Waterways Ireland say that floating moorings in Mountshannon Harbour on Lough Derg which had been closed to the public due to damage as a result of winter floods have now been reopened. 

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI's lifeboat launched this morning (Friday 1 July) to assist four people on board a 40ft cruiser whose anchor came loose and dragged beneath their boat in severe weather.

At 11.20am Valentia Coast Guard requested the lifeboat to attend to the cruiser located by Hare Island.

The lifeboat launched at 11.42am with helm Peter Clarke, Lorna Walsh and Barry Morkan on board. Winds were south-westerly Force 5, gusting 6/7, with good visibility.

The lifeboat was alongside the cruiser at 11.52am. Everyone on board was safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

An RNLI crew member reassured everyone on board the cruiser. Given the severe weather conditions and the exposed location, it was decided to let the anchor go when it could not be recovered back on board after numerous attempts.

The cruiser for any other potential problems, and everything was found to be in working order, so it continued its journey to the public harbour at Dromineer where it took shelter.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 1.14pm.

Lifeboat operations manager Liam Maloney advises boat users to "check the weather before setting out from harbour and ensure all items are stowed correctly".

#Angling - Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is currently carrying out a fish stock survey on Lough Derg to assess the current status of the fish populations in the lake.

The survey began on Monday 13 June and continues till Friday 1 July. It involves the netting of over 200 sites throughout Lough Derg and Parteen reservoir.

Four different types of survey nets are being used. Many of these survey nets are being set on the lake bed but a small proportion are being set as floating survey nets on the surface. A hydroacoustic survey of the deeper parts of the lake is also being undertaken.

The fisheries research survey will be conducted by IFI under the supervision of Inland fisheries research staff and will include a total of five boat crews with one of these working at night.

The survey will provide a range of information on the fish stocks in the lake, such as size distributions of fish captured, age and growth information for all species, diet of selected species, and catch per unit effort (CPUEs) for each fish species.

It will also provide information on the status of pollan, a rare and endangered fish species. In addition, samples for genetic analyses of brown trout and pike and other species will be taken.

The survey crews will be very visible on Lough Derg over the next few weeks and all sets of nets will be marked with distinctive buoys labelled ‘IFI Survey’.

Any anglers or other lake users are asked to be vigilant if out and about on the lake over the next few weeks and to avoid snagging in the nets.

For more information see the Lough Derg survey FAQ on the IFI website HERE.

#Shannon - Lough Derg sailors have expressed disappointment over the continued closure of the Shannon Navigation at Ardnacrusha, which will keep them out of this year's WIORA races.

This year's celebratory WIORA regatta is marking its 40th year at Kilrush on the Shannon Estuary. With just four weeks to go, the fleet stands tantalisingly close to reaching its 40 boat target with 31 competitors entered so far. 

The Shannon was closed to navigation from Parteen Weir to Limerick in mid March by Waterways Ireland due to flooding and related "infrastructural deficiencies" on the waterway following this winter's storms.

These include damaged pontoons upstream of the railway bridge that have broken free of their moorings.

But sailors on Lough Derg claim that the real reason for the continued closure is financial – and the result is the effective exclusion of five boats from this summer's WIORA schedule, not to mention six other boats waiting to sail up-river.

More on this story as it develops.

Lough Derg RNLI launched following a report of a vessel aground at Kylenoe Rocks at the north-eastern end of Lough Derg last night.

At 7.01pm last night Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, following a report of two adults in difficulty after their 18ft motor boat went aground at Kylenoe Rocks, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat, with helm Eleanor Hooker, Dom Sharkey and Lian Knight on board, launched at 7.15pm. Winds were westerly, Force 2, visibility was good.

The lifeboat located the casualty vessel at Kylenoe Rocks with two people on board, both wearing their lifejackets. An RNLI crew member waded into the boat and reassured the two people on board. The boat had suffered damage to the propeller on their outboard engine, and so they had taken it off the transom and into the boat.

Once the boat was off the rocks and towed into safe water, the lifeboat took it under an alongside tow to Terryglass Harbour, where it was taken out of the water.

The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service again at 9.45pm.

Deputy Launching Authority, Brian Hanly advises all bot users to carry a means of communication and 'in case of emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for Marine Rescue'.

#Coastguard - Two people on board a 30ft cruiser were rescued by the Irish Coast Guard's Killaloe unit yesterday evening (Monday 23 May), as the Irish Examiner reports.

The coastguard team towed the boat into deeper water after it ran aground on Lough Derg before 6pm - and an ROV was used to confirm there was no damage to the underside of the vessel.

Lough Derg RNLI launched following a report of a vessel aground and taking on water at Carrigahorig Bay, at the northern end of Lough Derg yesterday.

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, following a report from a member of the public that a boat was seen aground and apparently taking on water in Carrigahorig Bay, close to Terryglass, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat, with helm Ger Egan, Dom Sharkey and Lorna Walsh on board, launched at 3.01pm. Winds were south-easterly, Force 4-5, gusting 6, visibility was good.

The lifeboat arrived at Carrigahorig Bay at 3.20pm. Crew located the 14ft motor boat tucked in close to the shore, near the cardinal mark at the entrance to the river, by Portumna. The boat was listing and taking on water. A volunteer RNLI crew member waded in to the boat to make sure that no one was trapped in the cabin.

Once it was confirmed there was no one on board, the lifeboat was stood down by Valentia Coast Guard. The boat's owner made arrangements for its recovery.

Lifeboat Operations Manager, Liam Maloney said 'the person who made the call to the emmergency services did the correct thing, vigilence from the public can save lives'.

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to rescue a horse reported to have fallen into the Nenagh River and carried downstream into the Lough Derg.

At 12.35pm today, January 1, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard following a report that a horse was seen in the Nenagh River, which is in flood, and was being swept downstream into Lough Derg.

The lifeboat, with helm Eleanor Hooker and crew Ger Egan and Keith Brennan on board, launched at 12.45pm. Winds were south-easterly, Force 2-3, visibility was very good.

After using the lifeboat to encourage the horse to swim towards shore, crewmen Ger Egan and Keith Brennan waded in and holding a tow line between them to discourage the horse from swimming back out into the lake and herded him into the shallows.

On shore a person coaxed the horse from the water with a bucket of oats. The animal had wounds to its chest and knee and Valentia Coast Guard arranged for a vet to go to the location.

With some difficulty, the young horse was enclosed in a field.

The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service again at 2.15pm

Deputy Launching Authority, Pat Lynch advises ‘caution close to river banks, particularly while in flood with the increased danger of soft verges’.

#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland has gone on site at Castle Harbour in Portumna, Co Galway with a programme of works to expand the recreational and tourism capacity of the harbour area.

The programme involves improvements to the harbour, service block and car park and is funded by Fáilte Ireland under the Lough Derg Stimulus Fund.

The project is a partnership between Galway County Council and Waterways Ireland who each own different parts of the site.

The service block, car park and boat pump-out are currently leased and maintained by Galway County Council, while the harbour area and existing moorings are owned and maintained by Waterways Ireland.

Castle Harbour is in the grounds of the Portumna Demesne on the shore of Lough Derg and is immediately surrounded by the castle and formal gardens, community gardens, medieval abbey, forest park and nature reserve.

Improving the capacity of both the harbour and the amenity area will have an immediate impact on the level of access and usage of the surrounding facilities.

In the harbour, the finger jetties are to be widened, lengthened and clad in hardwood timber, connecting them with the end concrete pillar. The finger moorings will also receive low level safety lighting and water & electricity connections. This will enhance the practical use and visual characteristics of the main harbour.

The work will bring the mooring facilities up to the standard that Waterways Ireland currently provides on new installations along the navigations.

The existing boat pump-out facility will be updated and the existing public lighting around the harbour will be replaced with low intensity directional lighting. Improving accessibility for boat users with a disability through the installation of a boat hoist is a key provision of the programme. New paving and the cladding of the existing wall around the harbour is also planned.

The existing service block is to be modernised and the general amenity area is to have seating areas & picnic tables and low intensity directional lighting. The planting of some native species of trees and shrubs will add to the visual amenity of the general area.

The existing car park is currently used for visitor parking and by recreational vehicles (RVs) who use the site as a stopover. The plan is to resurface the area and formalise the parking areas and facilities for these users, including the regulation and provision of services such as water and electricity to enhance the visitor experience to the site.

Waterways Ireland says it recognises the environmental designations of the area and has scoped, planned and is carrying out the works in compliance with best practice.

The work is expected to be completed early in 2016.​

Clare County Council has today announced the appointment of a team of specialists to prepare a Visitor Management and Sustainable Tourism Development Plan for Holy Island on Lough Derg.

Dublin-based Solearth Architecture is being engaged to prepare proposals in relation to improving access to the island and the provision of tourism facilities on or near the island, as well as proposals on the marketing and promoting of the Island as a visitor destination, while confirming its historical significance and protecting its built and natural heritage.

In June 2015, Clare County Council acquired 41 acres on Holy Island which, together with the 2 acres already in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), resulted in the entire island being brought into public ownership for the first time.

Dating back to the 7th century, the island is one of the most important historical and ecclesiastical sites in Ireland, and it has important links to Brian Ború. Buildings on the island include a 24-metre high Round Tower, an Oratory, and a number of churches. Holy Island is on the UNESCO world heritage site tentative list for Ireland as an early medieval monastic site along with Clonmacnoise, Durrow, Glendalough, Kells and Monasterboice.

"I welcome the progress that has been made in relation to the development of a comprehensive tourism development plan as part of the Council's ambitious and methodical approach to developing this important site in a sustainable manner," stated Councillor James Breen, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council.

"The sustainable development of the island for the benefit of tourism and communities in the wider Lough Derg area has long been sought after by Elected Members of Clare County Council. It is very encouraging to see that significant steps are now being taken to develop a blueprint for tourism development and visitor management of the Island, whilst also ensuring the cultural heritage and natural assets that contribute to the Island’s uniqueness are maintained and protected," added the Cathaoirleach.

According to lead Architect, Brian O’Brien of Solearth Architecture, a practice noted for its sustainable design solutions: “Inis Cealtra is a precious gem and we are delighted to be entrusted with this delicate task of both minding it and finding ways to share it with more people for the benefit of the local and wider community”.

"We’ll be starting with public meetings to draw on the wisdom of the locals who really know the Island and will shortly set up a website to receive everyone’s thoughts throughout the process," concluded Mr. O'Brien.

Gerard Dollard, Director of Services, Clare County Council, noted that the Plan will take approximately 10 months to complete and will involve a significant level of community consultation.

The preparation of the Plan will incorporate consultation with key stakeholders including the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, Waterways Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, and local tourism, community and angling organisations. The Council will also be engaging with the OPW as joint landowners and the body responsible for the historic monuments on Holy Island during the Plan preparation process.

Mr. Dollard said: "Holy Island is very much part of the fabric of the local community and continues to be used as a burial ground. Therefore, it is essential that the overall plan not only provides for the future management and development of this important site but takes full cognisance of the rich archaeology, landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area."

He continued: "Solearth Architecture, who have brought together a comprehensive team of experts in the area of tourism product development, visitor management, archaeology and architectural conservation, ecology, landscape and cultural heritage, will be required to consider all of these aspects in recommending a framework for the future management and development of the island."