#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland is seeking contributions from the public on what they think best fulfils the theme 'Waterways Heritage'.

Participants of all ages are invited to enter the Heritage Art/Photographic Competition to be in with a chance to win an iPad Air.

Heritage of the inland waterways can include monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes and geology. 

Entries should be of the waterways under the jurisdiction of Waterways Ireland, which include the Shannon Navigation, Erne System and Shannon-Erne Waterway; the Lower Bann Navigation; the Barrow Navigation; the Royal and Grand Canals; and the Ulster Canal (Upper Lough Erne to Clones).

The judges will select an entry (photograph, painting, sculpture, etc) which best captures the heritage of the inland waterways. 

Entries will be divided into two categories: 18 years and over and under 18s. A prize of an iPad Air tablet will be awarded to the winner of each category. 

Take the summer to prepare your entry and submit before the closing date for the competition, 30 September 2015. Terms and Conditions apply and details are included in the entry form HERE.

For further information and competition rules contact Sabine Browne of Waterways Ireland at 061 922 141 or [email protected]

#workspace – As Afloat.ie reported last week,  "DoSpace.ie" ­ Ireland's newest and most unique CoWorking space launched today in Grand Canal Dock, part of Dublin's Silicon Docks area on Ireland's Inland Waterways.

Occupying an 800 square foot, state of the art barge, DoSpace provides CoWorkers with short or long term desk space in Dublin 2.

It was founded by Graham Barker following his own fruitless search for reasonably priced and fun Silicon Docks office space. Graham, with support from Waterways Ireland, sourced and refitted The Grey Owl, one of Ireland's premier barges. The result, according to Barker, is both an affordable solution and a quirky work environment.

Speaking about the project, Graham said, "This is the kind of place that people want to work in – it's centrally located, next to the Dart, a Dublin Bikes stand across the road, beside all the big tech companies, and we are on the water! Everyone I've met has been very supportive – from Waterways Ireland to the CoWorking space community. I think most people can see the benefit that we bring to the area, and the sheer value that we offer to start­ups".

Commenting on the new start-up, Dawn Livingstone - Waterways Ireland Chief Executive said "We are really happy to have been able to work with DoSpace to bring this CoWorking business to the Grand Canal Dock. The Dock offers unique opportunities for business with the focus of technology businesses here in the area. There is an excellent range of startup and high growth businesses ready to take advantage of DoSpace CoWorking"

Grand Canal Dock is referred to as Silicon Docks because of the large concentration of technology companies and is seen by many as a symbol of Ireland's economic recovery. Tech giants like Facebook and Google, together with a myriad of smaller technology companies, have their European headquarters located here alongside incubation centres, such as Trinity's Technology and Enterprise campus.

One early adopter of DoSpace is Security First, a London based start-up creating tech to help human rights defenders work safely. Co-founder, Holly Kilroy, said "I've been blown away by the location and how useful the DoSpace community has been to us already. Having such a well connected CoWorking space in Dublin has saved us time and money and made it easier to move the company home."

DoSpace Dublin will be managed by David Bragason, DoSpace's Dublin's Community Manager. Tours of the DoSpace barge can be booked via their website at http://www.dospace.ie or by contacting David at 01­ 539 7935. Membership plans start from €50 a month. DoSpace is giving 10% of their desk space free of charge to non­profit technology based start­ups.

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland has issued an advisory to customers on its navigations who have not yet complied with Canal Bye-Law requirements to purchase a Combined Mooring and Passage Permit (CMP).

CMPs cost €126 per year and permit the holder to cruise continuously and gain lock passage across all navigations from St Mullins in Co Carlow to Dublin and as far west as the Shannon Navigation.
 
Masters should note that vessels without a valid permit and/or not displaying the appropriate permit may in future be declined lock passage.
 
Masters and owners are requested to purchase their canal permits at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment when their cruising plans are interrupted.
 
Permits may be purchased from Shane Anderson, assistant inspector of navigation, at 087 286 5726 or [email protected]

#PhotoContest - Waterways Ireland has launched its Waterways Explorers Photo Competition for primary schools.

The contest is open to entries from fifth and sixth class in the Republic and P6 and P7 pupils in the North.

Entering is easy: simply take your photograph – which must be located on one of the waterways managed by Waterways Ireland – and email it to [email protected] along with your completed entry form.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday 29 May 2015. Links to the entry form and terms and conditions are available HERE.

There are great prizes to be won so get snapping! 

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland, with the approval of Northern Ireland's Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure (DCAL), has made proposals to change the Lough Erne Navigation Bye-laws.

A limited number of changes are being proposed with the intention of enhancing the visitor recreational experience and increasing the deterrent to blocking of public moorings by private boatowners.

The enhancement of the visitor's recreational experience is being sought through two measures: the increase of the current 48-hour maximum mooring period on a public jetty to three days, with a requirement to then move more than 3km away before mooring on another public jetty; and the ability to flexibly place and remove speed and wake restrictions.

Both changes are focused on supporting the ability of boaters of all kinds to tour, extend their stay and enjoy events and recreational activity on Lough Erne.

The new measures will deter the persistent occupation of public moorings by an increasing cohort of private boaters, particularly in Enniskillen.

Currently Waterways Ireland is required after a series of warnings to take offenders to court where the magistrate has the ability to impose a maximum penalty of £50 per offence.

The proposed increase in fines to a maximum of £1,000 is the Standard Scales of Fines Level 3 (of 5) established under the Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 and is currently in use in the Regulation 49(4) of The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, the overarching bye-laws for navigation on Lough Erne. The magistrate will then have the power to impose a fine up to £1,000.

Additionally, Waterways Ireland is seeking the power to remove from Lough Erne abandoned or sunken vessels and boats in breach of the bye-laws after a 30-day notice period has been extended to the owner.

Waterways Ireland relied in the past on educating and advising boat owners to warn of breaches and asking them to comply, and this will remain its primary focus. However, the number of boat owners persistently breaking the bye-laws, particularly mooring bye-laws by mooring their boat on a permanent basis at a public mooring, has grown substantially in recent years and has become an impediment to the free movement of boats particularly around Enniskillen.

Waterways Ireland and DCAL have agreed to seek these changes to the bye-laws to enhance the opportunities for hire cruisers, visiting boaters, event organisers and visitors, and recreational/activity centres to continue to use Lough Erne as an open and freely moving waterway now and into the future.

A public consultation period has opened for individuals, groups and organisations to comment on the proposed changes and will run until the 22nd May 2015. A public information event is also being held from 3-7pm next Tuesday 10 March 2015 to enable interested people to meet with Waterways Ireland staff and give their feedback.

For those unable to attend, the proposed changes are detailed on the Waterways Ireland website HERE, where an online submission form is also available.

Alternatively, people can visit the Waterways Ireland Headquarters weekdays from 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm to view the documents and complete a submission.

The bye-laws being changed are the Lough Erne (Navigation) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1978 as amended by The Lough Erne (Navigation) (Amendment) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1986.

#InlandWaters - The schedule of lift dates 2015 for Newcomen Bridge on the Royal Canal in Dublin city centre runs from the end of April till the end of September.

Arrangements have been made for Irish Rail to open the bridge on the following dates and times, if there is demand:

Monday 27 April 11am–1pm
Sunday 3 May 9am–1pm
Saturday 30 May 9am–1pm
Thursday 11 June 11am–1pm
Thursday 9 July 11am–1pm
Thursday 23 July 11am–1pm
Monday 24 August 11am–1pm
Monday 21 September 11am–1pm

The Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office requires two weeks' notice from boaters for use of these lifts.

Should there not be demand (a minimum of two boats for passage) for a particular date, Irish Rail will be notified by Waterways Ireland that this lift is cancelled.



A maximum number of boats passing will be implemented to keep to the times given above for the planned lifts (16 for weekend lifts, eight for weekday lifts).



On day of lift, boaters and passengers must follow guidance from Waterways Ireland staff about sequence of passage under the bridge and through Lock 1, and must remain within signed and designated areas.

To give notice of any intended passage of Newcomen Bridge, contact the Eastern Regional Office at 01 868 0148 or [email protected]

#ulstercanal – Waterways Ireland has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys that she has secured Government approval for the restoration of an initial section of the Ulster canal from Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson.

Waterways Ireland has received planning permission for this work.

Work on the Ulster Canal will involve dredging a 2km section of the Erne River and the construction of a new navigation arch at Derrykerrib Bridge to accommodate boat traffic.

Work will commence on the project in April 2015 and is expected to be completed 12 months later.

Dawn Livingstone Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland stated "The development of the Ulster Canal will be a welcome economic and tourism boost to the area. Waterways Ireland will continue to work closely with the Minister and her officials to bring this project to a successful completion."

#Jobs - Waterways Ireland is recruiting for a temporary visitor centre manager (one-year fixed term) at its Grand Canal Quay base in Dublin.

At minimum, applicants must have a either a business-focused degree or equivalent, with two years relevant experience in marketing or sales, or at least five years relevant administrative experience including two years of staff management responsibilities and two years in marketing or sales.

Applicants must also hold a full valid driver's licence and/or access to a form of transport that will allow them to travel to various locations in the course of the role.

Details of the application pack for this position are available on the Waterways Ireland website HERE. The closing date for applications is 4pm on Friday 30 January.

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland is producing a 'What's On' guide which features festivals and events occurring within an eight-mile corridor of the waterways under its remit.

Over 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed free of charge to both local and national markets, covering events in the vicinity of the Lower Bann, the Erne system, the Shannon navigation and Shannon-Erne waterway, the Barrow navigation and Royal and Grand Canals.

If you would like to be considered for inclusion in the 2015 edition, please complete this entry form and return it to Waterways Ireland, Marketing & Communications, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh BT74 7JY or fax to +44 (0)28 6634 6257 no later than 22 January 2015. 

If you wish to respond via email please do so to [email protected]. Please also ensure to complete your entry for the free online events listing.

More details are available on the Waterways Ireland website HERE.

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland says it has already received a "hugely positive response" following engagement with interested parties from local communities, activity providers, accommodation and food establishments in relation to the Barrow Blueway project.

A series of public information events have taken place in Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois and Kildare where hundreds attended and viewed the proposals, designs, route selection and surface types.

Waterways Ireland staff were also on hand to deal with any queries in relation to the design and environmental aspects of the Barrow Blueway.

Presentations to the local authorities and their elected members have also taken place in Carlow, Kildare and Laois with the presentation to Kilkenny local authority scheduled to take place in January.

There is also one additional public information event planned to take place in Rathangan, Co Kildare next month.

The cross-border body for Ireland's main inland navigations said it is happy to receive feedback on the project which, together with that received both at the public information events and local authority presentation, will be reviewed and incorporated into the project proposal where possible.

Waterways Ireland will then apply to the relevant authorities for planning approval for the Barrow Blueway project in early 2015.