Waterways Ireland has issued advisories for masters on Lough Erne in Northern Ireland over two angling events in the area taking place next weekend.

On Lower Lough Erne, the Ulster Trout Angling Championship will take place on Saturday 9 April.

Fishing boats will launch from Rossigh slipway for the competition which runs from 9am to 7pm.

Meanwhile, on Upper Lough Erne the Predator Fishing Challenge will take place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 April.

Boats in this event will launch from the private slipway at Watermill Lodge, with fishing to take place from 9.30am to 5pm.

For both events, all masters of vessels on these inland waterways are asked to keep wash/wake to a minimum when passing vessels in the respective areas.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Royal Canal that due to persisting mechanical issues with Begnagh Bridge that necessitate repairs, the lift bridge can only be operated manually on a limited fixed schedule until mid-June.

The dates of operation are approximately every two weeks apart, as follows:

• Friday 15 April at 10am
• Thursday 28 April at 10am
• Friday 13 May at 10am
• Friday 27 May at 10am
• Friday 10 June at 10am
• Friday 24 June at 10am

Prior notice must be given two days in advance to the water patroller in Clondra on 087 915 1400.

The 5.5km Ballyconnell-to-Bellaheady Recreational Trail, a partnership venture between Cavan County Council and Waterways Ireland, was officially opened last Friday (25 March).

On hand for the launch were Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys with Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Clifford Kelly and Waterways Ireland chief executive John McDonagh, among others.

The new 5.5km trail along the banks of the Woodford River on the Shannon-Erne Waterway also provides connectivity to the existing Woodford Village Walk, a key amenity in the UNESCO Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.

The project, which will ultimately form part of a broader 54km greenway along the old Cavan-to-Leitrim railway line, received €684,289 in funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Additional match funding was provided by Cavan County Council and Waterways Ireland.

Welcoming the opening of the new trail, Cllr Kelly said: “This trail is a wonderful addition to our local tourism product and enhances one of our greatest resources – our stunning natural landscape and our abundant waterways.

“Every 1,000 tourists that visit Cavan help support 14 jobs. The tourism and hospitality sector employs some 3,200 people in Co Cavan and projects such as this will contribute greatly to the recovery and future growth of the sector in the coming months and years”.

In addition to today’s opening, Cavan County Council’s Paddy Connaughton noted that work has recently completed on a second recreational trail along this route: a 6km trail from Belturbet to Corraquil, which was also funded through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme to the value of €500,000.

For more information on the Shannon-Erne Blueway, visit bluewaysireland.org. For more on things to do and places to stay in Co Cavan, visit thisiscavan.ie.

New research from Waterways Ireland has found that more than 640,000 trips have been taken on the Royal Canal Greenway since it opened in March 2021.

The €12m, 130km amenity crosses Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, and Longford and is a joint initiative between Waterways Ireland and the local authorities in those areas.

It is the longest greenway in Ireland, running from Maynooth in Co Kildare to Clondra in Co Longford along a former towpath for barges on the inland waterway.

The greenway features 90 bridges, 33 locks, 17 harbours and four aqueducts along its route. High-profile attractions include Carton House in Maynooth, Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre — one of the largest prehistoric roads in Europe — and Center Parcs in Longford. The 165km self-guided National Famine Way also travels largely along the greenway.

The Royal Canal Greenway also forms part of EuroVelo 2, a 5,000km “Capitals Route” that passes through Ireland, the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Belarus and Russia.

Visitors can choose to complete the entire 130km flat, off-road trail in one go, or explore the shorter designated routes between the 14 connecting access points and towns, which range from 6km to 15km.

Waterways Ireland appointed Tracsis in 2021 to undertake a validation exercise on the data from physical counters in place along the Greenway and to undertake a consumer survey.

The research found that the amenity has returned a dividend of €17.2m to the business community in its first year of operation, returning the investment in the project in eight months. The economic dividend was based on a weighted average visitor spend of €27.

The research also found that across the four counties involved, 17 new businesses have opened and 13 confirmed that they have pivoted or expanded to provide for greenway customers.

Waterways Ireland chief executive John McDonagh said: “We are delighted that the Royal Canal Greenway has been an outstanding success in its first year.

“We acknowledge the commitment of our partners in Longford, Kildare, Meath and Westmeath county councils in delivering this greenway and that of local communities and businesses, which have helped to make it a success by creating new tourist and recreational opportunities.

“We look forward to welcoming more domestic and international visitors in the coming years.”

Acting chief executive of Kildare County Council, Sonya Kavanagh noted: “In the first half of 2021, people’s movements were restricted by COVID measures and so it was very fortuitous that we were able to open the Royal Canal Greenway during this time.

“Local communities now use the greenway for regular off-road accessible recreation, and it continues to attract new and return visitors.”

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels that safe practices should be exercised when connecting to power bollards in harbours along Ireland’s inland waterways.

The overloading of bollards will cause the circuit breaker to trip, resulting in a loss of power to the bollard — and in a worst-case scenario, it may cause an electrical fire.

Electrical sockets, cables and connections should be designed for outdoor use. Indoor electrical sockets and connections are not suitable for use on jetties.

Any malfunctions with the electrical system should be reported to Waterways Ireland. No person should open the power bollards or main switchboards, nor tamper with the electrical system in general.

New lock opening hours have been introduced on the Shannon Navigation as the 2022 boating season gets under way.

The new times have been agreed and implemented following a lock-keeping review process. The primary objectives of this review were to:

• improve the work/life balance of the lock/bridge keepers;
• help future-proof lock keeping on the Shannon Navigation;
• increase operational efficiency within the region; and
• continue to provide a high level of service to vessels travelling on the navigation.

As of last Monday 14 March, locks on the Shannon Navigation will be open from 9.30am to 6.30pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 9.30am to 6pm on Sundays. From next Friday 1 April to the end September, weekday and Saturday hours extend by an hour to 7.30pm.

In October, weekday and Saturday hours will be 9.30am to 6.30pm. And for the winter season from 1 November this year to 13 March 2023, hours will be reduced to 9am to noon on weekdays and Saturdays, and 9am to 11am on Sundays.

Opening times for Portumna Bridge have also changed. Until and including next Thursday 31 March, the bridge will open six times on weekdays and Saturdays (10am, 11am, 12.40pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 5.30pm) and five times on Sundays (10am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4pm, 5pm).

From Friday 1 April to the end of September, there will be an additional opening at 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 11am on Sundays.

And over the winter season from 1 November, there will be only three openings on weekdays and Saturdays (9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am) and two on Sundays (9.30am, 10.30am).

As the boating season commences, Waterways Ireland reminds masters of vessels and waterways users that COVID-19 continues to be present within the population, and urges continued vigilance and appropriate precautions to prevent its spread while using the inland waterways.

In this context, Waterways Ireland says toll-free passage will continue for the 2022 boating season on the Shannon Navigation.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users on the Shannon Navigation that essential repair works will be carried out to the floating moorings in Carrick-on-Shannon from this coming Wednesday 23 March. There will be restricted access to the jetties while these repair works are ongoing.

Waterways Ireland advises users of the Grand Canal’s Barrow Line that navigation between Spencer Lock in Rathangan and Macartney Lock in Monasterevin will be closed from Monday 21 March to Friday 1 April inclusive to facilitate dredging works.

Waterways Ireland wishes to notify users of the Royal Canal that leakage repair works are ongoing at The Downs, outside Mullingar in Co Westmeath, and will continue until Thursday 28 April. The inland waterway will remain closed to navigation at this location until that date.

Waterways Ireland wishes to advise all masters of vessels and water users on the Shannon Navigation that Albert Lock on the Jamestown Canal in Co Roscommon has restricted operations since yesterday, Thursday 10 until next Wednesday 16 March as essential maintenance works are carried out.