Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Grand Canal that Kildare County Council will begin the first phase of works on the Grand Canal Greenway from Monday 17 October, continuing over the next 12 months.

There will be limited public access to the towpath on the southern side of the Grand Canal from Sallins village to Ponsonby Bridge near Ardclough until 11 October 2023.

Section 1 of the greenway works will take place from Sallins to Devonshire Bridge with the towpath closed until 2 June 2023. Section 2 works will take place from Devonshire Bridge to Ponsonby Bridge with the towpath closed from 19 May to 11 October 2023.

The greenway works includes a footbridge being constructed over the Grand Canal village at the Waterways Ireland-serviced moorings near the primary school in Sallins. The bridge construction works are expected to commence in January 2023 with abutment excavation and construction and then a bridge lift.

Ramps will be constructed for access to the bridge on both sides of the canal. Several mooring spaces at the serviced jetties will be vacated for the duration of the bridge construction works. The bridge works are expected to be completed by May 2023.

All vessels on passage through Sallins from January to May 2023 should proceed with additional caution during the bridge construction works.

Further Marine Notices will be issued in due course to provide updates as the works progress, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Erne System that site investigation works will be taking place at the East Jetty on Devenish Island in Co Fermanagh this coming week from Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 October. Update: works have been extended to Friday 21 October; see HERE.

Part of the public jetty will be closed to mooring and a works exclusion zone will be in place. The remainder of the jetty will be in use, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon-Erne Waterway that the winter mooring period for public harbours on these navigations will commence on Tuesday 1 November.

Masters wishing to avail of winter mooring — which continues until 31 March 2023 — are required to register online and pay the winter mooring fee of €63.50 prior to 1 November.

Masters must apply for winter mooring at a specific harbour. They will then receive by email their approval, rejection or an alternative location of application. Upon approval, follow the link in the email to pay the required fee online.

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

Waterways Ireland says it will be disconnecting its electricity supply points and water supply at public moorings for the winter period. Both services will be reinstated prior to the commencement of the 2023 boating season, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Owners are urged to note that vessels are moored in public harbours at the owners risk at all times and may be directed to other harbours “as operational exigencies require”.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Grand Canal in east Kildare that maintenance works are being carried out to the railway bridge at Sallins.

Scaffolding will be attached to the bridge and will result in an air draft restriction of 2.5 metres for boats passing under the bridge from Monday 3 October to Friday 4 November. The towpath will operate as normal with no restrictions.

Elsewhere, navigation will be closed through Lock N1 on the Naas Branch of the Grand Canal for three weeks from Monday 3 October on weekdays only.

This is to facilitate repair works to the adjacent Osberstown Bridge parapet, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and users on the Shannon Navigation that the Coosan Point jetties on Lough Ree will be closed from Monday 3 to Thursday 6 October for improvement works.

On Friday (23 September), Waterways Ireland marked the commencement of works on two significant tourism and navigation projects on the Shannon Navigation in Portumna, Co Galway.

Minister of State for Disability, Anne Rabbitte and fellow local TDs Ciarán Cannon and Seán Canney, along with Fiona Monaghan and Paddy Mathews from Fáilte Ireland, Alan Farrell from Galway County Council and Éanna Rowe and Phil Cargill from Waterways Ireland turned the sod on the redevelopment of Connaught Harbour.

Elsewhere, at Portumna Bridge the commencement of construction of a blueway cycle and pedestrian trail along the inland waterway linking Portumna Castle and Connaught Harbour was also marked. 
 
The Connaught Harbour redevelopment project — which is part-funded by Fáilte Ireland and stems from the Shannon Tourism Masterplan and Lough Derg VEDP — consists of a new eight-berth marina at Connaught Harbour, incorporating a boat pump-out with new car parking area and ancillary services.

Quay wall berthing for 22 boats along with car parking and a civic area will also be developed at the bridge yard end of Connaught Harbour. This will be facilitated by the removal of three buildings on the site.

Footpaths will be repaired, where required, and a new road crossing will be developed connecting to the new blueway. Work on the development has begun and the project is expected to be open to the public in mid-2023.
 
Commenting on the works, Minister Rabbitte said: “I am delighted to be in Portumna today to turn the sod on this exciting development for the area. This investment will transform the area as both a domestic and an international tourist attraction, and for the local people who live in the vicinity.”
 
Aimed at positioning the Shannon as a hub destination for international and domestic tourism, the Shannon Tourism Masterplan is the first dedicated plan undertaken on the entire Shannon region.

A collaborative project led by Waterways Ireland, with Fáilte Ireland and 10 local authorities along the River Shannon and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, it sets out an integrated framework for sustainable tourism development along the Shannon across to 2030.

The masterplan identifies the measures needed to develop the necessary infrastructure, products and experiences to reposition the Shannon region as a key tourism destination within Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. 
 
These Portumna projects are funded by Waterways Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Fiona Monaghan, head of activities product development at Fáilte Ireland said: “The River Shannon is a signature visitor experience within the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands regional brand and offers huge tourism potential for both domestic and international visitors.

“This investment in Connaught Harbour and the wider Portumna area will help to stimulate greater tourism and visitor activity in this area. These exciting developments will significantly enhance the outdoor recreation infrastructure portfolio in the destination and have the potential to have a transformative impact on Portumna and Lough Derg as a key visitor destination on the Shannon.” 
 
Jim Cullen, chief executive of Galway County Council said: “This redevelopment project will totally revitalise this area and will add another attractive amenity to the county, for the people who live here and for those who visit.”
 
Waterways Ireland regional manager Éanna Rowe added: “These projects have significant economic and social benefit and will really increase the recreational and amenity value of this area. I look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Rural and Community Development, Fáilte Ireland and with Galway County Council to bring them to fruition for the people of Galway and beyond.”

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Royal Canal of the following maintenance works and water levels:

• Water levels on the summit level are currently low and will cause issues for deeper draft vessels.
• Dredging works will be taking place near Kilpatrick Bridge in Co Westmeath on the summit level and between the 29th and 31st levels during October and November.
• Repairs to a culvert on Level 42 will take place during October and November, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Shannon Navigation that significant redevelopment works at Connaught Harbour will commence in the coming weeks.

A new public marina adjacent to Connaught Harbour and redevelopment of the bridge yard site will be undertaken from September to December, followed by some completion works and pile removals in July 2023.

Connaught Harbour and the quay wall at the bridge yard site will be closed for mooring of vessels from this Sunday 18 September until the completion of the works. All vessels moored in these areas should vacate the moorings by this date, the cross-border body for Ireland's inland waterways advises.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Lower Bann navigation that essential bridge maintenance works are are being conducted at Kilrea Bridge in Kilrea, Co Derry as of Monday 12 September 2022 for a period of eight weeks.

These works will necessitate the closure of the eastern arch to all navigation. However, navigation is still facilitated through the adjacent two arches which are marked accordingly, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Waterways Ireland wishes to advise masters of vessels on the inland waterways that as of Friday September, Corradillar Jetty on Upper Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh is closed until further notice for repair works.