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Displaying items by tag: ShannonErne Waterway

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users that the flood levels are receding on the Shannon, Erne, Barrow and Lower Bann inland waterways.

Operations staff are now preparing the jetties, quays, slipways and facilities for reactivation as the floods recede.

It is anticipated that it will take up to three weeks for all jetties, quays, slipways and facilities to be fully operational.

Masters of vessels and water users should be aware that surfaces may be slippery, access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated, and flood damage may be encountered in some locations.

All should proceed with additional caution while the clean-up work is ongoing.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that the Shannon-Erne Waterway will be closed between Lock 12 and Lock 13 today, Tuesday 18 February, in order to facilitate the installation of a new footbridge.

It is estimated that the closure of the navigation shall be for no more than one day.

In addition, the service block and amenity area including jetties at Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim shall remain closed to the public until 16 March in order to facilitate improvement works.

For further information contact, Waterways Ireland’s Carrick-on-Shannon office at 07196-50562.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advise masters that the winter mooring period for public harbours on the navigations will commence on 1 Nov 2019 and will end on 31 Mar 2020.

Masters wishing to avail of Winter Mooring are required to pay the winter mooring fee of €63.50 prior to 1 Nov 2019.

Masters are reminded that Bye-law 17 - the “5 consecutive days / 7 days in one month rule” - continues to apply for masters not availing of winter mooring.

Owners are also asked to note that vessels berthed in public harbours are at the owner's risk at all times and may be directed to other harbours as operational exigencies require.

Online registration for winter berths must be made here

Steps in the Winter Mooring process are:

  1. Apply online for Winter Mooring at a specific harbour
  2. Receive email approval / rejection / alternative location of application
  3. Follow link on approval email when received to pay winter mooring fee online
Published in Inland Waterways

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland has announced revised opening hours for the locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway for 2018.

From next Thursday 29 March to Wednesday 16 May, locks will open from 9am to 6pm daily, extending to the full summer season opening hours of 9am to 8pm from Thursday 17 May till Wednesday 12 September.

In the late season, daily openings of 9am to 6pm are set for Thursday 12 September till Wednesday 31 October, dates and times to be confirmed. Winter hours will be advised towards the end of the season.

These changes apply seven days a week. The changes in operating hours will be seen in the early and late shoulder seasons only, and reflect usage patterns recorded by Waterways Ireland.

Throughout the season a minimum of two water patrollers will be working along the waterway to ensure that customer services can be provided as swiftly as possible.

For more information contact the SEW Operations Team in Carrick-on-Shannon at 071 965 0642.

Published in Inland Waterways

#ShannonErne - Waterways Ireland welcomed Canadian Ambassador Loyola Hearn and his wife Maureen to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Shannon-Erne Waterway earlier this month.

The ambassador arrived in Leitrim village on a Waterways Ireland boat, and after meeting with representatives from Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland at the local marina, he planted a maple tree as a symbol of strength and endurance in Canada.

Waterways Ireland chief executive Dawn Livingstone led the ambassador on a visit to Glenview Folk Museum alongside Lock 5 of the waterway, after which he visited Riversdale Barges, where he took in a barge building project with owner Graham Thomas.

On a traditional barge, the ambassador and his party travelled on to Ballinamore where they were met at the community marina by Sadie McGovern of Ballinamore Development Association, Locaboat hire boat company manager Phillipe Ducont and children from three local schools.

Ambassador Hearn was joined by Livingstone in presenting certificates to St Brigids National School in Drumcong and Scoil Brid and St Patrick's National Schools in Ballinamore for their work on the Waterways Ireland Education Programme.

Canada was a major contributor to the International Fund for Ireland that covered the costs of the Shannon-Erne Waterway, which opened in 1994 as the first corss-border waterway project in Ireland.

In related news, Waterways Ireland is now selling a Navigational Guide to the Shannon and Erne Waterways, a comprehensive A3 booklet with section-by-section guides complete with drawings, photos, instructions and navigation tips.

The new guide is available from the Waterways Ireland online shop for €15.

Published in Inland Waterways

#InlandWaterways - Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that repairs to the lock and gates at Lock 1 Corraquill on the Shannon-Erne Waterway in Co Fermanagh which began on 29 January have now been completed.

Published in Inland Waterways

National Watersports Campus, Dun Laoghaire

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Stakeholders combined forces in 2019 to promote a project to improve the Harbour’s infrastructure resulting in improved access, job creation and greater tourism potential. 

A grant application to government made by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo) assisted by stakeholders was successful with the announcement of a €400k feasibility study grant from the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) in January 2020.

It meant plans for the €8m National Watersports Campus at Dun Laoghaire Harbour got the green light from Government and came a step closer to reality.

The project recognises deficits in the current set up in the harbour, proposing the construction of an all-tide publicly-accessible slipway (none currently in the Greater Dublin Area) as well as a marine services facility, providing a much-needed home for the supporting industry. 

The campus also seeks to provide a marketing framework to make boating more accessible to the general public.

The benefits of such an increase might be obvious for the Dun Laoghaire waterfront but there are other spin-offs for the harbour town in the creation of the sort of jobs that cannot be shipped abroad.

Centre for Community Watersports activity and public slipway

  • High-Performance coaching centre
  • Flexible Event Space for hosting national and international events
  • Multipurpose Building
  • Campus Marketing and Promotional Centre
  • Accommodation for Irish Sailing and Irish Underwater Council
  • Shared NGB Facility
  • Education Centre for schools, community groups and clubs
  • Proposed site – Carlisle Pier

Watersports Campus FAQs

Similar to the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, the watersports campus will provide quality, public, recreational and high-performance facilities for the many watersports participants. The Campus will considerably enhance the services currently provided by more than 30 clubs and activity centres to over 50,000 annual users of the harbour.

The passing of control of the harbour to DLRCC, the public appetite for a community benefitting project and the capital funding for sports infrastructure in the Project 2040 National Plan have aligned to create an opportunity to deliver this proposal.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) and the Irish Sailing Association (Irish Sailing) are the project leads, endorsed by the National Governing Bodies of other Irish watersports and clubs and activity providers.

The National Sports Policy, published in 2018, established the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) to provide Exchequer support for sports facility projects. In some cases, these may be projects where the primary objective will be to increase active participation in sport. In other cases, these may be venues where the focus is more related to high-performance sport.

Government has allocated at least €100m over the term to 2027 to successful applicant projects.

The Watersports Campus was one of seven successful applicants for Stream 1 funding allowing planning to commence on the project design and feasibility. €442,000 has been granted in this phase.

NThe project will provide for a municipally-owned public access facility to include a small craft slipway that is accessible at all stages of the tide (currently none in public ownership in the greater Dublin area), storage and lock-up resources, watersports event management space, a high-performance centre and NGB accommodation.

The project aims to enhance the profile of Dun Laoghaire as a major international venue for maritime events, shows and conferences. Establish Dun Laoghaire as the 'go-to place' for anything marine – generating revenues Create employment in the county - attract businesses, visitors and events. Grow the market for watersports Promote the services of activity providers to the public. Complement the plan to develop Dun Laoghaire as a 'destination.'

As of January 1 2021, The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has approved the applicant project and DLRCC are expected to appoint a team to further advance the project.

©Afloat 2020