Ireland » Ulster Canal & Blackwater River | Ireland

Is waiting for its reopening!

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Ulster Canal & Blackwater River | Ireland: Characteristics & Overview

Rating of waterway

Degree of difficulty:
no rating

Requirements:
no rating

Character of waterway:
old waterway, to be rediscovered

Profile of waterway:
Not navigable anymore

Facilities groundside:
Hardly existent

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Ulster Canal & Blackwater River | 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: 90 km
Lock dimensions: 18.50 x 3.50 m
Number of locks: 56

Waterway has access to:
Lagan Canal & Lagan River / Ireland, Lough Erne Navigation | Ireland, Lower Bann | Lough Neagh | Ireland

Ulster Canal & River Blackwater
Not navigable at the moment but there are plans to rebuild this waterway until 2013.

Around 1814 plans for a canal between Lough Neagh and Lough Erne existed. The canal was supposed to have a length of 56.8 km and 22 locks with dimension of 23.1 x 4.2 m. Unfortunately a dispute between engineers lead to the result that the canal was at the end not deep enough and the locks with only 3.5 m much too small. Finished in 1841, the freight appearance was rather humble. In 1931 it was given up and today there remain only fragments of locks and aqueducts somewhere in the middle of landscape.
After the political problems finally ended, IWAI (Inland Waterways Association of Ireland) got entrusted to elaborate a development project. This should be finished in 2008 since one would like to start works as soon as possible.

River Blackwater is partially navigable until Blackwatertown.