Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on and users of the Shannon Navigation that the IWAI Shannon Boat Rally will be taking place from Saturday 29 July to Sunday 6 August at the following locations and dates:

• Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 July: Dromod
• Monday 31 July & Tuesday 1 August: Drumsna
• Wednesday 2, Thursday 3 & Friday 4 August: Lough Key Forest Park
• Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 August: Carrick-on-Shannon

Inland waterways users are advised to note that on the weekend of 5-6 August the fleet will be divided between Carrick Boat Club, Butler’s Marina and Emerald Star in the town.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Shannon Navigation that the in-river works for the construction of the Killaloe Bypass bridge are progressing as planned.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the bridge is being constructed around 1km downstream of the current Killaloe–Ballina bridge.

Three bridge piers will be constructed in the navigation by December. The first 10 piles were installed on the east side of the river by early June with 10 more on the west side by last week, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways confirms.

A buoyed navigation channel is being provided for 100 metres either side of the in river works. The barges and piling rig have now moved from the west side to the centre of the river as of Tuesday 1 July.

Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at slow speed (5 knots, no wash) with additional caution in the vicinity of the works and to follow the instructions of the safety boat crew as there are hazards such as mooring lines to navigate.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and waterways users on the Shannon Navigation that Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) will be conducting fish stock surveys on Lough Derg from Monday 12 to Friday 30 June.

There will be around 100-110 net locations. All nets will be marked with bright orange buoys marked ‘IFI Survey’.

The majority of the nets will be set on the bottom, so depending on the depth only the marker buoys and rope will be potential hazards.

Some floating and mid-water nets in the deeper mid lake sections, and again these will be clearly marked, normally with two buoys.

Masters of vessels are requested to proceed with additional caution in the vicinity of the survey locations, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and waterways users on the Shannon Navigation that temporary markers have been installed at Port, around 1km downstream of Leitrim village, to avoid a navigation restriction in the area.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and waterways users on the Shannon Navigation that the timber jetty at Drummans Island on Lough Key will be closed for eight weeks from Friday 2 June for planned maintenance works.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Shannon Navigation that the in-river works for the construction of the Killaloe Bypass bridge are progressing as planned.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the bridge is being constructed around 1km downstream of the current Killaloe–Ballina bridge.

Three bridge piers will be constructed in the navigation by December. The first 10 piles have now been installed on the east side of the river, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways confirms.

A buoyed navigation channel is being provided for 100 metres either side of the in river works. The barges and piling rig will be operating on the west side of the river from Thursday 1 June.

Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at slow speed (5 knots, no wash) with additional caution in the vicinity of the works and to follow the instructions of the safety boat crew as there are hazards such as mooring lines to navigate.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Shannon Navigation that the Great River Swim will take place between Tarmonbarry and Ballyleague next Saturday 20 May.

As many as 800 swimmers as expected to participate in the swim event, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

The Shannon Navigation between Tarmonbarry Lock and Ballyleague bridge will be closed from 9am to 2pm on the day.

Tarmonbarry Lock and Clondara canal lock will also be closed for the same time period, while vessels will be prohibited from proceeding upstream from Ballyleague Bridge during this same time.

A series of large bright green and red buoys — branded with Gaelforce — will be positioned along the swim route on the evening of Friday 19 May and will removed after the swim on Saturday.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users that Drumleague Lock on the Shannon Navigation’s Lough Allen Canal has been reopened for the May Bank Holiday as of Saturday 29 April but will close again from Tuesday 2 until Saturday 13 to facilitate continued emergency repair works to the lock gates.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users that Drumleague Lock on the Shannon Navigation’s Lough Allen Canal will be closed from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 29 April to facilitate emergency repair works to the lock gates.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Shannon Navigation that in-river works for the construction of the Killaloe Bypass bridge commence Monday 17 April and are expected to continue for several months until December.

The bridge is being constructed around 1km downstream of the existing Killaloe–Ballina bridge.

Plant and other equipment that will be operating on the navigation during these in-river works include the following:

• Jack-up piling barge, 22m x 17m x 2.44m
• Stabilising crane barge, 30m x 23m x 1.88m
• Piling rig, 85t
• Crawler crane, 130t
• Tugboat/pusher boat Tiger 2
• Dumb barge, 23m x 9m
• Landing craft
• Safety boat
• Landing pontoon and gangways

Piling will commence on Tuesday 2 May with three bridge piers being constructed in the navigation by December, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

A buoyed navigation channel has been provided for 100 metres either side of the in river works since Friday 14 April. The navigation channel will be to the west side of the barges/pontoons from Monday 17 April to Wednesday 31 May.

Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at slow speed, with additional caution in the vicinity of the works, and to follow the instructions of the safety boat crew.