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.

#PortumnaHarbour - Motorhome bye-laws for the newly refurbished Portumna Harbour are being redrafted over a legal issue.

And it could be two months before the new regulations are in place, according to Galway Bay FM.

The redeveloped harbour on Waterways Ireland’s Shannon Navigation was only opened to the public last month, with upgraded marina berths and improved parking facilities to accommodate camper vans, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Mr. Seán Canney, T.D., today opened the refurbished Harbour and Amenity Park on the Shannon Navigation in Portumna. Developed by Waterways Ireland, Galway County Council and the Office of Public Works and jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland under the Lough Derg Stimulus Fund the €750k project involved harbour and onshore works.

The harbour works included the doubling of the moorings space capacity at this ever popular location, upgrade of berths, re-paving of the quay area, installation of cut stone walls and installation of a hoist for disabled boaters. The onshore works included the upgrade of the service block (with toilets and showers), car parking and access road. A further development of integrated services for camper vans has also been completed which will see for the first time the provision of facilities and services for the growing numbers of visiting camper vans to Ireland.

Commenting at the redevelopment, Minister Canney said “The improvement works undertaken here at Portumna Harbour have been extensive and will prove important in increasing visitor numbers to this scenic area of County Galway. The project, funded jointly by Fáilte Ireland and developed by the Office of Public Works, Galway County Council and Waterways Ireland, will make an excellent facility for boaters, tourists and those who enjoy waterway activities. I have no doubt that this facility will develop and promote activity tourism and will add to this region’s reputation as one of Ireland’s most attractive and enjoyable destinations for visitors from both at home and abroad which is one of the key elements of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.”

This project has been funded by Fáilte Ireland and administered through the Lough Derg Marketing Group. A key element of the Lough Derg Marketing Group is product development and all the agencies engaged in the Group including Waterways Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, the Local Authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and private sector representatives have worked collaboratively to deliver the Lough Derg Roadmap, the strategic tourism development plan for the region.

Dawn Livingstone, Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland stated “Portumna is a key destination and gateway on the Shannon Navigation area for domestic and international visitors. The development here in Portumna is part of our strategy in Waterways Ireland and is key in encouraging further economic activity in the town and indeed wider Lough Derg."

Waterways Ireland will continue to work in partnership to develop new projects which benefit the people living along the Shannon as well as visitors and tourists.

#LoughDerg - Two years after Lough Derg Marina sold for more than three times its guide price, another marina on the third-largest lake on the island of Ireland has come on the market.

As The Irish Times reports, more than €2.5 million is being sought for Cloondavaun Bay Marina near Portumna — a 50-berth property with almost a kilometre of lake frontage and a range of modern services for boat owners, as well a four-bed detached home.

Subject to planning, estate agents CBRE say the marina is most suited to aquatic tourism, from private berthing to angling and watersport on the lough.

There is also scope to expand its berthage to accommodate as many as 100 more vessels.

#Flooding - Met Éireann confirms that further flooding is expected as prolonged falls of very heavy rain begin tonight (Friday 11 December) continuing through Saturday with totals of 30 to 50mm on lower ground.

Towns and villages along the Shannon have been warned to be braced for the worst flooding in that river's catchment for 20 years.

Galway Bay FM reports that four water pumps are already on standby in Portumna, where crews have managed to keep waters from rising over the bridge that connects the south-east Galway town to Tipperary.

Flooding is only the latest issue in the town, as a local councillor has complained about persistent dumping at Portumna Marina from illegally parked vehicles – though the waste has since been removed.

Pollution is also a problem in Clarinbridge, just outside Galway city, where locals fear the area's famous oysters, already downgraded from their 'A' status – allegedly due to runoff from a water treatment plant in Athenry – will be downgraded to the point of shutting down all harvesting. Galway Bay FM has more HERE.

#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.​

Powerboaters have been asked to heed their wash when passing vessels under sail. The request comes on the eve of the Shannon One Design (SOD) long distance race. SODs will race from Athlone lock to Banagher harbour on Sat the 25th and from Banagher to Portumna bridge on Sun 26th.

An inland waterways underwater survey will be undertaken in the vicinity of Portumna Castle Harbour and Portumna Boat Club on Wed 18^th. May but may extend until the 20^th May dependant on weather conditions. Masters are requested to give the vessel a wide berth and to proceed with minimum wash when passing.

 Waterways Ireland says the survey area is defined by coordinates:

The International Dive flag “A” (Blue / White) will be flown from the dive boat and marine vhf channel 16 will be monitored. The dive boat may also be contacted on 353-86-3859251.