Displaying items by tag: Lough Erne
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has established a new tourism partnership which will work to enhance and strengthen local tourism through the delivery of the Visitor Experience Development Plan (VEDP) for Fermanagh Lakelands, Omagh and the Sperrins.
The partnership met in Enniskillen for the first time last Tuesday 21 March to commit to realising the ambition set out within the VEDP for a regenerative, year-round tourism destination.
It includes members from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Tourism NI, Waterways Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, DAERA, Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark, Department for Communities, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism, Loughs Agency, National Trust, South West College, Sperrins Partnership Project, National Museums NI and Invest NI.
The inaugural meeting of the VEDP Delivery Partnership is a key milestone in the delivery of the development plan and, alongside the core membership, the partnership is working on plans to establish inclusive industry and community engagement models.
The VEDP is a 10-year destination roadmap that will focus on regenerative tourism, delivering authentic visitor experiences, while benefitting local communities, businesses and the environment.
Funded and developed by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Tourism NI and Waterways Ireland, the VEDP will create greater alignment locally across the tourism sector through stronger collaboration from key delivery organisations and a more joined-up approach to tourism development.
Councillor Barry McElduff, chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said: “The Fermanagh Lakelands and Omagh and the Sperrins is a truly beautiful part of the world in which to live, work and visit. We are keen to share this with visitors locally, nationally, and internationally.
“A key part of the vision set out in the VEDP is that our visitors become temporary locals when they are here. Through delivery of memorable moments, we will inspire our visitors to share their experience and encourage them to return.”
For less than the price of a modest Dublin home, you might get to own your very own private island on Lough Erne, as BelfastLive reports.
Long Island — which lies just minutes by boat from Lough Erne Yacht Club and Enniskillen town in Northern Ireland — is being touted as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” by estate agents Montgomery Finlay & Co.
Twelve acres of woodland surround the two/three-bed waterfront property which comes with a private marina and jetty.
It could well be the perfect staging post for exploring the Fermanagh Lakelands and the inland waterways beyond, or simply an “off-grid” island idyll to get away from the hustle and bustle.
BelfastLive has more on the story HERE.
The Erne's Lough Head is Revealed in New Book
County Fermanagh in the west of Northern Ireland is home to a myriad of loughs and lakes, the largest of which is the well-known Upper and Lower Lough Erne, but one you don’t hear much about is Lough Head near Lisnaskea, the second biggest settlement in the County.
Now the publication of Lough Head Revealed by the Lisnaskea Historical Society serves to tell about the Lough Head in some detail, and it is indeed a revelation. The work is the culmination of much research by several contributors and brings the history of this interesting site to life in a most colourful book. The 164 pages are crammed with fascinating accounts by over 20 authors and is the result of many years of research.
Lough Head Revealed, a new book by the Lisnaskea Historical Society
The first chapter is written by Archaeologist Dr Paul Logue and called Lough Head, Co. Fermanagh, and its Landscape of Gaelic Lordship sets the scene. The area around Lough Head is often linked with the Chief of the Name of the Irish clan Maguire, the anglicised version of Aodh Mag Uidhir, who was Lord of Fermanagh during the reign of Elizabeth 1. Maguire was targeted during the English conquest of Ireland, and most of the Maguire lands were confiscated and then largely colonised by English settlers and lowland Scots.
Lough Head near Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh Courtesy Google Earth
Well before the coming of roads and railways, personal and commercial transport was by water, and the Erne was always known as The Highway of the West. The Lough Head quay, built in 1842 served as a station for trade boats of the Ulster Canal which connected Lough Erne with Lough Neagh and the Lagan and Newry Canals in the eastern counties of Ulster. Before the arrival of the railways, practically everything was shipped to and from Fermanagh by the Ulster Canal. The small river that flows out of the Lough Head is called Creeve River - it connects Lough Head to Kilmore Lough, which flows into the Colebrooke River and on into Upper Lough Erne. It's approximately two miles from Lough Head Quay to the Upper Lough. The Creeve is now only navigable in winter when the water level is high.
The Vikings probably ventured into it during the 9th and 10th centuries; following their raids of Devenish Island, they sailed to Clones, so they had to pass what is now known as the Colebrooke River, which connects to the Lough Head to the Erne.
There is evidence to suggest that the Lough Head area was used by even earlier travellers, as there was a log boat found in the nearby Colebrooke River that dates from the pre-Christian era. It is believed that the Lough Head was used as a "pagan passage" from Cornashee, where the Maguires were crowned as kings and chiefs of Fermanagh and Knockninny, an ancient megalithic site. Both are within sight of each other.
The fascinating articles ranging from personal reflections on life in the area to poetry, the natural flora and fauna which existed before the Middle Ages - sure to interest readers both local and further afield. Much of what is presented in this attractively bound and colourful book has never been seen in print before.
Brian Osborne of Lough Erne Heritage said “No words can express our gratitude towards Linda Swindle, the editor, who laboured tirelessly over these past couple of years to compile the varied articles contained within this book. Lough Head Revealed truly is a revelation and I can assure you, will open many people's eyes as to the significance of this historic corner of Lisnaskea.”
The book costs £12 and is available from McBrien's newsagents in Lisnaskea.
Enniskillen RNLI’s New Lifeboat Station Now Complete and Operational on Lough Erne
The RNLI’s new inland lifeboat station on Lower Lough Erne is complete and fully operational.
The station team at Enniskillen RNLI are now looking for new volunteers to join the crew in several roles including lifeboat crew, shore crew, deputy launching authorities and fundraisers.
After being housed in temporary accommodation for 21 years, volunteers at Enniskillen were handed the keys to their new state-of-the-art building on the Killadeas Road at Gublusk earlier this month.
The modern purpose-built lifeboat station is located close to the lough to allow for an efficient launch of its inshore lifeboat.
And the station — which also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office and training room — will be officially opened at a special ceremony next year.
The build, which took little over a year to complete, was carried out by Omagh-based company Woodvale Construction and handed over to the RNLI on Friday 4 November.
A generous contribution towards the cost of the build was made by the daughter of the late Alfred Russell Wallace Weir from Bangor in Co Down, in his memory.
The building is designed with a heating system which allows the heat to be drawn from the ground, keeping the temperature at an ambient 16C inside. The excess is used to heat the water for showering, washing up and cleaning the vessels. The building is also fitted with solar panels on the roof to generate electricity.
In 2001, Enniskillen became home to the RNLI’s first inland lifeboat station based on Lower Lough Erne.
Due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the upper lough at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the lower lough at Killadeas.
Last year Enniskillen RNLI launched 33 times, bringing 73 people to safety.
Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat in its new boat shed | Credit: RNLI/Rogan Wheeldon
Speaking following the handover of the new building to the RNLI, area lifesaving manager Rogan Wheeldon said he was delighted that the station was now complete.
“From the outset, we wanted to build a modern station with full crew facilities with areas for the crew to change and train and space to keep their lifeboat and lifesaving kit safe,” he said. “We now have those facilities and are very happy to be in a position to take over the new lifeboat station and are delighted with both the design and quality of the building.”
Gary Jones, Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat operations manager said the new station was what the crew deserved and is “a testament of the RNLI’s commitment and dedication to the community here locally and a credit to the efforts of our crew in continuing to bring people to safety on Lough Erne”.
He added: “Our volunteers had an opportunity to be shown around their new station and they are overwhelmed with the structure and facilities that they now have when they come together for call outs and training. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us to get to this stage.
“Now that we have our new building, we are keen to have new volunteers join our team. If you are interested in becoming lifeboat crew, shore crew, deputy launching authority or helping in another officer capacity or with fundraising, please contact us to find out more about how you can be involved and help us to continue to save lives on Lough Erne.”
To find out more about how you can volunteer at Enniskillen RNLI, get in touch with Gary at [email protected]
New Inland Waterways Lifeboat Station Now Complete and Operational at Enniskillen RNLI on Lower Lough Erne
The RNLI’s new inland lifeboat station on Lower Lough Erne is complete and fully operational.
The station team is now looking for new volunteers to join the crew in several roles, including lifeboat crew, shore crew, deputy launching authorities and fundraisers.
After been housed in temporary accommodation for 21 years, volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI were handed the keys to their new state-of-the-art building on the Killadeas Road at Gublusk earlier this month.
The modern purpose-built lifeboat station is close to the lough to allow for an efficient launch of its inshore lifeboat. The station, which also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office, and training room, will officially open at a special ceremony next year.
The build, which took little over a year to complete, was carried out by the Omagh-based company, Woodvale Construction, and handed over to the RNLI on Friday, 4 November.
Inside Enniskillen RNLI's new lifeboat station
In his memory, the daughter of the late Alfred Russell Wallace Weir from Bangor in county Down made a generous contribution towards the cost of the build.
The building is designed with a heating system which allows the heat to be drawn from the ground and produced inside keeping the temperature at an ambient 16 degrees Celsius. The excess is used to heat the water for showering, washing up and cleaning the vessels. The building is also fitted with solar panels on the roof to generate electricity.
In 2001, Enniskillen became home to the RNLI’s first inland lifeboat station based on Lower Lough Erne.
Due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the upper lough at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the lower lough at Killadeas.
Last year, Enniskillen RNLI launched 33 times, bringing 73 people to safety.
Speaking following the handover of the new building to the RNLI, Rogan Wheeldon, RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager, said he was delighted that the station was now complete: ‘From the outset, we wanted to build a modern station with full crew facilities with areas for the crew to change and train and space to keep their lifeboat and lifesaving kit safe. We now have those facilities and are very happy to be in a position to take over the new lifeboat station and are delighted with both the design and quality of the building.’
Enniskillen RNLI's new lifeboat station
Gary Jones, Enniskillen RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said the new station was what the crew deserved: ‘The new station is a testament of the RNLI’s commitment and dedication to the community here locally and a credit to the efforts of our crew in continuing to bring people to safety on Lough Erne. Our volunteers had an opportunity to be shown around their new station, and they are overwhelmed with the structure and facilities they now have when they come together for call-outs and training. We would like to thank everyone who helped us get to this stage.
‘Now that we have our new building, we are keen to have new volunteers join our team. If you are interested in becoming lifeboat crew, shore crew, deputy launching authority or helping in another officer capacity or with fundraising, please contact us to learn more about how you can be involved and help us continue to save lives on Lough Erne.’
To find out more about how you can volunteer at Enniskillen RNLI, please email [email protected]
Upper Lough Erne: ‘Four Heads of the River’ Rowing Race This Saturday
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that the Fours Head of The River Rowing Race, organised by Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, will take place on Saturday 19 November.
The race will start at Inishkeen (downstream of Bellanaleck) at 9am and finish at Enniskillen Royal Boat Club in Northern Ireland at 4pm.
All masters of vessels are asked to ensure that the course is kept clear during racing and adhere to all marshals’ and organisers’ requests throughout the race day.
PSNI Recover Body of Missing Fermanagh Man From Lough Erne
The body of a man reported missing on Lough Erne last month has been recovered, as the Belfast Telegraph reports.
Michael McGirr of Co Fermanagh was last seen on Saturday 29 October on a boat heading in the direction of Inish Davar on Lower Lough Erne.
His boat was found empty the following day as a multi-agency search operation was under way.
On Saturday afternoon (12 November) a member of the McGirr family confirmed on social media that a body recovered from the lough by police was identified as Michael, and they thanked the community for their help.
Restored Mirror Dinghy Finds Its Home in Lough Erne Yacht Club
Upon Reflection is an appropriate name for another resurrected Mirror dinghy which has found a new home at Lough Erne Yacht Club.
It’s not often boats are the subject of an exchange deal, but that is what happened when Paul de Fleury got his hands on a very old Mirror dinghy, for which Lough Erne YC gifted a GP 14, and it is now sailing on Upper Lough Erne.
It seems it is a couple of years older than the other Mirror restored by Brian Osborne and now sailing on Lough Erne. This one, sail number 29429 and apparently built in 1971 was at Newtownards Sailing Club, and as NSC is a GP14 stronghold, it seemed sensible to exchange it for a surplus Lough Erne YC GP 14.
No.29429 was fully refurbished by Mark and Paul de Fleury in their garage in Carrickfergus and apparently, it took longer than had been hoped owing to the Covid outbreak. And although the hull, mast and spars were in a reasonable state for its age, it did need new sails.
Michael Brines of Lough Erne Yacht Club tells me the Mirror is owned by the club and is regularly used for training in Goblusk Bay on the eastern shore of the Lower Lough. Michael’s son Peter and daughter Emma are hoping to compete in Upon Reflection at the Mirror Worlds in Sligo in July next year.
Omagh Man Rescued From Rip Current Runs Dublin Marathon in Bare Feet to Support RNLI
An Omagh man who was rescued by the Irish Coast Guard after he was caught in a rip current off a Donegal beach in July has completed the Dublin Marathon in his bare feet to raise awareness of water safety and to raise funds for the RNLI.
A seasoned open water swimmer, Chris Gallagher was visiting Murder Hole Beach when he got caught in a rip current.
“I am an experienced swimmer, having previously been a lifeguard and a world record swimmer as well as swimming all over the world including in Australia but I have never been caught like this before,” he said of his ordeal.
“I wasn’t even 10 metres out into the water when the ferocious rip caught me and threw me about like what I can only describe as being in an industrial washing machine and a racing car at the same time, it was powerful, and I had absolutely no control.
“I felt calm initially as I know how to work my way out of a rip curl as I was caught in Australian waters 22 years ago but nothing I tried worked.
“By the grace of God, a rock was in my grasp as I was being pulled into the rip roaring waters and I managed to get my body out of the water onto that wee rock but I was fighting the waves to stay on as they threw me on and off like a rag doll. I was clinging to the rock for dear life for two hours.”
Given the conditions, the Sligo-based coastguard helicopter Rescue 118 was tasked to the scene and rescued Gallagher from the water.
‘I am an experienced swimmer…but I have never been caught like this before’
Since he was rescued, Gallagher has signed up to be a water safety volunteer with the RNLI with a particular interest in highlighting the dangers of open water swimming.
He has also taken part in a series of inspiring fundraising events with his most recent venture to not only undertake the Dublin Marathon but to do it in his bare feet, which he completed successfully last Sunday (30 October). He also completed the Kerry Hardman Ironman triathlon on his birthday in August and in September a 5k swim of Glencar Lough in Sligo.
To round off his series of events, he is running an Eighties-themed night this Saturday 5 November in the Village Inn in Killyclogher. Proceeds from all events will go to Bundoran RNLI and Lough Erne’s two RNLI lifeboat stations, at Enniskillen and Carrybridge in Northern Ireland.
Speaking of Gallagher’s efforts to raise both funds and water safety awareness, RNLI community manager Nuala Muldoon said: “Chris really is an inspiration and his own rescue story highlights how even the most experienced water users can still find themselves in difficulty.
“We are delighted that he is now promoting water safety and are in awe at how adventurous he has been in setting himself courageous challenges in his pursuit to raise funds.
“Thanks to Chris, the proceeds raised will now power our lifesaving volunteer crews to continue their good work in saving lives both at sea and on inland waters.”
Carrybridge RNLI helms Chris Cathcart and David Reid have served 20 years rescuing those on trouble on Lough Erne in Northern Ireland.
During a recent visit to the station by the RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie, they were presented with medals to thank them for their volunteering service.
Over the past 20 years since the lifeboat station was formed on Upper Lough Erne, Chris and David have been involved in hundreds of rescues involving a wide variety of callouts.
Between the two volunteers, they have attended all manner of shouts on Lough Erne including to people, boats and also stranded animals in distress.
In addition to the helm role, Chris is the lifeboat training coordinator and press officer while David is the inshore lifeboat/launch and recovery plant mechanic. Both are also casualty carers and shore crew.
At a presentation held at the end of the summer, Lord Erne presented 17 of the Carrybridge volunteers with the late Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. The commemorative medal was created to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and awarded to those crew who had served more than five years with the charity.
Stephen Scott, lifeboat operations manager at Carrybridge RNLI praised Chris and David on their fantastic achievement.
“Chris and David carry a pager at all times and when the alarm goes off whether it be day or night, summer or winter both can be relied upon to respond to go to those in need,” he said. “It was a privilege for the volunteers to also be presented with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal by Lord Erne and his wife.”
