Ireland » Shannon - Erne Waterway | Ireland

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Shannon - Erne Waterway | Ireland: Characteristics & Overview

Rating of waterway

Degree of difficulty:
For beginners (few locks)

Requirements:
No license asked for hired boats

Character of waterway:
back to nature, old waterway, to be rediscovered

Profile of waterway:
Used by tourists only

Facilities groundside:
Good

Boathirers on this waterway:

Locaboat

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Shannon - Erne Waterway | Ireland: Tips & Detailed information

Wharfs, Marinas, Harbors, Facilities, Houseboat hirers, Restaurants and Shops.

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» Legend

Facts to this waterway:

Length of waterway: 61 km
Lock dimensions: 24.00 x 4.50 m
Number of locks: 16
Max. depth: 1.20 m
Max. headroom: 3.00 m

Waterway has access to:
Shannon Navigation - Lough Key & Lough Allen | Ireland, Ulster Canal & Blackwater River | Ireland, Atlantic Sea

Shannon-Erne Waterway
Ballynamore and Ballyconnell Canal
There is life in the old dog yet....
If this has ever been true for a waterway, it is for the Ballinamore and Balliconnell Canal. The lows of Ireland stipulated that a canal must serve for de-watering and transportation. That meant, the necessary compromises, didn't really help any of the two concerns.
Together with Shannon and Ulster Canal, it was thought as a link from Limerik to Belfast. After the opening in 1860 one discovered that there was nothing to be transported on this stretch.
After a short dozen of commercial vessels had passed the entire first nine years, it was used for de-watering only and it degenerated visibly.
Since boating tourism become more and more important on the Shannon, IWAI and the Council of Leitim started a fact finding for a possible instauration.
Already in 1991 renovation of the canal started, highly supported by the EU regional found and in 1994 the, now called, Shannon-Erne Waterway, was inaugurated by politicians of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Today, the Shannon-Erne Waterway is the most modern waterway of Ireland.