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Displaying items by tag: Waterways Ireland

Waterways Ireland advises users of the Grand Canal in West Dublin that the greenway section from the 8th Lock at Fox and Geese to the 9th Lock in Clondalkin will be closed from next Wednesday 16 November to Friday 16 December to accommodate services installation works.

No public access is permitted during these works. A temporary traffic management plan with diversions for pedestrians and cyclists will be in place, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises users of the Royal Canal in northeast Kildare that the towpath between Cope Bridge and Louisa Bridge in Leixlip will be closed to public use for the upcoming months, effective from next Wednesday 9 November. 

This closure is to facilitate upgrading works to the path for future shared cycle and pedestrian use, as part of an overall contract to upgrade the Royal Canal towpath between Leixlip and Maynooth. 

Future path closures along this overall route will also be required, and these will be similarly notified in advance, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that the newer Muckross slipway and adjacent jetty will be closed for two weeks from Thursday 3 November for refurbishment works. During this time, the older slipway and jetty at Muckross will remain open.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users that the Shannon Navigation, Erne System, Barrow Navigation and Northern Ireland’s River Bann are currently experiencing high water levels which are expected to continue to rise.

All users of these inland waterways should proceed with additional caution and bear the following in mind:

  • Air draft is reduced under all bridges and power lines.
  • Water velocity is significantly increased.
  • Access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated.
  • Navigation markers, pontoons, jetties may be submerged.
  • Mooring lines should checked regularly if it safe to do so.
Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System in Northern Ireland that the power bollards at the Round ‘O’ jetty and at Carrybridge will be isolated on Friday 4 November for the winter period.

Power will be reconnected at the start of the 2023 boating season, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Shannon Navigation that the waiting jetties at the Railway Bridge in Limerick will be relocated to Georges Quay from Saturday 29 October.

These jetties will be reinstated to their original location in March 2023, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Royal Canal that the inland waterway is closed to navigation at Killashee in Co Longford as of Thursday 27 October until Friday 23 December for essential culvert repair works.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Shannon Navigation that jetty upgrade works at Coosan Point on Lough Ree are under way as of Tuesday 25 October.

Originally set to continue to next Wednesday 2 November, the works were completed ahead of schedule on Friday 28 October.

The jetty lights that were turned off to facilitate these works have now operating again, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways confirmed.

Elsewhere, re-decking of the floating jetties in Dromineer on Lough Derg will commence on Tuesday 1 November.

Security fencing will be erected around the front of the gangway to restrict access onto the floating jetties for the duration of the works, which are expected to take around six weeks to complete.

This story was updated on Friday 28 October to note the early completion of works at Coosan Point.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland wishes to inform masters of vessels and waterway users on the Shannon Navigation that Clarendon Lock in Co Roscommon will be closed from Tuesday 1 November 2022 for three months to facilitate the replacement of the upstream lock gates. Passage of the lock will not be possible until February 2023 at the earliest.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland wishes to inform masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that works will commence on Monday 24 October to refurbish the walkway connecting the car park to the floating jetty at Geaglum on Upper Lough Erne.

The floating jetty will remain available for mooring. However, the walkway will be closed for the duration of the works and subsequently access to the car park for boaters will not be available.

The works are expected to last approximately three weeks, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways
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Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!