Waterways Ireland invites expressions of interest to operate a watersport activity business at the Enniskillen Blueway Water Activity Zone in the Co Fermanagh town.

Forms and information packs are available from [email protected] and the closing date for submissions is Friday 26 February at 2pm GMT.

Waterways Ireland has appointed John McDonagh as its new chief executive officer following a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council on Wednesday 3 February.

McDonagh will take up a four-year appointment, having previously acted as the interim CEO of Waterways Ireland since April 2019.

Commenting on his appointment and his future vision for the organisation, McDonagh said: “I am pleased to be given the opportunity to lead Waterways Ireland and to continue the journey towards a pathway to growth.

“It is important we keep looking forward and prepare for the future. I envision Waterways Ireland creating inspirational inland navigations through conservation and sustainable development for the benefit of all.

“I am enthusiastic about future developmental opportunities to build upon our natural and built assets to grow the social, economic and environmental well-being value of our navigation waterways in both Northern Ireland and Ireland.”

Waterways Ireland says that since he joined the organisation, McDonagh has concentrated on addressing the key strategic challenges of leadership and organisational capacity gaps; strengthening organisational governance, risk and controls; and focusing on the development of a strategic long-term plan.

He is positioning Waterways Ireland to be a dynamic, purposeful organisation for all users and stakeholders, the organisation says.

Prior to his appointment in Waterways Ireland, John McDonagh spent much of his career in senior roles such as retail director and country manager in Shell Ireland. More recently, he was sales and marketing director with Liberty Insurance where he was responsible for an award-winning brand launch in Ireland. Throughout his long career, he has also consulted across multiple sectors.

McDonagh is an English and History graduate from UCD and he holds a Master’s in Finance. He lives in Sligo and commutes to Waterways Ireland HQ in Enniskillen.

Waterways Ireland notifies towpath users that sections of the towpath on the Lough Owel feeder of the Royal Canal from Mullingar Harbour to Fish Farm at Cullion will be closed periodically from today, Monday 8 February, until Friday 19 February for essential maintenance works.

Waterways Ireland advises that Portora Lock on the Erne System near Enniskillen will be closed to boat traffic on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 January to accommodate essential maintenance works to the lock gates.

Masters of vessels on this inland waterway are asked to heed all instructions from safety personnel who will be in the area.

Waterways Ireland advises towpath users that site investigation works have commenced on the Royal Canal towpath between Phibsborough and Ashtown and will continue until March 2021.

Dublin City Council have classified these as part of critical infrastructure works so they will also continue over the current period of increased Covid-19 restrictions.

The towpath will remain open but users should exercise due care and caution when passing any vehicles or plant machinery along the path.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels that essential diving operations will take place on behalf of Leitrim County Council at Carrick-on-Shannon tomorrow, Monday 11 January, from 11am to 2pm.

Following on from dives scheduled for last month, locations of the diving operations are along the quay wall some 30 metres downstream and upstream of the bridge, and along the quay wall near the boat club.

Masters of vessels on the Shannon Navigation and all inland waterways users are requested to proceed with additional caution in the vicinity of these diving operations.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of all craft that diving operations will take place at Lough Erne Yacht Club on Lower Lough Erne from Monday 4 January for around seven days.

A diving alpha flag will be present at the location of the dive site, and masters of vessels on the inland waterway should proceed with additional caution when in the area.

Waterways Ireland has announced the closure of the walkway at Meelick Weir on the Shannon Navigation in Co Galway from today, Saturday 2 January until further notice.

The closure of the walkway is at the request of An Garda Siochana due to what is claimed are issues with compliance with social distancing protocols on and near the walkway along the inland waterway.

Waterways Ireland Inspector of Navigation Paddy Harkin is advising all Masters of vessels and water users of the Shannon Navigation, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Royal Canal, Grand Canal, Barrow Line and Navigation that the following access to navigations and availability of services will be in force from 31 Dec 2020 until further notice:

Navigations are open up to 5 kilometres from your home (ROI only), provided you continue to observe social distancing at all times.

• All locks on above named navigations are closed.
• All Waterways Ireland service blocks are closed.
• The Winter Mooring period is in force on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon Erne Waterway.
• Stay safe and stay at home in order to protect our health services and save lives.

Canal Towpaths

Our towpaths remain open and accessible for local exercise. We request users of our canal towpaths to limit their use and only use towpaths which are in close vicinity (5km in ROI) of your home. Our request to everyone using our towpaths is:

• Observe social distancing protocols - keep a distance of at least 2m (6 feet) away from other people;
• Use the towpaths for brief physical exercise only;
• Limit use – do not take part in physical activity on towpaths which have the potential for large numbers, where social distancing cannot be observed comfortably;
• Don't meet up with other groups;
• Stay in your family household group;
• Stay local to your home (5km ROI only);
• As towpaths in some places can be narrow, when you pass someone, please make sure you use the full width of the towpath, keep moving, and stand aside to allow others to pass, in single file, when necessary;
• If you can't avoid passing a moored boat please keep as far away from it as possible and pass quickly by;
• Be mindful of others and act always with consideration and with respect and observe the leave no trace principles and protect our environment;
• Observe all health etiquettes when on the towpaths.

We will continually review such measures in light of direction and advice from Government and health professionals and any decisions on service provision will be communicated via the issuance of Marine Notices.

While our staff are working from home, they are available by phone during normal working hours. Should you need our assistance please do contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone https://www.waterwaysireland.org/contact-us.

Continual Updates

Continual updates are provided by both the HSE in Ireland and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland regarding the COVID-19 virus. If you would like to access the latest information about the virus, you are advised to refer to the HSE coronavirus page (Ireland) or the PHA website www.publichealth.hscni.net. (Northern Ireland).

We ask all our stakeholders, families and colleagues to continue to be safe during the crisis and Stay at home.

Waterways Ireland thanks all vessel owners and operators for their co-operation in relation to this matter.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that all 16 locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway will be out of service from this Thursday 24 December to Sunday 3 January inclusive.

No lock passage by boat will be possible on the inland waterway during this period. Normal service will resume at 9am on Monday 4 January.

Land- and water-based trails will remain open during this period, as will service blocks at Ballyconnell, Ballinamore, Keshcarrigan and Leitrim.

But the service blocks at Aghalane and Haughton’s Shore are closed and are not scheduled to reopen until Sunday 14 March.