Waterways Ireland is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British Irish Agreement in 1999.

Waterways Ireland has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways principally for recreational purposes. The waterways under the remit of the body are the Barrow Navigation, the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation.

The headquarters for Waterways Ireland is in Enniskillen, and regional offices are located in Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin and Scarriff.

Waterways
Shannon Erne Waterway
Erne System
Grand Canal
Barrow Navigation
Lower Bann Navigation
Royal Canal
Shannon Navigation

ACTIVITIES ON THE INLAND WATERWAYS

Powerboat Sports take place on a number of the navigations managed by Waterways Ireland.
From powerboat schools to jet-skis, to waterskiing and wakeboard coaching, there are a multitude of options for getting out on the water on or behind a powerboat.
Irish Waterski Federation (IWSF) govern both the waterskiing and wakeboarding in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can be contacted through Eileen Galvin, Cork PB&WSC, Agherinagh, Dripsey, Co. Cork, email: [email protected]
Details of all course providers offering powerboat and inland waterways helmsman courses and certification to ISA/IWAI/Dept of Marine and Waterways Ireland approved standards can be found on the web at sailing.ie

Cruising/Charter Boating  Chartering a boat on Ireland’s inland waterways is simple. No license is required, no commercial traffic operates, the waterways are a purely leisure experience.
All the waterways where charter boats operate are networked together so you can have a river, lake and canal experience all in the one holiday.
The decision as to which company to travel with is actually a decision about which experience you want most of – the bustle of river life on the Shannon, the tranquility of the island dotted waters of the Erne System, the regular rhythm of the locks of the Shannon Erne Waterway, Grand and Royal Canals and the Barrow Navigation.

Angling  Waterways Ireland is responsible for angling on the Grand and Royal Canals and on sections of the Barrow Navigation and Shannon-Erne Waterway. The Central Fisheries Board under contract to Waterways Ireland carry out fisheries development, weed management and manage water quality on these waterways.
The management of angling on the Erne System, Lower Bann Navigations, Shannon-Erne Waterway and Shannon Navigation is managed by a number of different organisations.
On the Lower Bann Navigation and Lough Erne the management and development of the fisheries is undertaken by the Department of Culture and Leisure – Inland Fisheries and is conserved by the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland, 1 Mahon Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co Armagh BT62 3EE, tel no 044 28 3833 4666.
For game fishing on the Lower Bann contact Bann Systems, Cutts House, 54 Castleroe Road, Coleraine BT51 3RL, tel no 044 28 7034 4796.
The Ulster Coarse Fishing Federation supports coarse fishing on the Lower Bann and Lough Erne and can be contacted via Robert Buick, Chairman, 7 Knockvale Grove, Belfast BT5 6HL
On the Shannon Navigation the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board manages the fisheries and can be contacted at Military Road, Birr, Co. Offaly, tel no 0353 509 21777. Coarse angling on all the waterways in the Republic of Ireland is supported by the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland and can be contacted through Mark Heffernan, Coistra, Clogherhead, tel no 0252 41 9822772.

Sailing
Sailing is enjoyed on the navigations with established clubs on Lough Ree, Lough Derg and the Erne System as well as a range of outdoor centres on the other navigations.
A large range of classes including Mirrors, Optimists, J24’s, Lasers, Squibs, Fireballs and a multitude others can be found sailing throughout the week from April to October.
The majority of sailing establishments also run sailing courses and teach people from a wide range of ages to sail.
While many boats are sailed for pleasure a great number also compete regularly throughout the season, with some travelling to compete in regattas and championships on the other lakes.
Sailing is governed in the Republic of Ireland by the Irish Sailing Association who can be contacted at 2 Park Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, tel 0252 1 280 0239 Fax no 00 353 1 280 7558, email [email protected].
Sailing in Northern Ireland is governed by the Royal Yachting Association (NI) and can be contacted at House of Sport, Upper Malone Road, Belfast BT9 5LA, tel no +44 28 9038 3812.

Canoeing
Ireland, North and South, has a lot of offer the recreational paddler from the wide open lakes of Lough Erne, Lough Allen, Lough Derg and Lough Ree to the meandering channels of the Lower Bann and the Shannon Navigation, and the still waters of the Grand and Royal Canals, the Barrow Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway.
On the Erne System a way-marked canoe trail has been put in place, and one is planned for the Barrow Navigation and the Lower Bann Navigation.
Clubs offer the newcomer both learning and opportunities to participate with others. Many outdoor centres along the navigations also offer opportunities to learn and improve skills. Hire of canoeing equipment is also widely available
The governing body for canoeing in Northern Ireland is the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland and can be contacted at CANI, Unit 2 River’s Edge, 13–15 Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 8DN, tel no 0870 240 5065, email [email protected]. In the Republic of Ireland, canoeing is governed by the Irish Canoe Union, and they can be contacted at Sport HQ, Joyce Way, Park West Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12 Tel no 00 353 1 6241105, email [email protected]

Walking
Walking, for leisure, pleasure or for health is the most predominant activity along the banks of Ireland’s inland waterways. Whether walking into town from a mooring, or walking along one of the Waymarked Ways along the waterways which include the Lough Derg Way, the Barrow Way, the Grand Canal Way, the Royal Canal Way, Slí Liatroma, the Miners’ Way Historical Trail and the Cavan Way, the presence of the waterway adds an indefinable extra to the experience.
For information on the way-marked ways contact the National Way-Marked Ways Advisory Committee, Irish Sports Council, Top Floor, Block A, West End Office Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, tel no 0353 1 860 8800, email [email protected]

Waterways Ireland, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh BT74 7JY, tel: +44 (0) 28 66 323 004, fax: +44 (0) 28 66 346 257

The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland is a voluntary body formed in 1954 of inland waterways enthusiasts. For all the latest Inland Waterways news click here. We advocate the use, maintenance, protection, restoration and improvement of the inland waterways of Ireland. The association was founded in 1954 to campaign for the conservation and development of the waterways and in particular their preservation as working navigations. When the Shannon was almost totally undeveloped for pleasure boating, IWAI fought the building of low bridges, thus ensuring the development of the river as an asset for all to use and enjoy. In the 1960s IWAI successfully fought plans to close the Circular Line of the Grand Canal in Dublin. Later the association campaigned for the re-opening of the Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal (now the Shannon-Erne Waterway) and the Naas line of the Grand Canal.

IWAI is the voice of waterways users and enthusiasts. It represents the views of members to governments (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland), to Waterways Ireland and other navigation authorities, to local authorities and the range of statutory and state-sponsored bodies whose activities impinge on the waterways in one way or another.

Membership and Organisation
IWAI has approximately 4,400 members mainly organised in branches associated with the major navigations across the island.
Our membership is drawn from all walks of life and from people with a wide range of interests-boating, angling, walking, heritage, environment. Many of our members own and use boats on our rivers, lakes and canals ranging from motor cruisers to jet-skis, from barges to sailing dinghies and RIBs to rowing boats.
The association is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity (CHY no 10915). It is governed by a council  made up of representatives of each of the local branches and directly elected officers and members. Day to day affairs are managed by an executive committee.

Who’s Who in IWAI? You’ll find the list of current officers of IWAI here

IWAI is not responsible for the navigation, for registering boats, for harbours or similar facilities. The authority that is responsible for the Shannon, Suck, Erne, Barrow, Lower Bann, Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Shannon-Erne Waterway is ‘Waterways Ireland’

A complete chronology/history of the organisation and its activities can be seen here

A number of Committees are active within IWAI including the Heritage & Conservation Committee, Boating & Leisure Committee, etc.

Publications: The IWAI publishes ‘Inland Waterways News’, a quarterly magazine, sent out free to all members. The magazine covers a wide range of topics of interest to waterways enthusiasts at local, national and international level. IWAI also publishes a number of waterways related books and guides. Our web-site is one of the largest single reference sources for waterways related material in Ireland and a major source of referrals for waterways  related businesses which brings local events, activities and developments into national perspective. Some of the branches bring out local newsletters. Our web site at www.iwai.ie is packed with waterways-related information. Whether a boat enthusiast, historian, archaeologist, or fisherman, you will find something here of interest.

Branches: IWAI has twenty branches: five in Northern Ireland and fourteen in the Republic and one activity-based branch. Every member is affiliated to a local branch and each branch is represented on a national Council.  The branches are:
North: Lough Erne, River Bann and Lough Neagh, Coalisland, Lagan and Newry
South:  Athlone, Barrow, Belturbet, Boyle River, Boyne Navigation, Carrick-on-Shannon, Corrib, Dublin, Kildare, Lough Derg, North Barrow, Offaly, Shannon Harbour, and Slaney.

Improvements and Restoration: Work parties and funds are raised to improve navigations and to restore derelict ones.  Current projects include the Ulster Canal, Lagan Navigation, Coalisland Canal, Boyne Navigation and the Kilbeggan and Corbally lines of the Grand Canal. A synopsis of current activities is found here. The photo at right shows a work-party working on the Boyne navigation.
Boat rallies: IWAI organises rallies and other events including annual rallies on the Barrow (Easter), Dublin (May), the Erne (May), the Grand Canal (June), Shannon Harbour (June), the Corrib (July), the Shannon (July), Lough Derg (July). Competitions help to raise standards of boatmanship, seaworthiness and safety afloat.

Social events: Land-based events such as film shows, discussions and lectures are organised on a range of waterways topics including, safety, vessel maintenance, navigation, first-aid and waterways heritage

Member Services: The IWAI Shop IWAI provides a number of branded products and services for members. The association burgee and ensign are shown at right. We also sell waterways-related books and navigation charts.

Email Discussion Forum: We host a very active discussion forum. Here, you will meet folk who enjoy talking about life on our waterways. Generally, people are very free with advice on the list (whether wanted or not) and can point you in the right direction if you have problems finding  a 3/4 inch flux capacitor for your 1984 vintage submarine. The forum operates a parallel web-based and email service.

Navigation and related announcements: If you would like to keep up to speed with announcements, news, and press releases from the IWAI, you can subscribe to the association’s News Updates List.

 
Goals of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
IWAI is set up as a limited company – from our memorandum of association, it has the following objectives:

(a) To promote the use, maintenance and development of the inland waterways of Ireland, and in particular, to advocate and promote the restoration to good order, and maintenance in good order of every navigable waterway and the fullest use of every navigable waterway by both commercial and pleasure traffic, provided such is not injurious to the environmental health of the waterways and surrounding areas.
(b) To support any proposal which may be calculated to maintain or improve Irish waterways and also to improve navigation, lay moorings and carry out other works of improvement on and adjacent to the waterways.
In furtherance exclusively of the above main objects the Company shall have the following ancillary objects:
(a) To oppose by appropriate action the abandonment or neglect of Irish canals or river navigations, the pollution of waterways, the obstructions of navigations by fixed bridges, aqueducts, overhead cables, or otherwise, the obstruction of towing paths, or any other action calculated to injure or destroy the navigation or amenities of the waterways of Ireland.
(b) To prepare, either alone or in collaboration with any other body, guide books, charts, maps and other literature suitable for use by persons using the Irish navigations for any purpose, and to foster public interest in and knowledge of the Irish waterways by disseminating information on the subject to members and to the general public.
(c) To organise visits to objects and places of interest on the waterways including water-borne journeys.
(d) To do all such acts as shall further the active and corporate life of the Association and to cooperate with any other body having similar or sympathetic aims.
(e) To represent the interests of boat owners in all matters pertaining to the above objects.
(f) To organise, engage in, and sponsor boat rallies, exhibitions, displays, festivals, carnivals, sports, hobbies and entertainments.

IWAI Policies
Details of IWAI Policies can be found here.

Inland Waterways Association (IWA), 110 Booterstown Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Tel: 1890 924991, Email: [email protected]

Afloat posts on the IWA:

Float to the Fleadh launched by RTÉ Broadcaster

The big swim to Enniskillen