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.

Waterways Ireland wishes to recruit permanent part-time lock and bridge keepers for lock operations on the Shannon Navigation during the peak boating seasons.

The successful applicants will be based at a specific location and will assist inland waterways users in lock and bridge passage, collect tolls and carry out essential maintenance functions in and around the lock.

Visit the Waterways Ireland website for the full job description, application form and more information for applicants. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 23 March.

​Waterways Ireland has announced details of its partnership with the St Patrick’s Festival that will see, for the first time in the festival’s history, a floating pageant in the annual St Patrick’s Day parade.

Supported and inspired by Waterways Ireland, the installation will be on the River Liffey near O’Connell Bridge in Dublin city centre as a key feature of the parade on Thursday 17 March.

The festival’s creative team has designed the floating water garden as a visual interpretation of the biodiversity and sustainability of Ireland’s inland waterways.

In keeping with the overarching theme of this year’s festival, ‘Naisc/connections’, the floating garden shows how the physical waterway network connects Dublin to the rest of Ireland.

It will celebrate the inland waterways; the unrivalled access they give to our cultural and natural heritage and the network of towns and villages that line the banks; the connectivity between people who love, protect, and enjoy the lakes, rivers, and canals, managed by Waterways Ireland; and the connection to the outdoors.

Speaking at the announcement today, Thursday 3 March, Waterways Ireland chief executive John McDonagh said: “We are thrilled to have this wonderful opportunity during the St Patrick’s Festival to celebrate our waterway network in the capital city and its links to hundreds of communities across the island.

“Many of our poets, artists and lovers of heritage, nature and culture have drawn inspiration from the Royal and Grand canals. Reaching out to our communities in Ireland and abroad to share our story of the unexplored outdoors is the very essence of Waterways Ireland and well captured by the festival organisers through this innovative floating pageant.”

For more on events during the St Patrick’s Festival this month, visit stpatricksfestival.ie.

With spring in the air, thoughts will be turning to weekends away with the family to get a break from it all — and few places are better than Ireland’s inland waterways.

Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have enlisted travel writer Thomas Breathnach to compile a series of special 48-hour, family-friendly itineraries to ensure that “everyone has a blast” in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

The guides take in the waterways hubs of Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon, Cavan and Lough Derg and feature plenty of things to see and do, and places to eat and stay, whether on or near the water.