safety. members who are active in the need for a defibrillator. There GETTING FIT FOR the association in various has been much publicity recently WORKPARTIES • Grant aid. We successfully ways. These three short with these machines being Branches actively engaged in applied for a volunteer reports give a flavour of the installed in supermarkets and restoration projects need to recognition grant and used it variety of those activities – ed adhere to best practice in their to buy PPE - gloves, hard hats public areas to help deal with activities. For a voluntary group and hi viz vests. For a £5 WEBMASTER people suffering a heart attack. with no employees ‘best donation the branch buys On 25 January 19 people from The hope is that the need will practice’ is a very loose term. safety wellies for anyone that Athlone, Boyle, Boyne, Carrick, not arise, but ‘be prepared’. Newry-Portadown Branch wants them. Derg, Dublin, Lagan, Newry, Dr. Noel Flynn researched the research shows that the legal Unable to find a way of getting Offaly and Powerboat branches background into the purchase, standard of responsibility for free chainsaw training, the attended a Webmaster training and together with Lorraine voluntary groups, in Northern branch resolved to pay for 4 course in the Mullingar Park Courtney a device was agreed Ireland at least, seems to be that members to be trained but each Hotel. The training was and purchased. of reasonableness. A group of person had to provide their own prompted by the associations volunteers should be aware of PPE and we hope they will repay move to a new hosting service In May 2013 ten members took the risks involved in the project the branch’s investment by and the more modern website part in a training programme in and act to manage them. In attending forestry workparties content management systems the old Fever Hospital arranged general terms that means when needed. We are also that it allows us to use. by Noel and Lorraine. Lorraine is training. a chief instructor and she paying for volunteers to attend a The course began with an delivered the training with Olivia Over the last year New-Port canal camp in England organised introduction to Internet basics, Byrne. The evening was intense members have participated in by the IWA’s Waterways Recovery and covered e-mail, transferring and CPR/AED theory and practice numerous training programmes Group. We think it will be good files, internet protocols and was covered. Anyone who has to show our commitment to experience to see a long languages and the use of the done a First-Aid course will know ‘best practice’. We have established restoration group that five hours of training can be managed to get most of this operating. draining. With defibrillators and training free of charge and we We haven’t included any resuscitation mannequins the wanted to share our experience excavation machinery training in group worked hard and were with other branches. our shopping list because the pronounced competent at the • Training provided for Newry canal is a scheduled end of the evening. Lorraine and community groups by local ancient monument and the use Olivia generously gave of their councils. This has included of machinery is prohibited within time so that a core of members accredited first aid, child the lock chambers. When the would be capable of using the protection, crowd time comes for us to re-build machine in an emergency. management and stewarding, lock chambers our training The branch took delivery of its lobbying and fund raising and requirements will change and we own device soon after. It is kept risk assessment. will have to seek out ways of in Kay Deacy’s house in again getting what we need by Lorraine Courtney presenting • Training provided by statutory other means than spending CPR/AED Certificate to Bernadette Lisloughry and the first boat out bodies has included the Faller on Cleenillaun with Paul carries the defibrillator each Southern Health Trust’s branch funds. Faller in the background week-end. Cycling for Health leadership Geraldine Foley new Wordpress content This system has worked well this training (for our Cycle management system. This summer and it will be reviewed Safaris) and chemical included how to modify content as the need arises. backpack spray and the use of video and images. training by In order to pay for the machine, Biodiversity Action A second session planned for 22 a barbecue was planned on the (for our invasive February with focus on branches pier for last June. The weather own websites should have taken was inclement, to say the least, species eradication programme). place by the time you read this. and an invite to hold the event Colin Becker in Fionnuala and Edward Deacy’s • Partnership projects Chainsaw training: Pat Shanks and Jonathan garage saved the day. Members where we get free Cully go back to school. were asked to attend, and if not, training in return for Photo: Geraldine Foley 10 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

BOOK REVIEW THE CRUISE OF THE CARIBBEE by Ann O'Clery about the crew, their number or searchlight without touching age profile and the reader had to with a matter of centimetres rely on a drawing that suggests clearance’ the ships compliment consisted The Cruise of the Caribbee is an of two adults and five children. intriguing read for anyone with Locks, viaducts, quaysides and an interest in boating and it is of bridges form the main pictorial particular interest to anyone who focus, and the family’s obsession has participated in boating with all things maritime becomes abroad. Having taken a cruise on clear: in Paris they visited the the Canal du Midi some years Marine Museum and during their ago I was fascinated by the pre- stay in Cannes they hired a car European Union need to pass and visited ‘every harbour through customs and wondered between Marseille and Monte at the anomaly of ‘bonded fuel’. Carlo‘. This enigmatic little book would Captain Dermot’s knowledge of add style to any ship’s salon. his craft becomes evident when Maebh O’Regan the Caribbee reached the summit of the Bourgogne canal having This beautifully illustrated narrative. Like all good cruises travelled down one hundred and memoir documents a cruise time plays a secondary role and fifty miles of waterway and taken by the O’Clery family in the reader only gains an ventured through seventy six The Cruise of the 1957 on their motor yacht called occasional glimpse of the locks to be informed by the Caribbee can be the Caribbee. Although this duration of the trip when Ann navigational authorities that their journey through the inland O’Clery mentions that they spent vessel was too high and too ordered from waterways of France took place three days in Rouen and almost wide to fit into the tunnel. ‘We www.blurb.com. over fifty years ago the author a month in Cannes. Surprisingly went through the long dark It is listed under recreated the event with the help there is little or no information tunnel with the aid of the bookstore/travel. Type in the of the ships log, cine film and title to see a preview. her own visual diary. The Click on ‘buy’ for more info. adventure began when the They ship to most countries. author’s father Dermot bought a retired RAF World War II air sea Soft cover €33.14, rescue launch and had it Hardcover €44.71, ebook: adapted at Malahide Yacht Club Apple ipad format €6.99 to suit the family’s needs. The boat was delivered to Le Harve where the crew of seven began Ann O’Clery was born in their expedition. Dublin, trained as an Text and image play an equal architect and is now role in the narration of this story. working as a calligrapher Each page is designed around and watercolour painter. the illustration and each image is As a student she spent drawn from a sea to land perspective. The water colour the summer holidays on pictures are deceptively simple as the Shannon and Inland the outline is sketched Waterways on the family economically in ink and fleshed boat. out in colour. In many of the forty seven pages the hand Her father Dermot written text frequently occupies O’Clery was President of an expanse of water- giving the IWAI from 1962-66. The viewer a navigational position. trip to France in 1957 The author has provided a map with Caribbee was a to guide us on our journey from once-in-a-lifetime Le Harve to Marseille and adventure, during which although each page contains Ann kept the ‘Ship’s Log’ about three or four sentences, and made innumerable weather and navigational sketches of the trip. concerns form a key part of the Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 11

BOOK REVIEW EUROPEAN WATERWAYS – Map and Concise Directory This publication is along inclined planes though at the large scales the same lines but it inevitably some detail is omitted. Waterways covers all the waterways that are currently un-navigable are shown in Europe albeit at a along with those where restoration is larger scale. One side of planned or in progress. the 1210x870mm map covers the pretty much The concise directory is a separate 54 page whole of Europe from booklet which gives an overview of the Ireland to the Caspian navigations in each country. Contact details Sea and from are given for organisations like navigation Scandinavia to the authorities and voluntary bodies like IWAI. south of Sicily at a scale The directory includes further map extracts of 1:4,000,000. The to highlight specific areas of interest and other side covers the some additional supporting information. central part of that area Published as recently as last December, this is in more detail at a scale the 4th edition of the Map and Directory. It of 1:1,500,000 with an is a very useful tool for anyone planning trips even more detailed on or to canals or waterways in Europe and insert for the as a very handy reference for understanding Netherlands and a the bigger picture of inland navigation couple of other smaller outside our small corner of the world. areas. The European Waterways Map and Concise Most IWAI members will be familiar with the The navigations are shown according to their Directory by David Edwards-May can be Euromapping map of Ireland’s Waterways classification ranging from Class A catering ordered directly from Euromapping at that appears on some of the association’s for small cruisers up to 9.5m long to Class www.euromapping.com price €19.00. literature and is also available in larger IV-VII catering for the big stuff up to 85m format as a poster or as a folded map with LOA. The locations of some locks are shown Colin Becker accompanying directory. as are the locations of boat lifts tunnels and MARKS MYSTERY Where was this photo taken ? Some waterproof goodies from Aquapac for the first correct identification drawn from the bag. Send entries to Mark Maguire, 24 Clonkil, Callan, Co. Kilkenny, or email [email protected] The Winner of Winter 2013 Mark’s Mystery was Austin Gunning of Bangor, Co Down who correctly identified Moneypenny’s Lock on the Newry Canal. www.aquapac.net 12 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

SLANEY NAVIGATION NAVIGATING THE RIVER SLANEY PART II by Brian Coulter tables for Wexford Harbour may be Heron and egrets on the Lower Slaney consulted online here Ferrycarrig Round Tower www.wexfordharbour.info/tides.php Tide times upriver lag behind the tides in Wexford but as far as Edermine, the range is much the same. The delays at Ferrycarrig and Edermine Bridges have been measured by the author as 10 and 45 minutes both for high and low tides. These are both somewhat less than the figures in the Slaney Guide. Tides times and levels in Enniscorthy From here to Killurin Pier is fairly Navigating the Slaney - Part I (IWN Winter are more complex. Because the riverbed falls straightforward if one stays in mid-channel 2013) dealt mainly with the problems caused between the two towns, the water level in in the straight sections and keeps to the by shallow water at the Patches and how the Enniscorthy is about 2.7m higher than the outside at bends. There are protruding Slaney Branch was providing navigation aids level in Wexford. Since the range of tides in banks on the eastern side, one just above to make it easy to find your way through this Wexford is only 2m, the consequence is that the Heritage Park and the other a bit group of sandbanks and islands. Part II deals there is no low tide in Enniscorthy and high beyond the overhead power lines but by with other boating aspects of the Slaney tides only occur during Springs, ie when the steering to the waypoints given, these are between Wexford and Killurin. level in Wexford is above 1.8m. Levels are avoided. The river section from here until also raised after heavy rainfall in the The Slaney is a most beautiful river. In his Killurin Bridge has the richest bird life on Slaney Guide (slaney.iwai.ie/slaneyguide), the Wicklow Mountains. the Slaney. At this point one can take a pit author Cecil Miller says ‘The tidal section of The delay between HW at Wexford and stop at the picnic area at Killurin Pier. the River Slaney has many beautiful views Enniscorthy was measured as 1h20; this The Slaney has several slips suitable for which are only seen from a boat. I have agrees perfectly with Cecil Miller’s estimate. launching and retrieval. The County Council travelled many times from Wexford to is currently refurbishing the public slip at Enniscorthy in my boat and would like to Navigation of the Slaney was greatly Ferrybank, Wexford. There is another slip share my pleasure with others who have not improved by the publication of Cecil Miller’s near to Ely Hospital but the best facilities done so’. The beauty is apparent because of Slaney Guide, and apart from The Patches, are at Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club the unspoilt, largely undeveloped nature of this is still the primary reference. which has a slip, pontoon and crane as well the river banks for most of the journey, and Consider the passage from the Boat Club to as a pavilion with showers, bar etc. the high density of wildlife. In the Slaney the first important waypoint at Point of Park. Guide, Jim Hurley mentions dozens of sea- Cecil Miller’s advice was to proceed at 28° to There is a private pontoon at the location of bird species he encountered along the banks Crosstown Headland until the transit of Bride the former Oak Tavern in Ferrycarrig; the including Kingfishers, but the most Street Church spire moves to the eastern end owner permits IWAI members to stop there, impressive today are the many Herons, the of the roof ridge of Rowe Street Church. but one can go ashore only by arrangement beautiful Egrets which have colonised the Then head for Ardtramon Castle at 355° as the site is under development. At Killurin, banks relatively recently and the bevy of until abreast of Knottown Farm. Using GPS there are two slips and a jetty with deep Mute Swans which taking off noisily when one might say: leaving the Boat Club head water, although care is needed, as the one draws near. Red squirrels have been at 350° to Point of Park waypoint at 52° newer slip is very steep, and at least one car observed in the wooded section near to 20.783’N, 6° 28.310’W. While this is much was lost without trace when the brakes Killurin and otters have become quite simpler to read and to implement, does it slipped after a launch. common in all sections of the river. not lose much of the magic of navigating WAYPOINT LIST FOR LOWER SLANEY The river between Wexford and Enniscorthy the Slaney by observing the landmarks and Id Name Lat Long Depth is quite tidal and water travellers may need features all around? Nevertheless, a set of to be mindful of the air-draft as well as the waypoints is provided below to take account SLA 1 Point of Park 52° 21.635' -6° 28.539' 1.6 water draft of their boats. The eastern, full- of changes to the river and indeed to SLA 2 Ferrycarrig IDM 52° 21.42' -6° 29.422' 2.2 arch of Ferrycarrig Bridge has a clearance of facilitate those sailors who like to navigate SLA 3 Heritage Park 52° 21.017' -6° 31.313' 2.5 3.3m at high tide and Killurin Bridge has using electronic aids. The traditional names SLA 5 Steps to Lady about 0.6m less. The tidal range in Wexford of these waypoints were taken from Place Danes 52° 21.282' -6° 32.516' 4 Harbour and most of the Slaney is about 2m; Names on the River Slaney by Darina Tulley SLA 6 Polehore 52° 21.784' -6° 32.789' 3.1 the current tide level and/or one week’s tide and John Starkie. SLA 7 Alan's Point 52° 22.011' -6° 33.261' 6.4 Near Ferrycarrig, the Wexford Harbourmaster SLA 8 Carrigmannon 52° 22.513' -6° 33.484' 3.3 has kindly provided a new isolated danger mark which shows the position of the SLA 9 The Mill Stream 52° 22.723' -6° 33.877' 7.1 sunken tree that has been there for many SLA 10 Killurin Bridge 52° 23.161' -6° 34.102' 6.8 years. Steering from Point of Park and My thanks to Sylvester O’ Brien who provided most of leaving this to port gives a convenient track the waypoints here. to avoid nicely the Point of Park shallows. From here one can stick to mid channel and CORRECTION: In the last edition of IWN (Vol 40 No 4 pass under the first or second full arch on P10) the first part of this feature was incorrectly credited to Catherine Malone instead of the Brian Corcoran. the starboard side of Ferrycarrig Bridge in Picnic area and slip at Killurin Apologies to both Brian and Catherine. – ed) over 8m of water. Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 13

APPS ONBOARD TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS ON BOARD NOEL GRIFFIN Mobile apps on tablets and smartphones gives moderate including Tarbert, have become increasingly useful on board. situational awareness Kilrush and Carrigaholt They offer everything from mapping, but lacks detail and on the Shannon weather information, safety aids, to on has limited depth Estuary. TidesPlanner board entertainment and social networking. I coverage. works off line as the have highlighted just a small number of the However the detailed database is stored on many available for popular devices such as coverage, colour your mobile device. It iPhone/iPad or Android smartphones and shaded depth can also display tidal tablets. They can be downloaded from information, detailed stream currents, speed Apple’s App store, or Google Play for harbour layouts, and direction. I use this Android devices. app months in advance recommended routes to plan trips, dates and INTERNET ACCESS and buoyage offered times for coastal passages. Some apps require internet access others do by the proven Garmin BlueChart Mobile app, ISA SafeTrx is a new not. Fast internet access is only available in and the soon to be released IWAI CSIG areas with good 3G signal coverage, which charts are excellent. The BlueChart Mobile and useful safety app launched last year by is not available on much of the waterways ‘North Western Europe’ chart area includes with the notable exception of three.ie who the entire coastal waters of NW Europe in the Irish Sailing Association. It allows seem to have excellent 3G mobile addition to the inland Shannon and the broadband coverage along most of the Shannon-Erne waterway. Coverage will be you to log the start of a passage using your GPS Shannon navigation delivering 5M extended to the Erne later this year. One bandwidth even in rural locations. You can really neat feature of BlueChart Mobile is its enabled smartphone, specify the destination use a smartphone to create a WIFI hotspot ability to overlay real time Irish weather for your WIFI only tablet when on board, radar. It was primarily designed as a passage using a map, number of people on board, and unless you already have a SIM card in a planning tool, but shows real time vessel expected estimated cellular tablet model. Another alternative is position, speed and heading. At the time of time of arrival. If you are late or do not tell to use a portable pocket WIFI hot spot writing this app has not yet been released on device. From extensive tests last year only Android. the phone you have finished a passage, a nominated list of your chosen ICE contacts three.ie seemed to have adequate rural 3G The excellent IWAI coverage. MIFI units allow up to five devices CSIG charts due to be are sent an alert by text message and/or email. to connect when on board using WIFI (cost released later this approx €20/month). I have used one to summer, will run on Anchor Watch can be used on a smartphone connect tablets and laptop with sufficiently tablets and to detect if your boat has moved outside a fast internet access while on board, fast smartphone’s using the predetermined radius when anchoring enough to watch streamed TV content and free MemoryMap app overnight. If the anchor drags and the boat live sports. Other operator’s 3G signals are and is the result of a moves outside a safety radius an alarm limited to waterways passing through urban community mapping sounds. Some versions allow a text to be areas (eg Athlone, Carrick on Shannon, project undertaken by sent to another phone in case you are not Killaloe, Dublin, etc). IWAI members. onboard when the anchor drags. Recommend phone is plugged into a charger BlueChart Mobile, Navionics HD and overnight and placed near a window in your MemoryMap do not require an internet cabin because GPS eats phone batteries and connection while in use on board, only when needs to be sited near enough to wake you. at home as a once off exercise to download the required maps to your tablet or phones WEATHER APPS internal memory. The Google Maps app Met Eireann’s while lacking any marine features such as mobile web site depth or buoyage, offers a degree of www.met.ie is situational awareness with the map and truly excellent satellite image views, but use with extreme offering simple caution because there is no indication of any but very underwater hazards or depths. An informative advantage of the Navionics and BlueChart displays based on GPS & NAVIGATION APPS Mobile apps is they include coastal waters a proven track Mapping is one of the most useful apps on and therefore coverage record for board. GPS mapping apps will only work on of the tidal Shannon accurate Apple or Android devices with a built-in GPS estuary for those forecasts and real (eg iPad 3G+Wifi model) or in conjunction venturing into salt time weather with an external Bluetooth GPS dongle. waters. data including Navionics were the first to offer GPS maps TidesPlanner is the best the inland lakes covering the Shannon and Erne navigations tidal app costing only and sea area back in 2007 and include inland coverage on €1.79 for an annual forecasts. The real time rainfall radar is a the Navionics UK/Holland app which includes set of tide tables unique and most useful feature of their the coastal waters of the entire UK, Ireland covering hundreds of website. The animated radar playback and Holland. Inland coverage on Navionics enables you to predict with some degree of Irish and UK ports 14 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

APPS ONBOARD accuracy when rainfall is due to start or when on board. You will need a strong 3G decent 3G internet access speeds. finish at your location. mobile signal. The AerTV app requires €5.99 per month for Irish and UK BBC/ITV channels There are many more interesting apps offering specialist information such as the on a mobile device, but remains free on a computer. FilmOn offers free coverage of Lough Derg Trail with amenity information and historical guides. Combined with mobile BBC/ITV channels in standard definition. SkyGo is an app for Sky subscribers to view a internet, great navigation and weather apps, today’s generation of mobile internet devices subset of channels live or on demand when away from home. Sky+ is a useful app that have proved game changers for on board technology and real time information. can send a remote record command to a subscribers sky+ set top when away from Smartphones and tablets have brought low cost and many free apps to our waterways. home. RTE Player and BBC Player offer free access to TV program playback in Ireland or Enjoy but don’t forget to enjoy the “real world” scenery instead of the virtual screen. NI respectively, especially useful for news and weather info. Video on demand apps such as Netflix on a monthly subscription offer an Weather4D is an excellent visual animated extensive choice of movies and TV weather forecasting tool offering wind, programmes. If you are feeling technically rainfall, cloud cover, temperature, wave and adventurous you can hook your tablet or swell height information for tidal waters phone to your boats TV using a suitable AV anywhere in the world. It is the app I depend cable and view on a larger screen than your on when making and planning long coastal mobile device. passages but also useful inland. It only requires internet access when downloading the 7 day GRIB forecasts which are updated PHOTO SHARING every four hours. It has the best visual Some folks enjoy taking photos and short presentation of weather information I have video clips when on board using a yet seen. Combined with Met Eireann I find smartphone camera and like to share them these two apps deliver the best combination instantly with family and friends. Apps like of marine weather data and forecasts. PhotoBucket and Facebook allow you to achieve this. As soon as you take a photo INTERNET TV you can use apps such as these to access TV and boats can be incompatible bed your phones camera roll and upload the fellows either by choice or by technical images to your Facebook page with the limitation. However it can be useful and touch of an icon, or to your favourite photo indeed entertaining to sometimes be able to hosting cloud service (eg Flickr, PhotoBucket, watch TV or sports events on your tablet etc). Photos are large files and will need Mobile Apps on Board Net Cost GPS Maps + Navigation BlueChart Mobile NW-Europe '55 Navionics HD UK/Holland '45 MemoryMap '10 (IWAI CSIG Charts due summer 2014) Google Maps – no depth info Y free TidesPlanner '1.79 ISA SafeTrx Y free Anchor Watch '0.89 Weather Met Eireann Y free Weather 4D Y '7.99 WeatherTrack Y '7.99 Internet Live TV FilmOn Free - BBC/ITV Y free Sky Go (subscribers only) Y subs AerTV – RTE, TV3, BBC, ITV Y '5.99/m Internet TV On-Demand RTE Player Y free BBC Player Y free/uk Netflix Y '7/m Sky+ (subscribers only) Y subs Photo Sharing Facebook Y free Photobucket Y free Note: Items marked Y require broadband internet connection when in use Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 15

CSIG UPDATE CSIG UPDATE By LES SAUNDERS, CSIG PRO It’s very hard to believe that yet paragraphs come from Pat areas, but more than that it another year has gone by, but McManus in the Lough Ree area, introduced an interest extending what a year for boating! A and from Brian Willson and to finding archaeological summer arrived in 2013 that we Fergal Kerney in the Lough Derg information, sunken boats, man all waited for years to greet, and area. There is a large cost in both made channels and so on. But now we have almost completed time and money for the with only an unclear image it a winter with no frozen rivers or surveyors. The rewards are high, was difficult to be sure what I harbours and even the but the costs really hurt, so if we may have found, so with that in dehumidifier hardly being used. had more surveyors this would mind I approached our friends in But what about the Charting help greatly. Don’t be shy, come Athlone, namely the Sub Aqua Group, they seem to have gone aboard the CSIG group and help Club. I should say the Athlone very quiet lately. But that us in this fantastic project. We Sub Aqua Club have been very impression is far from the truth. will kit out your boat and make kind to the CSIG allowing us to it suitable for surveying. The use their premises for meetings Like all groups that are long surveying process is very defined etc, and once again they were lasting, special interest groups and we will train you as well to very keen to help. But it is not a move through phases, and that ensure you don’t waste any one way street, the CSIG have is what has happened to the effort. been able to identify interesting Charts SIG (CSIG). We have lost places to dive and the Sub Aqua some key members, but we have Club have dived on these areas also gained some new ones, and Sunken boat on Lough Ree in return, a real bonus in that the CSIG is fully operational with shallows, boats, pinnacles, and all functions now active, and Image: Pat McManus more have been found and skills have been upgraded, identified. particularly in the surveying and the mapping functions. The RNLI also approached us with a view to using the detailed Images from survey of Duncan’s The next Presentation is on 6 charts we have produced, and Rock March in Lisburn, where Les will they are using restricted versions 1) Survey grid (recorded tracks be updating the Northern Ireland in their practice runs, and in from survey vessels) branches on the activities and return they check out the areas 2) 3D image of processed data the output from the CSIG. for us to ensure we have valid 3) As it appears on chart (zoomed out slightly). data. A question that is continually Images: Brian Willson asked is ‘when will the charts be We have now dived almost ready?’ The answer is soon. A FROM PAT: twenty sites and to date have have clocked up over 400 major problem we have had is found three wrecks. One surveying hours between them. that although significant areas of I began surveying with the CSIG identified as a Harvey Eastwood They have covered much of the the Shannon basin have been in March 2012. Using a Garmin cruiser lost on December 12 main navigation in Lough Derg, surveyed, the charts we had 451s and Dr Depth software to 1989, the second is a steel open and quite a few areas outside of produced were deemed to be gather depth and position boat lying in 20 metres but not the marked navigation – to help unsafe because large areas of bathymetric data which could be as of yet identified, and the third open up some areas that are the map were displayed in white used to create current navigation is an old sailing vessel, again quite safe, but un-marked by even though they had not been charts. Having spent almost forty unidentified. We continue to current navigational aids. They surveyed, and white could be years cruising and fishing Lough dive each weekend, even are also identifying areas that are assumed to be safe. We have Ree, I thought that I knew the through the winter, and we definitely not safe to navigate in. now overcome that issue with lake really well, but surveying await the next big find. the latest iteration of the charts opened up a whole new world Whilst the marked navigation where the surveyed areas have for me, I started seeing shallows can be done relatively quickly depths, colours and contours, in areas where I never believed FROM BRIAN: and in most weather conditions and the unsurveyed areas have there were any, and I also found In the last year Brian and Fergal with a cruiser, the areas outside unobtrusive hatching which channels and perfectly good clearly identifies where it is safe. routes through areas which Chart detail for Killaloe BUT, and a big BUT, please most navigators would have remember the surveyors could considered dangerous. Image: Brian Willson easily have missed a spike or Recently I purchased a poor area, so although we Humminbird 898CX S side scan believe an area to be safe, you unit. This unit measures depth enter at your own risk. and position, but also gives I have asked two of our sonar images of the lake surveying groups to give us an bottom. This unit enables faster update on what they have been scanning of safe areas and can doing and the following be useful to highlight danger 16 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

CSIG UPDATE of this require a more delicate Brian has developed a colour the IWAI shop for €9.10 +p&p. marker numbers easily. I also approach, often in a dingy and scheme that is not dissimilar to It is very detailed and excellent have produced a set of overlays in only very calm (and preferably the admiralty charts, but for navigation. But better still, a for this map, which contains a dry) conditions. enhanced for safer inland use. MemoryMap version is available good sample of routes and some Custom navigation symbols have for laptops, tablets and safety warnings. A copy of these A detailed survey of a bay is also been created to better smartphones from MemoryMap, can be obtained from me typically done with lines no more reflect what you see on the lake. the cost might seem steep at ([email protected]) to add than 30 ft apart and when £100 sterling, but that cost is to your Lough Erne Activity map potential hazards/shallows are Due to the nature of the chart only about 2 weekends surveying should you decide to purchase. noted this is reduced to 15ft or design it is easy to alter the look or one good meal for two, and less with further lines done at and feel if required. We have the map is simply superb on the See you on the river and right angles to get the full extent just started testing the suitability electronic units enabling zoom in hopefully we can have another of the shallow. As an example, of the design so there may be and assisting those of us slightly great year boating. the survey of the bay outside some visual tweaks required. Its age challenged to read the Castlebawn took three days and modular design means it is also the survey of Middle Ground easy to update and took two days. In each instance open up more areas it meant waiting until conditions as new data comes were perfect to enable the in. accurate and safe survey to be completed. LOUGH ERNE CHARTS During the last few months the surveying has slowed due to Finally, for those of weather conditions and shorter you who navigate days so Brian has turned his the Lough Erne attentions to mapping the data. lakes, there is an It has been a long and steep excellent chart learning curve, but he can now produced by produce good quality, high Ordnance Survey of resolution vector charts that can Northern Ireland be converted for use in Memory with assistance Map, and is currently running from Waterways Screen capture from Memory Map Lough Erne Charts with routes added. tests on Lowrance chart plotters. Ireland which can be purchased from Image: Les Saunders Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 17

WHAT LILY DID NEXT LILY EXPLORES HOLLAND’S Alison Alderton and which we were handed a cotton-printed bag containing literature on the surrounding area. TURFROUTE Roger Harrington There was also the opportunity to purchase a burgee depicting the Turfroute logo and a book written by one of the lock keepers linked to a number of larger waterways, which are open containing a collection of cycling and walking all year and pass through the trails accessible from mooring points. With neighbouring provinces of the lock being situated in the heart of the Drenthe and Overijessel. town, surrounded by bars and cafes we felt as These can be combined if our locking and rope skills were under close together to form a large scrutiny, luckily for us the inclement weather circular cruise known as the seemed to ward off most of the inquisitive! Big Turfroute and this was As the lock gates have no balance beams to the journey we undertook in push on, the Turfroute staff open and close spring 2013. them by using a long weighty hooked pole which looks precarious and of course also draws in the crowds. It was a good day’s cruise from our base to the twin- towns of Akkrum-Nes, Springtime in Holland gateway to the Turfroute. From here we joined the When we decided to embark on a spring Boorne, a pretty canalised cruise exploring the waterways of Holland’s river to Aldeboarn, one the oldest turf Turfroute we thought there may be some settlements in the country and a conservation similarities to Ireland and we weren’t area. A one way system operates through the disappointed. Even the weather played ball pretty village as the waterway is extremely and for the first week the heavens opened narrow and traversed by iron swing bridges. Opening locks, Turfroute style and soaked the beautifully rural landscape in Pressing a button on the quayside a continuous downpour of drizzle, battering acknowledged our arrival and a short wait the blousy blooms of the spring tulips later as if by magic, the friendly bridge-keeper Exiting the lock we were immediately confronted by the first of many small creating its own Dutch version of a ‘soft’ day. appeared to safely see us through whilst oncoming traffic was held in a waiting area. swinging footbridges crossing the straight waterway all of which needed to be opened. Much of Holland and in particular, southeast One of the best places to stop along this There are numerous lift bridges on the Friesland was involved in turf production with section is at Uilesprong. There are moorings Turfroute, the larger ones are keeper- the small, narrow waterways of the Turfroute alongside a polder pumping station which operated but the majority of small being specifically created between 1630 and regularly holds open days and along with the footbridges, especially in rural areas need to 1830 to allow shallow-drafted barges access nearby Museum It Damshûs these give visitors be self-operated. In the summer when into the most isolated bogs. Aiding in the an excellent overview of the area explaining children are on school holidays they will often harvest and transportation process these little the processes of land reclamation and turf operate these for a small tip, usually €1. The waterways also acted as a way in and out for production in detail. There are good walking most unusual footbridges are to found in the the turf cutters who often worked in and cycling trails all along the Turfroute; the town of Appelscha, these are operated by a appalling conditions and harsh weather one here, named after Ferdinand Domela pump-handle stowed in a metal box on the cutting the fuel by hand. Around this network (1846-1919) a prominent socialist who bridge itself. This town sits on the edge of the of waterways many towns and villages soon fought to improve conditions for turf cutters, Drents-Friese Wold National Park where there built up and these historical places are now a involves crossing the waterway on a self- is an informative visitor’s centre, café and magnet for tourists. operated chain ferry, which proved quite a many walking and cycling trails through the novelty! surrounding countryside which is very diverse. The Turfroute is only open a few weeks each Ranging from bog and heath to vast areas of year as it is run and cared for by volunteers. The Opsterlandse Compagnonsvaart runs for inland drifting sand dunes this is only a short An entrance fee is charged (€17.50) which 33km from Gorredijk to Appelscha situated bike ride away from the waterway and makes goes towards the upkeep, allows boaters one near the Drenthe border and is the Turfroute’s a great day out. circuit of the route and includes allowance to main waterway. In 1974 there were proposals stay at a number of moorings for up to three to fill-in sections through Gorredijk to make Buster with his bike trailer days at any one time. The small intimate room for car parking which prompted Father waterways of the Friesland Turfroute are Leo Van Ulden of the local Catholic Church to form an opposition group and campaign to save the waterway. Known as The Foundation De Nije Kompanjons it is thanks to this dedicated group of volunteers who liaise with authorities and waterway departments as well as regulate and maintain the navigation that today’s boaters can continue to enjoy the Turfroute. Those of you who have read about our travels before will recall our dog Buster has health Gorredijk is also where we encountered our problems affecting his walking so before One way traffic through Aldeboarn first lock and needed to pay our dues on 18 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

WHAT LILY DID NEXT embarking on this cruise we acquired a One of the busiest places we visited was the ‘Doggyhut’ bike trailer. This has enabled us to city of Meppel. This was once an important explore further afield without having to worry distribution centre for the turf business and if Buster will make it there and back. Anyone even today still has extensive docks capable of with an older dog or one with walking dealing with craft weighing up to 2,000 problems should consider getting one of tonnes dealing mainly in aggregates and these, it has opened new doors and is helping containers. The city’s coat of arms and flag us keep fit in the process, can’t be bad! The interestingly depicts clover or shamrock leaves trailer is lightweight and folds flat making it which represent the surrounding lush easy to stow away onboard. countryside and three black rectangles Tugs at Heerenveen signifying the local importance of the turf The Tsjonger, a canalised river is the place to industry. There are plenty of moorings, the is the locally produced Giethoorn Blue head for complete isolation. Surrounded by a nicest are accessed by locking up into the pottery. mixture of vast meadows, heath and bogs the basin and are overlooked by a beautiful wildlife is amazing and a haven for insects. It windmill. Being a stroll from the shops and Heading along the Kanaal Steenwijk-Ossenzijl is believed that 60% of Friesland’s dragonflies Murphy’s Irish Pub in the main square, these the lift bridges sensed our approach and come to this one area to breed so it is of great are very popular. operated automatically, very modern! At ecological value. The Turfroute staff use eco- Ossenzijl we joined the Linde, a small twisting friendly electric scooters along this section We entered the province of Overijssel a short river marking the boundary between and will follow you along opening and closing distance south of Meppel where the lakes of Overijssel and Friesland where the adjacent the locks and bridges, which makes for very Beulaker and Belter Wijde needed to be meadows were covered with golden swaths relaxed cruising. The most popular port of call crossed. These are small compared to the of buttercups. Nearing the end of our route is the compact harbour at Oldeberkoop which Shannon lakes, nevertheless the open we visited the town of Heerenveen, which was undergoing refurbishment during our expanse of water and cooling breeze offered translates as Lords Fen. On the outskirts is visit. some welcoming relief from the sudden hot Oranjewold, once an area of open heath- spell the weather had thrust upon us. land. This was purchased by the Frisian On entering the province of Drenthe to join Drawing less than a metre enabled us to fully Nassaus in 1664 who built an impressive the Big Turfroute, there is an immediate explore the lakes and islands, for those palace and created the pleasure grounds of change of character as the waterways are needing more depth a buoyed channel marks Oranjestien. The area quickly became popular larger, deeper and straighter. The Drentsche- the main route passing through an area with the landed gentry who set up home here Hoofdvaart was built between 1767 and named Blawe Hand, believed to have constructing impressive mansions. Whilst they 1780 to aid the carriage of turf but was also originated from the days when turf cutters lived in the height of luxury, the turf cutters used for the transportation of other produce working in all weathers suffered from cold they employed lived out a meagre existence in including sugerbeet, potatoes and flour. It is blue hands! The surrounding De Wieden and desperate conditions. To complete our circular now used mainly by leisure craft as a through De Weerribben National Parks together form route we headed northwards from route to the coast or to Germany. On this the largest continuous peat moor in Heerenveen passing a tug restoration works waterway the lock keepers are responsible for northwest Europe. on the commercial waterway It Deel to link designated sections just like the Grand Canal back up with Akkrum-Nes. and they will contact the next keeper as and Giethoorn: Venice of the North when you exit their section so your arrival is Today turf is no longer harvested from these expected. There are many lovely mooring areas and it is interesting to see how the places; one of the most popular is Dieverbrug Dutch have turned the history of turf where up to fourteen days free mooring is production into a popular tourist attraction. permitted. There is plenty to do and see: to The Turfroute campaigners should be the west of the waterway is Diever where one congratulated as not only have they saved a of the provinces many ancient megaliths can beautiful and unique network of waterways be viewed, there is also an open-air but also opened up a rich and diverse area of Shakespeare theatre and some listed lime countryside to the general public. With boat kilns worth exploring. A short cycle trip away hire available locally and the helpful to the east is the village of Dwingaloo which One of the highlights of our trip was visiting waterways staff on hand there is no wonder on our arrival was a hive of activity as the the former turf village of Giethoorn. Known this circuit is growing in popularity. We newly appointed King of the Netherlands was as the Venice of the North due to its large thoroughly enjoyed our spring exploration of due to visit. It seemed as if the whole number of tiny canals crossed by timber the Turfroute and look forward to returning in population was out and about, streets were footbridges it was once only accessible by the near future. being swept clean, bunting and flags erected, punt and even now much of the day-to-day even the unusual onion-shaped spire of the business still operates this way, even the Unfortunately we were unable to source a map of local church was being draped in vibrant weekly rubbish collection. We found plenty of the Turfroute suitable for print reproduction. You orange cloth in celebration of the royal mooring spaces on the main canal can see a map on the Turfroute website at visitor! approaching Geithoorn and in the public www.turfroute.nl/ligging.html – ed harbour which is where we left Lily to head off and explore. As only small boats are Masted vessels at Akkrum Nes Meppel Basin allowed access to the main village taking your own dinghy is best however, there are craft for hire including row boats, punts and electric-powered ‘Whisper’ boats. There are marked water trails around the village and through the surrounding reed beds, from which reeds are still harvested for use in furniture and thatching. Many of the waterside properties contain museums and small businesses, where the most popular buy Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 19

TRAVELS WITH HAWTHORN TRAVELS WITH HAWTHORN Athlone jetties in winter Photo: Giles Byford Giles Byford reflects on one of those ‘I tender of its own, and I know the island has up. learned a bit about boating from that’ rocks around it. Rather than risk having to moments, offers his views on safety deal with a much larger vessel aground, I tell Our dinghy is flat bottomed and, while I’d improvements needed in Athlone and a the hire crew I’ll go and help. I put on my prefer to have the tender alongside for suggestion on the proposed changes to life-jacket, and motor over in our dinghy. stability, experience has taught me trying the canal bye-laws. There’s nothing unusual at this point, and I that will only leave us going round in circles. fully expect to be back long before my So I take the bow rope I’m handed, pass it It’s an odd thing how, even on a quiet loch meal’s cold. Seeing me on my way, the hire round our outboard, and very gently set off. late in the season, life on the river never boat starts to head off. The three slump in their seats – one in the ceases to deliver surprises. bow, another amidships, and the third The stranded boat is a small, moulded plastic astern. Only two of them are wearing The light was fading and supper was about tender of the type often towed behind hire lifejackets. By the time we’re half way to our to go on the table when we first heard the boats, and I’d assumed the reason I couldn’t destination there’s no more talking, and they shouting. We listened for a while, and when understand their shouting was because the all appear to have fallen asleep. And that’s it didn’t stop, I got up and pressed my face men were foreign nationals. They are, and the problem: the guy in the middle slowly against a porthole to try to see what was they’re absolutely hammered with drink. I slumps to starboard, and instinctively reaches happening, I see a hire boat off our struggle to make out their slurred words, out to steady himself on the gunwale. Which starboard side, and its crew is shouting to a and it takes a while for them to explain their makes the boat tip, and his two companions tender just near an island beyond it. Unable outboard’s packed in and they’ve no oars. slump sideways. They reach out for the same to work out what’s going on, or if there’s There’s also the additional problem of a gunwale and, without a pause or a wobble, any urgency, I went into the wheelhouse to fourth crewmember somewhere on the little the little boat instantly turns turtle. get a better look and, hopefully, work out island, and he’s refusing to get back on what’s going on. The tender has three men board. Having taken in the state of the men I pull our outboard’s kill cord and drop the on it, but I can’t make out the language, or in the boat, this is a relief. I tell the man tow. Somehow, and he does it so quickly I understand what’s going on. So I join in and ashore to stay where he is, that once I’ve got almost miss it, the man without a lifejacket shout at the hire boat, and they reply the the tender back to their hire boat on a clambers atop the upside down boat now men need rescuing. The hire boat has no drifting towards me. He then leaps aboard nearby mooring, I’ll shoot back and pick him 20 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

TRAVELS WITH HAWTHORN our dinghy. He’s moved so fast I half expect him to still be dry, but he isn’t, he’s wet Hawthorn through and shaking with cold. Another Photo: Giles Byford man swims to us, and we drag him aboard. The third man has very different ideas: despite the water being very cold – it’s only 11 degrees – he’s determined to right the tender, and get into it. The arguments start. The men with me (and I - though I remain silent) think this is a bad idea, but he won’t come to us, and there’s no way I’m going to start our outboard with him in the water. So there’s a stand (or should that be swim?) off. It’s completely bizarre and, having seen what’s happened, the hire boat that was leaving has turned and is heading back. Its keep hold of his lifejacket until I’m able to one of us were to fall in the chances of crew is shouting offers of help. They’ve a pass his care to his colleagues. The few getting ashore are remote. And we keep our boarding ladder, but it’s over the prop, and minutes I expected to be away for have dinghy inflated and ready to go just in case. I’ve no idea if the crew know of the dangers stretched to over thirty. By the time I get Before writing this, I did ring the council involved in trying to use it. I ask them to back to Hawthorn it’s dark, and my supper is employee responsible for Health and Safety, hold off. Finally, the man in the water makes cold. and was reassured that he’d recently been the mistake of getting within reach: the man made aware of the absence of ladders, and nearest me grabs one of his arms, and I I have to put my hands up in making the that allowances were being made to install grasp the other. mistake of assuming the little tender was new ones in 2014’s budget. much more stable than it later proved to be, The man we’re hanging onto isn’t happy to after all four men had somehow made their CANAL BYE LAWS have been captured but, taking my lead way to the island on it, but I’ve learnt from from the man next to me, I’m not going to the experience: next time, and doubtless Being aware this issue of IWN is likely to let go. So there’s a second stand off: we there will be a next time, I get involved in feature a lot of commentary on the changes won’t release him, and he won’t agree to what appears to be a relatively minor matter proposed to the canal bye laws by being dragged aboard. For now he’s safe, I’ll be much more cautious about making Waterways Ireland, I’ll limit myself to but I can’t start the outboard until we’ve assumptions, and much more demanding commenting on what I consider to be a daft pulled his legs well forward of the propeller. about doing things the way I think is best. suggestion, namely the imposition of ‘five Finally we’re able to get moving, and we But, as something we’ve learnt over this day mooring’ on miles and miles of empty very slowly make our way towards their winter illustrates, you never know what canal bank. Which, given the day you leave mooring, with the man in the water creating being on the water might present you with. your boat counts as the first of the five, enough drag for me to need to have the means you’re going to have to be moving engine at almost full lock. Thankfully, help ATHLONE JETTIES again within four days. This just isn’t going arrives: there’s another boat on Hawthorn’s to be achievable for all but a tiny minority of mooring, and the man on it must have been I wonder how many of us who use the fortunate live-aboards or retirees, and if watching what was going on. He’s brought council mooring jetties in Athlone are aware enforced will surely damage the pleasure of his own RIB out and is offering assistance. that there aren’t any ladders a swimmer, or spending a lazy few months wandering the While very relieved to see him, I’m now close more likely a faller, could use to get out of canals. While I know suggesting the English to getting the wet (and considerably more the water. It’s an odd anomaly, for the rest of might have a better way of working gets the sober) boaters home, and the guy on the the safety equipment– there are numerous goat of some Irish friends, I will point out island isn’t in dire need of rescuing. I also life-rings, and even long poles with generous that, with the exception of the particularly know recovering the now drifting boat is loops of steel attached – is all here, and pressured and popular short lengths with 48 going to be hellish difficult with my little regularly checked by the council. We’ve hour restrictions, it’s permissible to leave a dinghy, so I’m happy when our helper takes wintered on the jetties, and have only good boat in one place for up to 14 days on the the turtled tender in tow. things to say about the location: the town English canals. It’s a system we lived with for centre’s just a few minutes walk away, as are He’s still towing it back when, having - and not having a car this is a major bonus - over a decade, I know works well, and I can delivered the three men to their hire boat’s trains to Dublin and Galway and buses to see no reason why it wouldn’t work here. swimming platform, I roar over to the island. the airport. But we are now very conscious Given that this may already have been The man on it seems to be in shock, and it that the water is running at quite a pace decided by the time this is published, I can takes a little cajoling to get him into the and, even if the cold doesn’t do for us, if only hope some pragmatism has been dinghy. I sit him directly opposite me, and applied. Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 21

FLOWING THE ELLESMERE From the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct CANAL How it came to be the source of water for parts of South Cheshire began with an ambitious canal scheme (a familiar phrase here in Ireland). In 1793 the Ellesmere Canal Act was passed, its purpose to allow for the building of a canal that rebranded the Canal & River would join the River Severn at Trust with its own snappy slogan: Shrewsbury in Shropshire to the ‘keeping people, nature and Dee at Chester. From there the history connected’. Amazing navigation would continue to the how organisations believe Mersey and what would become putting Trust in the title makes the industrial town of Ellesmere you trust them. Canal boat horses take a rest Port. There would be branches to the limestone quarries of PRONOUNCING BETWEEN TWO water that would eventually Llanymynech and the market PONTCYSYLLTE WATERWAYS reach Hurleston. town of Whitchurch, enabling The Aqueduct was built, like so At Christmas my extended family I don’t know how many rivers the transport of agricultural many engineering structures in rented a four-storey Victorian have names in three languages – goods from Shropshire and coal that area, by Thomas Telford. It’s townhouse in Llangollen, an old not simply translations, but and iron from Denbighshire. 307 m long, 3.4 m wide and, mill town on the edge of names that are, or have been, in (gulp), 38 m above the Dee and Snowdonia in North Wales. I was regular use. Here we have As with so many canal schemes is, of course, terrifying to those the one who made the booking English, clearly, as the Dee, of that era, it ran out of money. of us with the inexplicable urge and I have to admit to reasons Welsh Afon Dyfrdwy, and Latin The section joining Chester to to throw ourselves off balconies other than the town’s beauty Deva Fluvius from the days when Ellesmere Port was constructed, and cliffs. Joe and I came to it on and the splendid house – it has Romans roamed the earth – the as was the branch to bicycles, having taken the both canal and river. Dee flows through Chester, a Llanymynech, important for towpath from Llangollen on limestone, and much of the As a child growing up in town founded as a Roman fort section towards Whitchurch, but Christmas afternoon, passing cheerful people with pink faces Cheshire in the north west of (Deva Victrix) in the days when that’s where it all got a bit sticky. walking off their lunch. At Trevor England, I always knew our Latin was still alive. Plans were changed, whole (Trefor), the village at the water came from the River Dee. The Dee rises in the mountains sections abandoned. In the end Llangollen side of the aqueduct, However, how it reached the of Snowdonia, the National Park the Whitchurch branch was the canal becomes briefly two- concrete pen that was the whose peaks dominate North extended to Hurleston where it pronged – the Trefor Wharves. A Hurleston reservoir and water Wales. The specific mountain is met the Chester Canal, and, a tidy fleet of narrowboats cuddled works just outside my home Dduallt, near Llanuwchllyn, from new source of water being together, available for hire for a town of Nantwich was where it winds its tiny way down required, a navigable feeder was day or longer. Beyond them was something of a mystery. It was to Bala Lake. After Bala it constructed to take water from the aqueduct. only now that I discovered the becomes a more significant river, the River Dee at the Horseshoe route it took. The raging river I steadily growing as other small Falls near Llangollen. The Joe and I stood looking across gazed at from the first floor water courses join its tumble astonishing Pontcysyllte this airy expanse and tried to window was the Dee, and the towards the sea. Aqueduct is part of this work out how to pronounce canal behind us was filled with waterway. Pontcysyllte. The Pont bit was easy, but then? A few weeks The Ellesmere Canal was later we had a Welsh friend rebranded by British Waterways staying and asked him for a as the Llangollen Canal in the lesson (thank you Gareth). He 1980s with an eye on the tourist consulted a native Welsh speaker trade. It seems name changes to check his own, South Wales are all the rage – British pronunciation. It goes something Waterways itself has now been like this: pont-cu-su-(back of the throat noise)-tu. That’s cu as in cup, su as in sup, tu as in tup (this is sheep country after all). Double el is as tricky to explain as it is to say, though Irish speakers would have less bother than English. Did we walk across the The Llangollen Canal narrows Llangollen and the River Dee aqueduct? It looked easier from Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 23

FLOWING River Trust, maintains a gravel There was no sign of horses at Trip boats and tea rooms on the Llangollen Canal shoal just beyond the marina to this time of year, but I was there prevent over-zealous briefly in the summer. Three narrowboaters trying for the last trusty steeds watched from the leg to the Horseshoe Falls. half-doors of their stables beside However, you can continue by the towpath, the boats tied up boat as long as you have a horse beside them. pulling it – shallow-drafted trip boats will take you to the Falls, You can follow my blog at one hour there and one hour floatingboater.blogspot.com back. Photos: Nicki Griffin the Trefor end, the drop being sections – it is, after all just a less sudden, but we had no navigable feeder. These extra- courage-forming Christmas lunch narrow bits tend to occur on the inside us. We walked across for broadest bends. Signs advise ooh, several metres, before our crew to check ahead before nerves failed. So we tried out our advancing further. I certainly different pronunciations of wouldn’t fancy trying to reverse Pontcysyllte again before a narrowboat all the way back to hopping on the bikes back to the passing place. Llangollen (two double els!). At Llangollen is another wharf, LLANGOLLEN TO THE and beyond that a marina, the HORSESHOE FALLS end of navigation for ordinary Between Trefor and Llangollen narrowboats. British Under the bridge from Trefor to Llangollen the cut has serious one-boat-only Waterwa…sorry, the Canal & THE SOUND OF MUSIC a reputation for excellence as an extraordinarily caring cancer hospital in beautiful surroundings. Reggie was on the board of the hospital for 36 years (and Chair for 11 of those years) and then on the committee of the Friends of St Luke’s right up to the time of his death. He worked very hard for the hospital and it was a cause that was very dear to his heart. Musici Ireland is a professional chamber music ensemble formed in early 2012 by artistic director This March sees a magnificent and principal violist Beth concert take place in memory of McNinch. The members of long-time IWAI member Reggie Musici Ireland all come with a Redmond. The concert, by Musici formidable wealth of experience, Ireland, is being held in aid of St including international soloists, Luke’s Hospital. chamber musicians and Reggie, a member of IWAI since orchestral members. 1972, was treasurer of the The concert is on Thursday 20th association from 1993 to 2003. March at 7.30pm in the Gleeson He and his boat Crannagh were Theatre, Kevin Street, Dublin. a familiar sight all over our Tickets are €20, available from connected inland waterways. He www.friendsofstlukes.ie. You died in April of last year after a may also pay cash on the night. short illness. Maeve Kelly St Luke’s Hospital in Rathgar is a radiation oncology hospital with 24 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

GREEN & SILVER GREEN & SILVER 2013 - PART 1 by Nora Sleator Lock 4 Walkabout crossing the M50 It was a cold April morning when Walkabout while this was in train, and so the Skipper, go ahead of him, in retrospect it may have left Portaneena in the Inner Lakes and despite plans to proceed on to Mary Lynch’s, been better to wait behind, as he removed headed north up Lough Ree, on what was to in fact decided it would be foolhardy and so an obstruction or two along the way. On become a nearly three month voyage, stopped in Mullingar for the night. Our WI arrival in Castleknock we moored near the following the Green and Silver route. 21 friend locked him in to the harbour, but I lock on the northern bank, tucked in behind days of travelling, some very short, some was still less than happy to have to leave him Lone Ranger and Graham Liddy. long, brought her and her crew back to there alone and travel home to Dublin for Athlone at the end of June. work the following day. We waited there until the May Bank Holiday when boats had assembled to make the The plan to complete the journey originated Monday 15th - Louis continued with the journey into Dublin for the Dublin Rally. At when the skipper, Louis Sleator, stood in the help of WI to Thomastown, and was duly skippers briefing on Friday 3 May we met dry bed of the Royal Canal swinging a slash collected by Mary. As the date for the old and new friends also Dublin bound. hook just east of Cloondra, back about thirty opening of the Effin Bridge was approaching Aquarius, with its motley crew from Carrick years ago. Many of us thought it would faster than he would like, he returned on Boat Club, was to be our travelling never be possible. Along the journey we Wed 17th and spent a very wild, windy night companion for much of the way. By now we thought frequently of the men and women, there before moving on to Jackson’s bridge, had been joined by Robert Maitland from including Eddie Slane, Sean Fitzsimons, just short of Maynooth, and finishing the Whitehead who was to help crew for the Dermot O’Brien and Reggie Redmond who journey to there the following day. At this journey in. On Saturday morning we were in dreamed of accomplishing this journey. stage we had caught up with the HBA the second lock leaving at 07.20. As barges also heading in for the Dublin Rally. Walkabout headed out across the aqueduct While the skipper remained the same, the over the M50, I was scrambling up the bank crew varied according to time available. It As a former bargee, Louis reckoned we to the roundabout above in order to get included myself, Nora Sleator, our daughter would be well advised to travel ahead of the some photographs of this amazing junction. Niamh, Robert Maitland and our logistic barges, and so having been delivered by car, officer Mary Gallagher, ie the sister, who I joined him and we made a very early start The locks on the way were manned by kindly drove all over the country dropping us on the Saturday morning 20 April en route volunteers from the Dublin Branch and off and collecting us. to Castleknock. Having travelled the N4 for Waterways Ireland personnel. This obviously so many years alongside the canal it was a made our journey considerably easier. From Louis and Niamh made the start going to Castleknock to Ashtown one could almost Cloondra on Tues 2 April, the only thing somewhat weird experience to make the have been out in the middle of the country, journey by water. While passing through one worthy of note being the weather - freezing so removed was it from the city which we cold, but not as cold as the following day, lock we met a lady home on holidays from knew was close by. After that, as we got England who had never seen the lock being when Louis continued to Abbeyshrule, nearly closer to our first stopping point at Shandon getting frostbite on the way after losing a worked before. I think it was one of the Gardens Phibsborough, the city encroached highlights of her holiday. glove. Fortunately his brother lives there and more and more. On reaching our destination was able on arrival to provide heat and The Deep Sinking lived up to its reputation at 10.30 we tied up and waited for the rest sustenance. as a very special part of the canal. While of the Rally boats to catch up. John Dolan on Float No.1 very kindly let us By the weekend of the 13th, the First Mate, The Rally had linked in with Phizzfest and myself, had arrived home from warmer there were many activities on during the climes and we progressed as far as Grand Canal Dock afternoon including water polo on the Coolnahay and then Mullingar. The Sunday stretch ahead of us. It was an opportunity to proved to be one of the most stressful days have some friends aboard and we were of the entire trip. Just short of Mullingar we delighted to be joined for a short while by ground to a halt with what turned out to be Tish Enright, Maeve Kelly and Fiona Hoey. a tyre wrapped around the prop. Despite Word went around that we were to move assistance from WI we had no option but to ahead when the festivities were over and send for a sub-aqua diver, eventually spread out between the locks heading down contacted with the help of Damien Delaney. towards ‘Brendan’ at Lock No.2. This would The wind had strengthened dramatically help in getting us through the ‘Effin Bridge’ Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 25

GREEN & SILVER Boat after boat passed us by, until some Louis & Nora on the Liffey hours later the level was eventually lowered enough to allow us through. A quick passage through the sea lock brought us out onto the Liffey. At last a bit of open water! The skipper was happy to be able to blow a few cobwebs out of the engine. Although eager to explore the new waters he was somewhat hampered by the First Mate, me, whose dislike of tidal waters brought his enthusiasm to an abrupt halt and we headed for the sea-lock into Ringsend. A queue had built up due to problems at the lock and so we had another wait, time for a cuppa, while attached to shore by a line hanging on a hook on the quay wall far above. Once again WI assisted by IWAI members helped us through the lock and into the basin. So different from our previous visit in 2000. While passing through the sea-locks we had been given navigation directions, and our mooring instructions and so we the following day with the least delay. somewhat surreal experience to be passing made our way to our berth for the next Having been joined by our niece Sinead for through very familiar territory by a three weeks in the inner basin. The sense of the trip, we progressed down to Lock No 4 completely different route. Passing under accomplishment was huge. Not an easy and tied up in the shadow of Mountjoy jail Croke Park, the lock under the North Strand journey at times, but one that we greatly for the night. and then the ‘Effin Bridge’, the latter being enjoyed overall. supervised by six or so men in Hi Vis jackets, Another early start on Sunday morning saw leaning on a car, brought us into the first Photos: Nora Sleator us moving ever closer to the Liffey. The part of Spencer Dock. The water level when weather was proving very kind to us and we arrived did not permit us to pass under continued so for the day. As all who have Sherrif St bridge and so commenced our made the journey into Dublin by either canal longest wait. will probably agree, it is at times a 26 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

BOYNE BANTER FROM MYLES BRADY On a practical level, there is work to suit all-comers to our fortnightly workparties – dates and times available on our website at www.boyne.iwai.ie, and everybody who becomes involved will be entertained to a ‘soup and sandwiches’ lunch at 1.00pm, courtesy of our ever efficient catering staff. All are welcome, and even if you cannot be involved in the work on the day, we would love to see you, and show you the progress on Finishing the paving: Myles Brady with crutch, Padraig Costello, Kevin Ross Farrelly top and Kevin Fullam the restoration. Keep an eye to Fullam on mixer and Eugene Carbery working on the foundation for the the website, as the lunch landing steps at the end of the lock location may vary from workday fallen into the entry passage to OTHER SNIPPITS to workday as we progress away the lock was recovered using a from the Oldbridge sealock long reach digger, and Planning for restoration of the WELCOME TO NEW along the navigation. reconstruction of the wall has Slane section of the Navigation VOLUNTEERS started. This reconstruction work by members of ‘Slane With the advent of the New RESTORATION is governed by the tides, so will Community Forum’ is Year, we in the Boyne Navigation PROGRESS take some time. Laying of paving progressing. Under the Branch are renewing our regular Restoration work around the along the side of the lock has supervision of, and on the advice appeal for new volunteers to now operational Oldbridge continued, and will also be of the BNB, they have had become interested in, and sealock continues, governed to finished when the ‘Greenway’ several meetings with the Parks possibly become involved in our an extent by the construction of construction allows. and Wildlife section of the restoration work on the Boyne the ‘Boyne Greenway’ cycleway As well as the work around the Department of the Environment, Navigation between Drogheda along the river and canal sealock, maintenance of the and the necessary Ecological and Navan. Our present band of between Drogheda and the Oldbridge canal section Assessment has been carried out members and volunteers have Battle of the Boyne site at continued, with some clearance and submitted. Clearance work made a significant impact on the Oldbridge Estate. We were able of fallen trees and debris. Further on the canal section west of restoration of this historic to take advantage of a complete clearance of fallen trees and Slane bridge will be started early waterway over the past few road closure required by the bank repairs will be carried out in the New Year. years, but progress of the work ‘Greenway’ construction to fell a when the high winter water A further Cutting Licence has is governed by the numbers who large tree which had grown up levels in the canal return to been obtained from Parks and become involved, so we are through the roadside ‘wing wall’ normal. Wildlife section, DOE, for more always looking forward to on the downstream entry to the clearance of the canal at welcoming new recruits to lock, the roots of which had OTHER BRANCH Athlumny, downstream from maintain, and even increase the demolished a length of the wall. ACTIVITIES Navan. Cutting and clearance of rate and scope of the work. The wall masonry which had The 7th Branch AGM was held this extra section is to begin in on Tuesday 3 December the New Year, and will be carried in Newgrange Lodge, out in association with the Donore. A full Committee Navan Coarse Angling Club, for of four officers, and ten whom a major clearance was committee members was carried out along this section of elected by a good the Navigation in early 2013. attendance. We particularly welcome two As in previous years, the Branch new full committee again entered the annual members – John Daniels, Community Contribution Award and Geoff Clarke, who section of the Drogheda had been co-opted during Business Excellence Awards. the year. The meeting Unfortunately, however we were was followed by a very not successful in being pleasant supper featuring, shortlisted on this occasion, but among other delights, will continue to participate in mince pies to mark the this competition to maintain our beginning of the festive profile in the Drogheda area. season. Again, many Photos: Seamus Costello thanks to our catering staff! Posts to hold the raised platform for the new Greenway Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 27

LOUGH ERNE NEWS FROM MERVYN ROLLS Fortunately we have had people Frank Woods has always been a able to fill their positions, namely strong supporter of the branch Ken Bell as chairman, and Frank and IWAI, having successfully Woods as secretary. organised events, and was the magazine contributor before I Ken Bell was a very successful took up this role. With his PR secretary before John Weir, and and organisational skills he is an branch members can look back ideal person for the position, so at very enjoyable events he we look forward to supporting organised with the help of his and working with him. wife, Jane. He was a unanimous choice to take up the role as It is felt that we start 2014 with Lough Erne in September chairman, and all was well until an able committee, and already he had an unfortunate fall at his have plans for a branch trip to home in early January, hitting his France and helping with the HBA head. Urgent attention was barges visit to the Erne System at The branch has had little activity expertise to all matters relating since last Autumn, and with the to the waterways. needed with a hospital the end of July and over the admission and operation. We are month of August. With other perpetually awful weather there is no enthusiasm to engage in He has been instrumental in delighted to report that he is regular branch events, we appeal to members for their attendance, now back at home, still some short winter cruising on bringing the Northern Branches Lough Erne, which in past and the IWAI in general to the recuperating, but functional. they will be very welcome. Naturally he was not at our first Information is always available winters has been most enjoyable. level of respect with which they are held by many other committee meeting of 2014 on on our web site, erne.iwai.ie We had some re-thinking to do organisations, both voluntary 8 January, but should be able to under the umbrella of IWAI. at our AGM, held later than and governmental. We wish him take up his role at the next one. intended on 7 December 2013, and his wife, Maree, success in Photos: Mervyn Rolls as Brian Cassells had resigned as the future, and thank them both chairman and committee for all they have done. They will member, John Weir had resigned be much missed at committee as secretary though remaining meetings, and we hope to see on the committee and Tom them at future branch events. Robinson had also resigned from the committee. We thank all Likewise John Weir has been a three for their efforts on behalf very successful secretary, as well of the branch, and wish them as carrying out his other duties well for the future. as Events Organiser. He has strongly supported the aims and Brian Cassells has worked developments of the IWAI with tirelessly over a number of years the help of his wife, Connie, and on behalf of the branch, and of gained the respect of many course for the IWAI as a whole, members, both North and South. becoming President for 3 years. He has always gone out of his With his many connections and way to help those in need of his speaking and writing skills he advice and assistance. His has been able to bring an abundant skills as secretary will Portora weir & lock, Enniskillen be much missed. Round O jetties, Enniskillen 28 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

NEWRY NEWS FROM GERALDINE FOLEY NEW BRANCH PAGE communities along the canal. LOGO The meeting venue in In keeping with the Newry - Portadown is provided free of Portadown canal’s unique charge by the Asda supermarket. position in the history of our waterways, we have decided on PROJECT a historical logo to identify our DIVERSIFICATION branch page in IWN. The Our continuing association with drawing is a detail from a survey Asda has been very rewarding. drawn in 1800 by John Benn. I We had an in-store awareness like to imagine him sitting on a day which yielded new members hill overlooking the canal, a bit and increased interest in branch fed up with his lot and envious projects and in December we of the lighter-man below had a bag-pack that raised more ambling along the canal with his than £800 for canal restoration horse. We came across the projects. We are very grateful for Uncovering the bypass pipe: Tony Donnelly, Aine Donnelly, James Burke, drawing during research for our the support of Asda and in Pat Watson Photo: Peter Maxwell ‘Handheld History’ project which particular for the enthusiasm of is creating a GIS map of the their community champion canal, its history and social Elaine Livingstone. Projects LOCKS 2 & 3 on our Facebook page - heritage. We will be using the funding was further boosted in PROGRESS Newry.Portadown.Canal. drawing as the project logo. December when we successfully Regardless of the diversity of gained a grant from the NGO activities undertaken we never PUBLIC REALM 2013 AGM Challenge Fund to pay for 3 lose sight of our primary DEVELOPMENT The 2013 AGM was very well camera bird-boxes, TVs and objective which is of course The department of Social attended, with many non- associated literature and events. restoration of the waterway for Development and the local member guests who had The branch feels it is important boat traffic. To this end the council are spending more than participated in our events during to promote all the diverse reinstatement of locks 2 and 3 at £2 million on the development 2013. Representatives of the attractions of the canal the Newry end of the canal of a promenade along the canal various statutory bodies involved environment as a means of continues, but not without its in Newry city centre. A new with the canal attended as well developing support for setbacks. Enormous quantities of shared cycle and pedestrian path as the Lord Mayor of Armagh, restoration of the waterway itself new sand have been washing will replace the narrow footpath Councillor Robert Turner and and if we can get grant aid to into lock 3 from the Bessbrook and ugly concrete wall along the Deputy Mayor of Craigavon, pay for it so much the better. River. It was depressing to have full length of the quays. Initially Councillor Colin McCusker. With Another example of diversity is to almost start afresh at each the plans omitted any upgrade an ever increasing programme of our foray into guerrilla workparty, but we have now of canal facilities but after a events and projects we decided gardening. A patch of rough found a semi derelict bypass robust campaign against the to split the role of secretary and ground at Moneypenny’s lock is pipe upstream and after this is creation of an ‘ornamental lake’ PRO. Tom Johnston takes over as slowly being turned into a bee reinstated we should be able to the branch has achieved some branch secretary while Geraldine friendly habitat. Extra divert the flow away from the ‘future proofing’ with the Foley continues with PRO duties. workparties have been convened lock chamber itself. More installation of moorings and In 2014 branch meetings will and are attracting branch satisfying work was done at lock service points in preparation for rotate between 3 venues - members keen on gardening as 2 where 9 tonnes of stones and some courageous person to Newry, Scarva and Portadown - well as the usual stalwarts who rubble have recently been crane a boat onto the waterway to reflect the fact that we have have a go at all activities. removed, often using techniques in the middle of the city and members from all the more familiar to the ancient start using the canal. Egyptians than the 21st century. The results can be seen, in video, Horse barge logo photo: Geraldine Foley AGM attendees: Tom Johnston (sec.), Peter Maxwell (chair), Jonathan Cully IWAI Bee team: Liz Johnston, Judith White, Tom Johnston, Tanya Duffy, Stephen (treas.), Cllr. Robert Turner, Cllr. Colin McCusker, Paul McKeown (vice chair) Boyle, Heather Crawford, Bruce Crawford, Brian Cunningham Photo: Geraldine Foley Photo: Peter White Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 29

BARROW BULLETIN FROM JOHN O’GORMAN preparative studies that are and Chris O’Neill; Murchadha, Tree planting ceremony at Leighlinbridge required before work can start. Marty, Mary and Amy Murphy; Gypsy Maiden, Kennedy Family; GREEN AND SILVER. O Connaire, Connery Family; Since the re-opening of the Piecere, Brendan and Mary Royal Canal the Dublin Branch Stafford; Fortissimo, Arthur and IWAI has listed as eighty six the Kathleen Keppel; Crescendo, number of boats that have Paddy and Marie Quirke; Misty completed the trip. The Green Morning, Declan Davis and Mary and Silver has been completed Mc Evoy; Moonshine, O’Gorman by no less than eleven boats Family and Féileacán, Sean from the Barrow. The list is a Buckley. follows: Seachrán, Fritz Rinagl Photos: John O Gorman and Josie Molloy; Aisling, John MEMORIAL STONE Graiguenamanagh on Tuesday UNVEILED 28 January. The meeting was Arthur Keppel, Barrow Branch well attended and members Chairman unveiled a memorial expressed their views on the stone in Leighlinbridge on proposed draft bye laws. Sunday 29 December. The Members were urged to make project was organised by the individual submissions on the local Leighlinbridge Improvement matter and sign the letter issued Group and was included as part by the canal action group. of the National Gathering 2013. Green and Silver trip: Crescendo, Moonshine, Fortissimo & Piacere moored at Portobello heading back home. The stone is in the Garden of INISTIOGE PROJECT. Remembrance on the west bank The branch has put together a of the Barrow in Leighlinbridge proposal to develop the old and is in loving memory of all canal cut downstream of the those who perished in the bridge at Inistioge Co. Kilkenny. ‘Goodly Barrow’. The unveiling This development will enable ceremony was attended by local boats to moor safely in the cut clergy and a small group of at all stages of the tide. Visiting relatives and friends. It was boats currently moor out in the followed by a tree planting river or tie up to the quay wall ceremony. The tree was where they must dry out at low presented to the group by Rachel water. The project is being Doyle of Arboretum Lifestyle and undertaken by a sub committee Garden Centre Leighlinbridge. of branch members Liam O Connor, Marty Murphy and CANAL BYE LAWS. Declan Davis. They are currently The January meeting of the in the process of sourcing branch took place in Doyle’s Pub funding that will finance the 30 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

NORTH BARROW FROM CLIFF REID WATER ABSTRACTION Athy at sunset Aside from the campaign, the North Barrow Branch also lobbied the local authority in relation to the water abstraction facility north of Athy on the river Barrow. The branch is seeking to gain access to the metering system in place, so as to monitor the exact amounts and timings of the water abstraction occasions. This is an endeavour that the branch feels is of paramount importance and one it will continue to push for in the months ahead. MAY BARBECUE Lastly, the branch is looking forward to hosting a barbecue and social gathering for all members of IWAI in May. As we are in the early planning stages, several meetings held by the councillors and TD’s gave a dates and details will follow AGM Kildare Branch in Naas and committed undertaking to voice soon. The North Barrow Branch meets supported their efforts with the their concerns with the relevant on the second Wednesday of campaign. In addition, the North authorities, in addition to Photo: Cliff Reid every month at 8pm in Frank Barrow Branch also held Waterways Ireland. O’Brien’s, Athy, Co. Kildare. meetings with local However, the branch had several representatives to voice their reasons to meet more than once concerns and garner political WALLER &WICKHAM LTD a month over the winter, this backing. year. With its AGM held in early January, the following officers Holding a meeting in Athy, were elected: Chairman, Barry several local councillors and TD’s Keatley; Vice-Chairperson, Billy gave an undertaking to lodge O’Neill; Secretary, Kathleen submissions to Waterways Cross; Treasurer, Aidan Perse; Ireland during the public suppliers of Safety, Jimmy Byrne; PRO; Cliff consultation period. Each Reid. The branch gathered expressed their concerns publicly together again in mid-January to and congratulated the branch on have their annual Christmas their efforts to highlight the dinner. This was a very informal various issues. With the success Varnishes and paints for a superb finish! occasion and a great opportunity of these meetings, several for the members to discuss plans elected representatives from for the coming spring and County Carlow sought an summer. informal meeting with members of the North Barrow Branch to BYE LAW CAMPAIGN discuss the impact of the Apart from the above, the proposed by-laws and several For Bonding, Coating, Filling and Fairing branch was extremely busy members of the branch travelled campaigning against the to Leighlinbridge in late January proposed new charges and fees to accommodate their request. being introduced by Waterways Regarding this, a special word of Marine Plywoods ! Ex Stock ! Top quality to BS1088 Ireland. There is consensus thanks must go to Alan Kelly of throughout the branch that the Kildare Branch, who also these new by-laws, if introduced, attended and gave a very FOR DETAILS AND SUPPLIERS CONTACT will have a long-term informative presentation to not detrimental effect on the only the general public but also Waller & Wickham Ltd development of our canals and elected representative from both the Barrow navigation. During County Carlow and County Unit 96, Baldoyle industrial Estate, Dublin 13 the public consultation period, Kilkenny. Again, as with previous Tel: (01) 83 92 330 Fax: (01) 83 92 362 branch members attended meetings in Kildare, most Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 31

DOWN ON DERG NATALIE MCGOWAN & CARMEL BYRNE grown up just 2km north of The Heritage Centre on the Killaloe in a ringfort which bridge in Killaloe is named after Branch boats in Garrykennedy for the AGM in November commands a fine view of the Brian Ború and has plenty of Photo: Rory Byrne entrance to the lake and in an information on the High King so ideal location to control is well worth a visit. For further movement along the river. information about events Following the assassination of his commemorating the Brian Ború brother Mahon in 976 Brian, Festival check out became leader of the Dal Cais www.brianBorú2014.com and went on to become High King of Ireland in 1002. Brian Sincere sympathies to the had his palace Kincora (Ceann Mulvaney, Timon and Henry Coradh) at the top of the hill families on their recent where the current Catholic bereavements. Church stands. Therefore during LOUGH DERG RALLY 39 his reign as High King Killaloe The 39th Lough Derg IWAI Boat The winter season is still with us Murphy who will continue their was effectively the capital of all Rally will take place this year and although some members recollection of their 9 year Ireland. Brian was married 4 from Saturday 5 to Sunday 13 have continued with their circumnavigation. times (that we are aware of) and July. boating activities throughout this is known as the founder of the time many others are planning Don’t forget to keep an eye on O’Brien clan who became The rally will be as usual based their return to the waterways. the Lough Derg face book and important Kings of Munster and on and around beautiful l Lough Now is the time to think about webpage for up to date Thomond in later centuries. Derg and all IWAI boats will be all those jobs that need to be information. He earned his name as ‘Brian of very welcome to join for the done on the boat and more BRIAN BORÚ 2014 the Tributes’ (Brian Borúmha) by week. Boats and crews of all importantly make a plan to get The Battle of Clontarf 1014 has collecting cattle tributes and sizes who have done or not them done, don’t be caught out an important place in Irish using the wealth to restore done the Lough Derg Rally will doing the work too late in the history as it not only routed the monasteries and libraries that be welcome to join in our year and lose out on good Vikings but tragically resulted in had been destroyed during the relaxed boating holiday boating time. the death of the greatest High Viking invasions. One such atmosphere with competitions, King of Ireland, Brian Ború. Brian monastery to benefit was that music and crack for all, young BRANCH EVENTS is reputed to have broken the on Holy Island or Inis Cealtra as and not so young. Plans are underway to arrange power of the Vikings in Ireland; Brian’s brother Marcan was Although there is lots of branch events for 2014. A French historical account abbot of the island in the 10th entertainment there is a serious Members will be contacted in written at that time says ‘The century. side too, there is silverware to be the next few weeks for feedback victory was won over the won, Man Overboard, Rescue a and suggestions for future strangers by the force of war, Brian Ború is said to be buried in Cruiser and Boat Handling along events. superior exertion and the grounds of St. Patrick’s with other boating activities are indomitable bravery’. Cathedral in the city of Armagh. all done in an educational and Branch meetings will take place His tomb is reported to be at the on 8 March, 12 April and 10 Killaloe was the birth place of north wall of the cathedral in fun way. May. The meetings will start with Brian and this year it will be keeping with the tradition that Every year is different and this the branch business followed by involved in a country wide warriors or those who die in year will be no exception, I look a presentation, please make a festival to commemorate the battle must be buried in the forward to seeing you there. note in your diary of these dates. slain king. Brian Ború was the northern sections of graveyards. The April meeting will include a son of the King of the Dal Cais David Brassington presentation from Pat and Olivia tribe and is reputed to have Commodore Garrykennedy at night Photo: Rory Byrne Fun and Games in the Black Lough on Rally 38 Photo: Dave Brassington 32 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

BELTURBET BANTER FROM BRENDA DEVINE an achievement. A sub- AND FINALLY committee has been working Sunset during January cruise We have also had our first away in the background to make branch meeting of 2014 and this a memorable event with confirmed our events for the plans to have joint commodores. year. It is this time of year that We are looking forward to boaters everywhere plan to get hearing the itinerary unfold. their ‘tubs’ serviced, spruced up However, sadly, Erne Branch lost and looking good for the season one of its members and a great ahead. Wishing all IWAI supporter of the Erne Rally – Branches a great boating season Paddy McGuiness RIP. – have fun and remember your safety measures on and off the Dinner Dance in the Seven Horse water. BUILDING Shoes Hotel, which was well Photos: Brenda Devine RELATIONSHIPS attended with all dancing the Once again we have teamed up night away again to the sounds with other branches in the of Adam’s Rib – thanks again Flooding at Rowan’s Marina northern region to try to Sharon and Tommy. At the minimise any clashes of events. Annual Dinner we held a raffle This has proved to be very and auctioned goods and helpful in the past year enabling services kindly donated by the branches to support each other – members. Belturbet Branch then there are some very interesting agreed to increase the funds events planned for 2014. raised to a total of €1000 which DEVELOPMENTS will be presented to the RNLI. As reported previously in other For quite a number of years now, issues we have been very Sean McCaffrey has organised a disappointed in the lack of day cruise between Christmas progress with the town jetty and and New Year however, this year, associated work. We don’t like it was held mid January and we to labour a point and the had a great turnout and enjoyed inclement weather has probably a cruise to and from Gaeglum. not helped the situation, but We had a fantastic sunset on our Belturbet members are getting a return journey and finished the little tired of waiting. That said, night in Flynn’s Bar, Kilconny. we have been promised that at This was very welcoming and last the scheme is good to go, great food was supplied by Anne and by the time you receive this Nolan – much appreciated issue of IWN the work will have Anne!! Again we cannot thank been started. Alongside this we Sean enough for planning this also need to see the new Service cruise every year and thanks go Block progressed, although there to all the members who support has been some objection to the it. build. Surely this can be overcome and WI identify funds MAIN ERNE RALLY to get going. Belturbet has been Our main rally this year will be patient but are getting held on the weekend of the somewhat annoyed at seeing bank holiday in June (30 May - 2 other developments in what June). Commodore Kinney – YES seem to be underutilised jetties – – our very own Chair is Aghalane to mention one. Commodore this year and is Belturbet is a great place, and currently planning his event with deserves some time and effort the Rally Committee. Knowing into making it better. CK, he will be organising a few wee surprises along the way. So BRANCH EVENTS get your calendars set and join Since we last went to print we us on this the 49th Erne Rally. held our AGM at the beginning of November with the same 50TH ERNE RALLY committee returning for another 2015 will see both Belturbet and year in office. Also in that Lough Erne Branches celebrated month, we had our Annual the 50th Erne Boat Rally – what Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 33

BOYLE RIVER NEWS FROM KAY BAXTER AGM boating but also the imposition of on the spot fines of €150, The 2013 AGM saw only one Drummans Bridge with no appeals process, for change to the committee. We would like to welcome Catriona infringements of the Bye Laws. The IWAI has co-ordinated a Gately as secretary and to thank the outgoing secretary, campaign seeking to have these amendments altered. Thank you Assumpta Doherty, for all her work in 2013. Committee for to all members, past and present, their families, friends 2013 and contact details are as follows: and colleagues who signed letters supporting the campaign. Kay Baxter (Chair) 087 9825520 What you may not know is that they have already started work [email protected] on the Bye Laws governing the Catriona Gately (Sec) Erne System and are then 086 8286557 moving on to draft amendments [email protected] to the Bye Laws governing the Shannon. At the moment we Eileen Taylor (Treas) have no information in relation 086 3566654 to what these proposed [email protected] Drummans Island Canal in Lough approval by the NPWS, amendments might contain, but Kevin Regan (SO & CWO) Key Forest Park continued over Waterways Ireland hopes to carry if they are to be seen to be fair 086 2545176 the winter, with some progress out some clearance of light then it’s fair to speculate that [email protected] being made. shrubbery overhanging the canal they will increase the cost of to gain access, hopefully before boating substantially. Watch this CALENDAR 2014 Representatives of Roscommon the end of February. This will space! Our branch calendar for the year County Council and Waterways enable them to survey the has been compiled and is Ireland walked the site in depths and widths of the canal SEW AT 20 included in the IWAI calendar of November 2013. and inspect the bridge to Leitrim Village are hosting a events. Hard copies will also be Correspondence received from determine the extent of the weekend of activities to mark available to members on St Waterways Ireland in early work needed. the 20th Anniversary of the re- Patrick’s Day and at our first January confirmed that it has opening of the Shannon-Erne branch meeting on Friday 4 April been an objective of theirs to As always in these times budget Waterway. It will take place over at 20.30hrs in The Patrickswell, pursue this opportunity to is very scarce for any such the weekend of 20 to 22 of Boyle. We are happy to welcome provide access for small vessels, projects. Waterways Ireland has June. Lots of activities are new members or members from canoes, etc. no budget this year for capital planned including water sports, any other branch to join us for Roscommon County Council is to works, only for maintenance. road races, a craft fair, food fair any of our events. progress matters relating to Roscommon County Council, like and of course no celebration all County Councils, is not Our first event of the year, as last access and ownership. The area exactly awash with money. would be complete without a boat parade. As it is Leitrim, year, will be the St Patrick’s Day is a Special Area of Conservation However if a joint venture there will of course be lots of parade on the water only this so Waterways Ireland is to meet between Waterways Ireland, music sessions. A brochure will year there will be two parades. with the National Parks and Roscommon County Council and be produced soon with full The first on Sunday 16 March in Wildlife Service. Subject to Coillté was undertaken the details but keep that week-end Cootehall and the second economic burden might not be free in your diary. will either be on Sunday too onerous. To get as far as 16 or Monday 17 March having the survey completed MEMBERSHIP in Carrick on Shannon. would at least be a step in the It’s that time of year again folks. Details, including times, right direction. We will keep you If you haven’t already done so are yet to be finalised but informed of any progress and if your membership is due for members will be informed necessary we may elicit your renewal. There has been no by email, text message support in the lobbying of local increase in membership and on the branch representatives (especially as subscription for a number of website, local elections are just around years now so I hope you all www.boyleriver.iwai.ie. the corner). agree that it is good value for Dress up of crew and boat money. You can renew online at is of course compulsory. BYE LAWS www.iwai.ie or by sending/giving As you all know Waterways your subscription to our treasurer DRUMMANS Ireland are proposing Eileen Taylor, 7 Cuilmore Cove, ISLAND CANAL amendments to the Canal Bye Cootehall, Co. Roscommon. Lobbying of the various Laws which, if signed into stakeholders in relation to legislation, will result in not only Photos: Kay Baxter the project to reopen the Drummans Island Canal an increase in the cost of 34 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

OFFALY UPDATE FROM BERNADETTE QUINN In concluding comments the have major concerns on the Chairperson thanked the proposed amendments to the committee for their hard work existing bye-laws. The Grand on behalf of the members and Canal has been an integral their support to him as Chair element of the Offaly landscape during the year. for over 200 years. It is an important link with other The following committee were waterways; a huge asset to the elected: John Dolan, midlands and the overall Irish Chairperson; Bernadette Quinn, inland waterways system. It is a Vice-chair/PRO; Alan Hughes, At the bye-law meeting: Ronnie Colton, IWAI; Cllr Fergus McDonnell; Cllr Hon Secretary; Rosemary Colton, navigation and economic artery; Finnian O'Neill; Cllr Liam Quinn; Cllr Noel Cribben; Cllr Molly Buckley; John Treasurer; Ronnie Colton, can bring boat traffic as tourism Dolan, IWAI; Barry Cowen TD; Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick & Cllr John Foley. business; and has significant Absent when photo was taken: Cllr Sean O'Brien; Cllr Dervill Dolan & Cllr Webmaster; Charlie Kelleher, amenity value to our Brendan Killeavy. Membership communities. CANAL BYE-LAWS The meeting was addressed by a AGM REPORT April: Beyond the 12th Lock PUBLIC MEETING significant number of people Talk by Mick Kinahan The 2013 AGM of the Offaly A public meeting on the from the floor, the majority of Branch of the IWAI was held in Members Notice Issued proposed amendments to the whom were non-boaters. The Hugh Lynch’s, Tullamore, Co June: Launch of the Grand canal bye-laws was held in Hugh concern over the proposed Offaly on the 10 December Canal Offaly Floating Festival in Lynch’s, Tullamore on Thursday changes and the negative impact 2013. Ballycommon 16 January 2014. they will have on the system and Before the AGM, Chairman John July: Kids Camp with St Marys This meeting was called so that communities along the Dolan welcomed James Scully, Youth and Community Centre any interested parties could waterways was unanimous. Historian who delivered a very September: The Grand Canal meet, discuss and comment on More details on the meeting are interesting talk, tracing the Offaly Floating Festival & the proposed changes by available at development of the Grand Canal Gathering Event Waterways Ireland to the Canal www.iwai.ie/byelaws/byelaws.php from Edenderry to Shannon October:Council Meeting Bye-laws. These changes will Harbour. He stopped to focus on Enniskillen affect the Grand Canal, Royal NEW WEBSITE four moments from the historical Know Your Boat Courses Canal and River Barrow. Offaly branch members were archives at different locations. delighted to attend the first James enthralled the audience The Chair thanked all those The meeting was attended by a session of the training course with his humorous and involved in these events with large and diverse group, gives by Colman Byrne, IWAI knowledgeable presentation. The special mention to Bernadette including members of Dail Webmaster in Mullingar Park meeting extended its thanks to Quinn and Alan Hughes for Eireann, County and Town Hotel. James for a very informative, assistance on the Know Your Councils Representatives, IWAI entertaining and most interesting Boat course, Offaly County members, fishermen, rowing We would like to express our talk. Council and Hugh Lynch’s for club members, community thanks to Colman, who made it their support of the welcome amenity groups, Offaly Tourism, a fun day filled with information John Dolan commenced his packs for boaters and Hugh members of the business on the websites for the report by thanking Hugh Lynch’s Lynch’s for their support on the communities and members of volunteers from various branches for providing the meeting room Festival Barbecue night. the public. throughout Ireland. He finished for 2013 with complimentary with a question and answers refreshments at all the meetings. John outlined the great project The meeting heard details of the session and was very giving with the Kids Camp with St Marys changes proposed to the Canal John summarised the work of Youth and Community Centre Bye-laws and that the Inland the information and skills. the committee and members and turned out to be, as was the end Waterways Association of Ireland outlined the various branch result, in the production of a activities for the year. These 2014 Calendar. included John also thanked Ronnie Colton January: Attendance at IWAI for his work on the new Branch Canal Action Group meeting in Website which is now live. Athy Attendance at Council Meeting Based on feedback it was felt Mullingar that the season of informative talks were a success and February: Annual Social Event members hoped these could Tullamore Dew Visitors Centre continue. It was agreed to Submission to Offaly County continue to hold committee Council Draft Development Plan meeting separate to the branch 2014 to 2020 meetings and to organise a Discussing bye law changes: Rosemary Colton & Alan Hughes (Offaly March: Two members’ notices number of information talks IWAI), Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD, John Dolan & Bernadette Quinn issued through the year. (Offaly IWAI) Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 35

SLANEY SNIPPETS FROM CATHERINE MALONE abandon the development of survival of Ireland during the Boating in the Sunny South East. Dunrovin in its present format second world war. Most of the was unanimously approved by ships were in very poor condition the members. The Chairman, and in need of major repair, but Fred Crampton, stepped down when they were returned to and Brian Coulter was elected to basic seagoing condition, they the post. Catherine Malone was travelled the oceans of the world re-elected as Secretary and John under the Irish flag, with EIRE Tully as Treasurer. Following the plainly displayed on their hulls. Meeting, we had our usual enjoyable post- FETHARD LIFEBOAT Christmas Party. The 100th Anniversary of the tragic loss of nine crew members IRISH SHIPPING of the Fethard Lifeboat while 25TH ANNIVERSARY Meeting, we were fortunate to Our first ‘event’ of the year was attempting to rescue the have two of the founding an illustrated presentation by stranded schooner Mexico off 2014 is the 25th Anniversary of members, David Killeen Rosslare Maritime Enthusiasts, the Saltee Islands, Co Wexford, the establishment of the Slaney (currently our President) and Jim Brian Boyce, John Boyce, Brian will be commemorated with a Branch of the IWAI. The late Maguire, together with their Cleare and Leo Coy on their wreath laying ceremony at the Cecil G Miller, a keen boater and spouses, Eleanor and Mary, recent publication Irish Shipping Burrow Memorial, Rosslare on 23 inland waterways enthusiast, present and all in good health. Ltd – A Fleet History. They gave February 2014 and there will be compiled the ‘Slaney Guide’ to The branch is indebted to the us a fascinating talk on the a Maritime Exhibition in Scoil the tidal section of the river from WHBTC for their great support establishment of the Company in Mhuire, Rosslare to coincide. Wexford Harbour to Enniscorthy, over the years and the use of the 1941 and the purchase of the published in 1987, with the main Clubhouse for our meetings and ‘First Fifteen Ships’ which were We are all hoping for another sunshine summer, and members aim of encouraging other events. bought or chartered to ensure boaters to use and enjoy the the supply of vital food and of the Slaney Branch wish everyone safe and enjoyable river, as he was doing. While on AGM commodities for the basic a Shannon Rally, Cecil and his The 2013 Annual General boating in 2014. good friend David Killeen, came Meeting was held on 10 January up with the idea of having a 2014. There was a small ‘Branch’ in Wexford. One thing attendance and the Chairman followed another, and on 27 again expressed his concern January 1989, the inaugural regarding the future of the meeting of the ‘Slaney Branch’ branch. He said it is essential to was held in Wexford Harbour recruit new members. The Boat and Tennis Club (WHBTC). Secretary reported on the The first formal meeting of the activities during 2013 and the branch was held on 24 February Treasurer reported on the 1989. Cecil was elected financial standing of the branch. President and David Chairman. There was discussion on the Sadly Cecil passed away in proposed WI Bye-Laws and the October 1989, but has left us members agreed to concur with the legacy of a branch that has the response from the IWAI survived to the present day. At Executive to Waterways Ireland. our recent Annual General The Executive decision to 36 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

CRUISING CLUB FROM LANCE PUNSALL seventeen from 2011 to 2013. September 26-28: Scarriff & Archie received his award from Killaloe Competitive dance routine last year’s winner, Maria Keane, October 24-27, October Bank to a standing ovation from his Holiday Weekend: Banagher fellow members. November 29: AGM and Committee members and Event Annual Dinner, Hodson Bay Commodores were each Hotel presented with a personalised Commodore, Eric Herrieven, is in PhotoBook in recognition of their the process of appointing Event contribution during the year. Commodores who will then get Post-dinner entertainment kicked started on planning exciting, off with a highly entertaining, enjoyable and entertaining action-packed ‘Balloon Race’, programmes for each Cruise-in- with pairs of members racing Company for the coming season. And so we embark on another Safety Officer which position is across the room balancing a WEBSITE season even if it will be a while now filled by Owen Kavanagh balloon between their foreheads. before we see boats back in the (JKath). The position of IWN The club’s website water. In the meantime let’s Scribe was not filled and this The evening concluded with a (www.cruising.iwai.ie) has been catch up on developments since report was prepared at short virtuoso performance from local updated and the layout slightly our last Cruise-in-Company, way notice by a volunteer whose by- DJ par excellence, John Nugent, modified. Pages are now longer back in October 2013! line appears in anagram format. who maintained the competitive and what it is hoped are some interesting sections have been AGM Although it was felt that there spirit through several exhibition appended to some pages. The dance routines with groups of was no necessity for a full-time The AGM, held on Saturday, 7 Child Protection Officer, members put through their Events Calendar includes all club December, at the Hodson Bay Catherine Ryan agreed to fulfil paces before a winner was events currently planned for the Hotel, was attended by 27 the role should the need arise. declared in each category. A coming year. Individual event members. Despite the attraction multi-directional changing conga details will be posted as they of a Heineken Cup rugby match Data was presented which completed a wonderful evening. arise and post-event involving Leinster, the meeting suggested that although PhotoGalleries will be uploaded witnessed an interesting numbers attending club events Special thanks are due to the as soon as they are available. discussion about possible options had declined in the preceding staff of the Hodson Bay who for future CICs with several year, there was still a relatively once again served the Cruising CONGRATULATIONS! contributions from the floor healthy level of participation. Club well. And mark the date in The Cruising Club is delighted to including a considered input your diary for this season’s AGM extend ‘Congratulations’ and a from Fionnuala Smyth. ANNUAL DINNER and Annual Dinner: 29 hearty ‘Best Wishes’ to Barbara The AGM was followed by the November 2014 Smyth (Silverline Cruisers, 2014 COMMITTEE Annual Dinner in the Killinure Banagher) on the occasion of her The following were elected to Suite at the Hodson Bay Hotel. PLANNING FOR 2014 recent marriage to Andrew Horn, the 2014 committee: The evening commenced with a The inaugural meeting of the formerly of Suffolk but living in mulled wine reception incoming committee took place Banagher since 2009. The Smyth Chairman: Paul Scannell accompanied by an audio visual at the Brosna Lodge Hotel on 11 family have been good friends to Vice-Chairman: Archie Reed review of the year’s CICs. Jan 2014. The primary focus of the Cruising Club ever since the Hon. Secretary: Mary Healy Entertainment in the form of the meeting was the planning of club was founded and Barbara Hon. Treasurer: Charlie Murray some novel fun and games was the Events Calendar for the has frequently been the main Commodore: Eric Herrieven served up between the dinner coming year which is re- point of contact. Assistance was Safety Officer: Owen courses! This included a lucky produced hereunder: always provided with that ready Kavanagh card draw before the starter smile and an efficiency to match. IWAI Council Representative: course followed by an anagram March 14–17, St. Patrick’s We wish them many years of Mike Moroney quiz based on boat and crew Weekend: CIC to Banagher health and happiness in their Shop: Archie Reed names between main and April 18–21, Easter Weekend: married lives together. Webmaster: Paul Scannell Hidden Secrets of Lough Derg dessert courses with small prizes The outgoing committee were for the winners. May 2–5, May Bank Holiday Photos: Paul Scannell re-elected with the exception of Weekend: CIC to Limerick, The presentation of the club’s Endeavour Award was made Riverfest 2014 after dinner and this year’s very May 30-June 2: June Bank popular recipient was Archie Holiday Weekend: Athlone, Reed who has been a member of Tarmonbarry, Richmond Harbour the Cruising Club since it was June 13-23: Tarmonbarry, formed. Archie has served in Carnadoe, Grange, Carrick-on- more committee positions than Shannon, Lough Key; any other member and has Marie Keane presents Endeavour September 5–7: Rossmore, Award to Archie Reed participated in more CIC’s than Woodford River Balloon Race any other member, including Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 37

KILDARE BRANCH FROM JIM CONNOLLY, ALAN KELLY & PA KEOGH CHRISTMAS WALK Naas town itself. A good day entities, ordinary people from commemorative plaque will form As is the tradition, Kildare IWAI was had by all and Kildare IWAI towns and villages along the part of the rally pack. mobilised its members to work would like to thank Paddy for his canals and public representatives. This season kicks off on 8 March, off the excess of Christmas with time and a special word of The issues highlighted have with a work party on the Four the annual Christmas walk, thanks to the Town House Hotel helped to shape the strategy of Pots near Digby Bridge followed which took place on 27 for refreshments and hospitality. the IWAI national campaign on by a barbecue at Leinster Mills December in Naas. The walk and the proposed Bye-Law the winter mooring spot for talk was arranged by Paddy CANAL BYE LAWS amendments which is very clear many Kildare boats. It’s off to the Behan of the Naas Historical Following the recent closure of in its message that bureaucratic lovely Harbour in Edenderry for Society. In spite of the weather the Public Consultation on regulations will kill boat traffic the St Paddy’s weekend, a town the walk was well attended and proposed Canal Bye-Law and the potential for further that has always made us feel we walked along the Corbally amendments by Waterways tourism development on the very welcome and a chance to Branch of the canal, an unusual Ireland, Kildare IWAI wants to canals. For the up to date catch up with our Offaly friends. diversion for most of the acknowledge the considerable position concerning these Bye- By the Easter weekend we head attendees as recently most trips contribution that its members Law amendments see the East and join up with Dublin up this line have been by boat. have made on a variety of issues campaign page at www.iwai.ie IWAI for a combined rally to In typical Irish fashion the regarding these proposed and for a local perspective logon Hazelhatch and then on to inclement weather had everyone changes. Kildare has vibrant to www.kildare.iwai.ie. Dublin’s 50th Rally in May. A run for cover, sheltering under canal boating users of all types Kildare IWAI Rally on the the only leaved tree in sight! from regular cruisers, to day KILDARE IWAI AT 30 Shannon is being organised for With no let up in the rain and boaters, to business This year sees Kildare IWAI the summer months, a first for wind we were ‘forced’ to return entrepreneurs to liveaboards and celebrate its 30th anniversary the branch, but with so many of to the Town House Hotel Naas valuable feedback was received and the committee are planning our members boating on the for refreshments and some heat from all of these. This is in a varied and interesting year of Shannon, this is a chance to all provided by Mary and her staff. addition to points raised by other events, culminating with the catch up. (Dates TBA.) For all With the Christmas excesses recreational users such as October Rally in Naas, where a details please see our website, reinstated, Paddy continued his anglers, walkers & cyclists, local specially commissioned www.kildare.iwai.ie talk, including some history on tourist and other business 4 38 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

DUBLIN DRIBBLES FROM MICK FARRELL Graving dock being cleaned for End of the line for Naomh Éanna Naomh Éanna Photo: Mick Kinahan RALLY TO END ALL Waterways Ireland have again NAOMH ÉANNA costs of Waterways Ireland by next week and then get decided to benefit from the RALLIES? presence of rally boats in GCD From the Naomh Éanna Trust on permission from NAMA who are Planning is currently underway and are once again holding their Facebook: We have just been managing the graving dock in for the Dublin Rally 2014. Summer Festival during the talking to Waterways Ireland order for her to stay in drydock Unfortunately matters have been middle weekend of the Rally and about the developments that until repairs can be carried out. greatly delayed by the Bye-Laws our ‘Main Event’ will see a have happened in the last few Insurance would also need to be Consultation saga and as I’m parade of boats (with sparkly months. The ship itself has placed on the ship immediately writing this, Colin is inking the lights) overnighting on the Liffey become a major hazard for and with no survey we won’t get printing plates. A number of on the former DDDA jetties. It everyone involved as she is any insurance. anniversaries have to be may also be the only weekend taking on water through her celebrated this year, including Effin Bridge lifts on offer this decks. Unfortunately it looks as if our but not limited to: (we’ll summer for anyone doing a efforts over the past nine years celebrate anything...we will....) Green and Silver. The graving dock at the eastern have failed and she will meet her end of the basin are being IWAI 60th, Dublin Branch 50th, All in all, it’s likely to be a rather opened now and next week the end in the coming weeks. Some items will be salvaged from the RCAG 40th, Dublin Rally 30th, VIBRANT couple of months, Naomh Éanna will be towed into ship and kept by the Nautical Opening of SEW 20th (told courtesy of local IWAI branches the dock to be dismantled in the Trust and ourselves as a reminder you....and we needed a 20), and volunteers, and may be your next two weeks. Although she is of the once great ship that Boyne Branch 10th still afloat at Charlotte Quay, last chance to attend a Dublin served so many islanders for so To try and highlight the potential Rally in Dublin as if these both businesses have vacated the many years. ship and she is now without of the canals and to demonstrate proposed changes come to pass, power and Waterways Ireland some of the ‘flaws’ in WI’s next year’s will more likely be in have taken her over from her proposed amendments we Athlone....!! owners. would ask as many as possible to EFFIN make the trip this year. Given the For us to save her, we would condition of the navigations, it need to meet the !100,000 will take some effort on your BRIDGE part, but it is our intention to coordinate with the canal LIFTS branches and local communities Engine room on Naomh Éanna on both Royal and Grand and Photo: Niall Galway we hope to try organise a few little ‘non-events’ to keep yis As we go to press, dates for busy en route from the Barrow this years Effin Bridge lifts, or Shannon. Kildare, who have are still not finalised an anniversary of their own this between Irish Rail and WI, year, and Offaly Branches have but we hope to have them already shown interest. Shannon on the Dublin Branch web Harbour will undoubtedly do us site very shortly. Likewise proud with their Rally on the the rally application form return journey and the Power and details of events en- Boat Branch have committed to route to and during the rally the ‘Main Event’. As usual we’ll itself. Please keep a close be linking up with the Phizzfest eye on dublin.iwai.ie for all and ‘Scones not Stones’ groups the latest information. on the run into Dublin. Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 39

LAGAN NEWS FROM TERRY NEEDHAM Hon. Treasurer John Ferron it was founded in 1789 by Period costume reported a healthy financial Archbishop Robinson. For a position. Most activities are self- topical example, the observatory financing and the largest has the longest series, 215 years, expense in the year was safety of rainfall data from a single site equipment for work-parties. in Ireland and Britain. Following the catastrophic ‘Big Wind’ of Peter Scott, on behalf of Lagan 6/7 January 1839 (which, as you Canal Trust, spoke about the are all aware, blew the fairies Union Locks project. Phase 1 is out of Ireland) the director of complete but further work is that time, T R Robinson, scheduled to clear out the dry invented the first measuring basin upstream. Grant instrument for wind-speed, the applications are in progress for a cup anemometer. similar treatment at Becky Hogg’s Lock. The Trust is developing its Later generations of astronomers ‘Just Add Water’ project to realised the Irish weather is not involve schools and the wider helpful for observation of the community in greater awareness heavens so Armagh, Dunsink AGM 2014. The barge Industry of the Lagan environment. and Birr don’t place much emphasis on their own working Our AGM took place on 20 originally owned by Barbour RADIO ULSTER repeated a short telescopes anymore, but Armagh November 2013 in the Island Threads mill at Hilden is series of programmes called Our now has an active research team Centre of Lisburn City Council commencing its new career as a Rivers including the Bann and in online communication with who have been generous hosts restoration project. It is planned Lagan. Brian Cassells was on the most modern facilities across for most of our indoor occasions. to locate this at Lock 3 for use as hand at Lambeg to give some the world and beyond in space. Chairman Jim Henning an interpretation facility by historical background. No better summarised the programme for Castlereagh Borough Council. man! Dr Bailey also conducted us 2013 and outlined hopes for through the Astropark in the ARMAGH VISIT grounds. His explanation of the Although not immediately scale model of the solar system, associated with navigation, our continuing on to the universe trip to the city on 30 November was fascinating. The day finished was very educational. Armagh with a show at the Planetarium. put on a fair day and brought Lagan Branch look forward to out many people in period another active year of talks, costume… not just for us of outings and work parties. We are course. The ‘Georgian Day’ is a pleased to encourage big annual event and it made for participation with our an entertaining stroll. Dr Mark E. neighbouring groups in any Bailey, director of the projects and welcome visitors to Observatory, took a tour of the our river. building and its many treasures. The sense of history is strong as Photos: Terry Needham The Grubb telescope 40 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

SHANNON HARBOUR FROM DAMIEN BUCKLEY years, but part of the this years Commodore and we local community too. are looking forward to what Pat will be missed by Gerry and Geraldine will bring to all in Shannon the Rally. We will be having all Harbour and by the usual fun and games starting anyone fortunate with our annual Commodore’s enough to have made reception and official rally his acquaintance opening on Friday evening 20 anywhere on the June starting at 8pm (Which will waterways over his likely be followed by drinks in many years of the odd wheelhouse). On boating. As one Saturday, the festivities will person described him continue with our annual Coffee in a post I read after Morning and our afternoon of his passing ‘a giant of events this will be followed by a man’. On behalf of our barbecue with some fine the branch and the sirloin steaks on the menu. local community I Sunday will start with our (l-r) Pat Henry, Victor Henry, Donna Pryde, Anna Henry would like to extend Ecumenical Service and followed Photo: Martina Buckley my deepest sympathy by the Kids Sports Say and later to Anna, Victor, the Talent Show and Prize Mandy and Janice. Giving. After the success of last year we are hoping to making PAT HENRY RIP Chairman Pat Henry. Pat and his CANAL BOAT RALLY this our biggest rally ever. Look It has been a sad month in the family were not only boaters On to this year’s Rally and the forward to seeing many of you Shannon Harbour Branch as we who came down to the Shannon Commodore’s will be the now there. said goodbye to our former Harbour for their hobby over the famed 68M. Gerry Burke will be Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 41

CORRIB BRANCH FROM ZARA BRADY rarely fatal, they were the cause Ready to go Mining! of many broken limbs. As one members of our group commented, ‘all teenagers should visit the mine, when they are slacking at school, as a wake-up call’. Regular employment was uncommon in the province of Connaught in the 19th and 20th centuries, and there was an oft used saying:’There was money in ˇ Moylurg Viewing Tower, Arigna when there was no Rockingham Estate money elsewhere’. Mining sustained the people of Arigna down through the centuries and Micheál Ó Súilleabháin CORRIB DRY RALLY TO Mines in North Roscommon. The helped them through the horrors composed a piece for piano and LOVELY LEITRIM route from Arigna village up the of the famine years. It all came orchestra called Woodbrook, 17-19 January 2014 mountain to the mine gave way to an end in 1990. conceived as the soundtrack for to wonderful views through the a radio documentary called The When the annual Dry Rally is in rising mist - suddenly beautiful On the trip back to Carrick-on- Story of Woodbrook – David the planning in Corrib Branch Lough Allen appeared down Shannon we slowed down near Thompson’s Book, produced by there are several elements that below us. The lake is the the golf club to get a glimpse Julian Vignoles and first always have to feature: northernmost lake on the River through the trees at Woodbook transmitted on RTE Radio in • Hotel on waterway Shannon and approx 7 miles House. The house was 1986. • Boat Trip long and almost 4 miles wide at immortalised in David Thomson’s • Shopping its widest point. classic book, Woodbrook, in On Saturday night we dined which he describes Anglo-Irish upstairs at the Oarsman • Restaurant A former miner took us on a 45- Restaurant on Bridge Street in • Outing for the adults minute tour of the coal mine and life from the ten years he spent Carrick-on-Shannon. Lovely here in the 1930s as tutor to • Outing for the youngsters demonstrated the methods used Major Kirkwood’s daughter, interior with plenty of buzz and to extract coal from one of the atmosphere, and everyone raved Before we proceed any further, narrowest coal seams ever Phoebe. allow me explain a Dry Rally to worked in Europe. Miners had to The book weaves between about the food. Well worth a the uninitiated. It means lie on their side and chip away at nineteenth and early twentieth visit. travelling by car instead of on the coal face with a short century political and social Irish Sunday was geared towards the your boat. children with a visit to Lough Key handled pick and a shovel. They history together with the The town of Carrick-on-Shannon crawled along a tunnel, author’s developing love for his Forest Park. The group divided capably provided five out of six following the seam of coal, pupil. In an epilogue he relates up and some went with the on the list for our mid-January which was never more than 20 returning to Woodbrook in small children to the Adventure weekend - the only thing missing inches high. There was usually a 1968, to find that the Kirkwoods Kingdom and despite rather was the boat trip. The resident pool of water in the bottom of had sold off part of the estate to persistent rain enjoyed a magical river cruise boat had been lifted the tunnel so the men were the local golf club, the wings of time on towers, roundabouts, for its annual maintenance and constantly in damp clothing. the house had been demolished, swings and puzzles. There was a all efforts to find an alternative They remained like this for the and a local family, the Maxwells, great range of innovative play proved unsuccessful. day until they had finished their who had formerly worked on the equipment geared to a variety of shift and had hauled several tons estate, had bought what age groups and abilities – not to We were based in the of coal to a miniature railway remained and lived in a few mention their courage! comfortable and welcoming wagon, called a hutch. rooms at the back of the house. Landmark Hotel overlooking Woodbrook House was sold in LOUGH KEY River Shannon, less than two Despite the back breaking work, 1970 to John A. Malone, who EXPERIENCE hours drive from Galway. On the many young aspiring miners left live there until his death in 2013. The other group headed off in Saturday morning, the Market school at 14 years of age, to the direction of the Lough Key Yard, Dock Arts Centre, start their mining career at the Costello’s Chapel (the world’s easiest and lowest pay level, second smallest church) plus lots before working up to the more of shops, a bookstore, boutique difficult but better paid position and the marina, kept twenty-two at the coal face. The coal in of us occupied for a few hours. Arigna produced no explosive gas unlike English and Continental coal but the work ARIGNA EXPERIENCE was of course hazardous. Rock Next on the agenda was an falls posed the greatest danger afternoon visit to nearby Arigna and even though accidents were Castle Island, Lough Key 42 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News

SCUTTER CUP mooring, took 45 mins of Peadar Canavan took to the cutting to free it. Mooring floor to announce the much thrashed. Holed the bow below awaited results of the Corrib Kilbeg, cruised for 4 days taking Branch Scutter Cup. The water. Bow thruster making nominations were: funny noise, flooded of course. Edward noticed bow down, Klassie Lady: Squeaky clean, that came to rescue. Ergo - Scutter we know of, but keeping very Cup done and dusted, well Jetty on island, opposite quiet, as usual. earned. Rockingham Estate Cranky Cranchi: Took a long Photos: Zara Brady walk off a short pier and ended Experience. It was an audio- Café and a walk along the newly in the water. assisted trail of the park so you constructed Marina brought our took it at your own pace and weekend visit to Lovely Leitrim to Sin E: Nearly severed PCV’s arm spent as much or as little time as a close. It might be a relatively at Aughanure, should have done you wanted to on the walk. The small county but it has buckets a proper job. firm favorites were the 19th to offer and is ideal base for a Pilgrim: Hit the same rock at century underground tunnels, weekend. Coad, getting friendly with these the Moylurg viewing tower and shallows. the amazing Tree Canopy Walk. On Saturday night we dined Corsair: Hit another rock below This is a 300m long construction upstairs at the Oarsman Gallcarraig, bent prop and p- of timber and steel 9m above Restaurant on Bridge Street in bracket. All in a day’s boating. the woodland floor which Carrick-on-Shannon. Lovely meanders through the treetops interior with plenty of buzz and Why Not: Flooded boat from an unknown source, keep looking and gives a panoramic view of atmosphere, and everyone raved Woodland Walk - Lough Key Lough Key and Castle Island. about the food. Well worth a under the floor. visit…….. Mistral: Crashed Corsair’s Experience A visit for lunch to the Lakeside Inland Waterways News Spring 2014 43

CARRICK BITS C CooSS FROM BLÁITHÍN FITZGERALD have attended and contributed May 30–June 2: Cruise in High water in Dromod to the initial Naas branch Company, Details TBC, Assemble Photo: Conor Meegan meeting and have since assisted Bush Hotel. the association in their task. We Further details can be found at would like to thank all branch www.carrick.iwai.ie and a full members who have responded Calendar of Events for 2014 is individually, or as part of the enclosed with this issue of IWN wider IWAI diaspora. BRANCH WEBSITE FIRST AID COURSE The branch website is being We continue to promote and revamped as we speak, it will support the first aid courses have a new look and feel. It will being run by the branch. This is then be continuously updated, a very beneficial and practical so if you have any photos stories At the time of writing we have task of revamping the branch course for all ages open to any or news items, they would be been quite lucky on having such website. IWAI members, To make a very welcome. a mild winter, pretty much booking, please contact Sharon normal winter temperatures and Following the AGM, a light Garland first aid (see separate KEEPING UP TO DATE although the water levels have hearted and extremely advertisement) Using text messaging and email, been up since Christmas, enlightening presentation was [email protected] the branch members are nothing as high as they were a given by Pat and Olivia Murphy or phone 086 3625888. continuously informed of few years ago, hopefully this will on their boating travels around upcoming events. If you wish to leave many branch members in the world. UPCOMING EVENTS receive text messages please text good stead as we look forward MEMBERSHIP March 17: St. Patrick’s Day on your name and number to 086 to the many events planned for We would like to remind all the Water Parade, Meet at 2154585, or email the coming year. branch members that without Butler’s Marina, Time TBC [email protected] and also you the members we would be visit us on Facebook. On behalf of the new Carrick- nothing, and also that without April 12: Branch Meeting, Bush on-Shannon executive, I would being members of the Hotel, 12.00 sincerely like to thank everyone association our branch can do who has participated in the nothing. many branch events over the last year. The Carrick Cares Day in ALL members are reminded that conjunction with Waterways to participate in branch events, Ireland has moved up a notch or CiCs, rallies etc… you must be a two as did the October Rally. current member. Membership can easily be renewed on line The CPR/Marine Emergency Care using a credit card line at courses continued this year and www.iwai.ie/online365/member_ we now have a number of IWAI join.php. Any queries please members trained in the use of contact [email protected] defibrillators and general first aid practices. This we intend to expand, promote and support in CARRICK 400 the next year for the benefit of The past year has seen Carrick- all IWAI members. Well done to on-Shannon celebrate its 400th all who participated to date. anniversary. The year long celebration was brought to a AGM conclusion with the Christmas The AGM in the Bush Hotel was market in where else, but the exceptionally well attended with Market Square. Carrick IWAI has over 40 members present. been involved with many of the events but I suppose the The outgoing officers were highlight was our involvement in returned un-opposed and the Nationwide and the Line Astern committee has grown with the parade through the town during addition of two new members, the Shannon Rally. Tony Byron and Theresa Egan both of whom are very welcome. CANAL BYE LAWS We would like to record our Carrick on Shannon Branch are thanks to both Patricia Darby committed to supporting the and Nuala Morgan for their campaign led by the national many years service to the association against the proposed branch. Joe Byrne was appointed Canal Bye Laws. Branch officials as our new webmaster with the 44 Spring 2014 Inland Waterways News