Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Royal Canal that the Canoe Polo Club Championship will be taking place in Mullingar Harbour this weekend, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July between 8am and 5pm each day.

Masters of craft are requested to proceed at slow speed and with minimum wash and note any directions issued by the stewards. The harbour should also be kept clear of moored vessels during this time, adds the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Waterways Ireland advises all users of the Royal Canal, Grand Canal and Barrow Navigation of a number of events scheduled to take place in the coming days and weeks on these inland waterways.

The Grand Canal will see the Shannon Harbour Canal Boat Rally this weekend from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 June, hosted by the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI). Vessels attending are required to apply for a free visitors permit before entering the canal network.

On the Barrow Navigation, ad angling competition will take place in the St Mullins area from Saturday 25 to Monday 27 June. Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at slow speed and note any directions issued in the vicinity.

On the Royal Canal, a canoe polo event will be taking place in the Kilcock Harbour area this Sunday 26 June. Waterways Ireland requests that the polo pitch areas and harbour be kept clear of all vessels at this time to facilitate the events, and that masters of vessels should comply with instructions from marshals. 

And next month, Mullingar Harbour will host the IWAI’s Float to the Fleadh from Sunday 31 July to Sunday 7 August. As with the Shannon Harbour rally, vessels attending are required to apply for a free visitors permit before entering the canal network.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Royal Canal of another canoe polo event in Mullingar Harbour this Saturday 18 June.

The event will take place from 7am to 6.30pm and the harbour should be kept clear of any moored vessels during this time.

Masters of craft are requested to proceed at slow speed and with minimum wash and note any directions issued by the stewards, adds the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Royal Canal that a further canoe polo event will be taking place in Mullingar Harbour this weekend, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May.

A subsequent event will be held on the weekend of Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June, with competition scheduled between 10am and 4pm each day.
 
Masters of craft are requested to proceed at slow speed and with minimum wash and note any directions issued by the stewards. The harbour should be kept clear of moored vessels during this time, adds the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Royal Canal that a canoe polo event will be taking place in Mullingar Harbour on Sunday 8 May from 9am to 5pm.

Masters of craft are requested to proceed at slow speed and with minimum wash and note any directions issued by the stewards. The harbour should be kept clear of moored vessels during this time.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Royal Canal that the 46th Lock is closed as of today (Friday 29 April) for one week in order to maintain water levels in Richmond Harbour due to emergency repair works at the 45th Lock.

Waterways Ireland advises all users of the Barrow Navigation that a Dragon Boat regatta will take place in Emily Square, Athy, Co Kildare from 9am to 6pm this Sunday 1 May.

Elsewhere, users of the Royal Canal are advised that a kayaking and watersport event will take place in Mullingar Harbour from 9am to 3pm next Thursday 5 May.

Masters of other craft are requested to proceed at slow speed and with minimum wash and note any directions issued by the stewards at each event.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Royal Canal that Lock 45 in Cloondara, Co Longford is closed to navigation until further notice for emergency leakage repairs.

Navigation on this inland waterway between Lock 44 and Lock 45 will not be possible until at least Friday 6 May when works are expected to be completed.

Waterways Ireland has issued notice that it plans to remove vessels in contravention of bye-laws from three of its inland waterways from early next month.

Vessels that appear abandoned or have no no permit (as per Bye Law 6(8), are doubled moored and/or causing obstruction (sunk) (Bye Law 27 (3)), or are deemed to be/likely to cause a hazard to navigation (Bye-Law 33(3)) will be removed from the Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Barrow Navigation from Wednesday 4 May.

Removed vessels may then be subsequently disposed of in accordance with Bye Law 34(2).

Affected vessels have been stickered where access allows and owners, where known, have been contacted, Waterways Ireland says.

Waterways Ireland has provided an update for masters and owners regarding canal boat passage arrangements in and out of Dublin city for the 2022 boating season.

Movements in or out of the city on its inland waterways will continue to be organised by prior arrangement to take place as a single movement in one day.

Passage will be organised and assisted for craft if they have the valid permit(s) and arrangements in place with the Waterways Ireland inspectorate. Some flexibility may be required on dates/times of travel to align with staffing and other considerations.

In order to plan the necessary lock assistance for movements east of Lock 12 on either canal, masters are required to contact the Eastern Regional Office at [email protected] or +353 (0)1 868 0148 prior to making passage.

At time of making contact, masters should provide the following details:

• Length, beam, water and air drafts of craft (provide approximates if don’t have exact dimensions)
• Permit number and expiry date of current canal permit
• Contact details for making arrangements

On the Grand Canal, a minimum of two days’ notice prior to intended passage must be given and, with the exception of pre-arranged events, a maximum of two boats per day will be taken through the locks, travelling either east or west.

Due to periodic anti-social activity along some of canal route into Dublin, boat passage will generally not be arranged in certain weather conditions and at weekends when less support is available. This can be planned for at time of making contact and suitable arrangements for passage made.

On the Royal Canal, repairs and upgrades continue to Spencer Dock Sea Lock, so boat passage (including Newcomen Bridge lifts) will be on a reduced schedule.

In addition, there will be no boat passages permitted through Locks 2 and 4 on Whitworth Road from next Tuesday 12 April for two weeks due to gate repair, gate measurement and associated works. Sections of towpath on the south side of the canal also require closure during this time.

Masters are asked to note that bridge lift dates are pre-set and as listed below, and normal restrictions will apply. Two weeks’ notice in advance of these is required; and lock assistance, bridge lift operation and sea lock passage will then be organised accordingly:

• Sunday 1 May, 9am-1pm (Liffey Low Water at 0620, 1839)
• Saturday 4 June, 9am-1pm (LW @ 0915)
• Tuesday 21 June, 11am-1pm (LW @ 1156)

Masters and owners are also reminded to ensure that they have the following before making the passage through the city locks on either canal:

• adequate fuel on board
• competent and adequate crew to operate the boat and locks (minimum crew of 3)
• a lock key on board their boat
• mooring lines of adequate length to handle vessel through a lock (approx. 15m length)
• no known mechanical problems with their boat

Waterways Ireland reserve the right to postpone passage to another day if all of these are not in place.

Lock passages can be arranged in the boating season from now until the end of October, subject to any other restrictions that may be advised by Notice from time to time.

Also note that aquatic weed is generally more prevalent as the season progresses which can hamper passage.

Boaters will be facilitated as far as practicable although Waterways Ireland cannot guarantee that passage will be possible on every planned date. Early contact will greatly assist planning and facilitate the making of the necessary arrangements.