Monday, 23 November 2015

Inland Waterways Navigation information

Example of information for navigation inland waterways

(Accessed 24th November http://www.iwai.ie/waterways.html)

Guinness Bridge over the Canal

Guinness Bridge (Over the Canal)

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History

The Guinness Bridge is a bridge in Limerick, Ireland. The footbridge was built in 1996 over the canal in Limerick. There was an debate over naming the bridge as many people wanted to name it after a local historian called Kevin Hannon and others requested it to be named after the Guinness Company who used the canal for transport of there stock until it was closed for trade in the 1960's.

In the end it was decided the it would be labeled The Guinness Bridge as Guinness began sending their porter to Limerick by canal, bypassing the local breweries.This was said to have an effect in the taste of the Guinnesss.There is a milestone by the bridge showing the distance to Limerick and to Killaloe.It was implanted in 1814. In 1860, the bell for St John's cathedral was brought to Limerick,from Dublin by barge. Pieces of the organ for St Mary's cathedral where brought by this route also. On the 1st January 1960, the canal was closed as a commercial route.Charles Wye Williams,Limerick Navigation Company,Directors General of Inland Navigation and Shannon Commissioners where all involved in creating the navigation on the canal.

Guinness's use of the Canal

In the 1880's,as already mentioned above,Guinness started sending their porter to Limerick by the canal. People who drank Guinness in Limerick swore that the journey on the canal gave Guinness a chance to mature and the pint served in Limerick was the best in the country. The trade continued after other traffic stopped on January 1st 1960 because Guinness was building a depot near the railway station in Limerick and they needed time to do this. The cie kept 14 canal boats and 2 tugboats in commission till 1960 to serve the drinkers in Limerick.

History of the Canal

It was firstly suggested in 1967 to construct a canal connecting Limerick and Killaloe. The draining of bogs began in 1715 along with the building of the canals in Ireland.There where many false starts before William Ockendan undertook building the Limerick canal in June of 1757. A limited amount of £6,000 was allocated to this project once the Limerick Navigation Company was established in 1767. The first boat to travel along this canal route was in 1799. To travel from Dublin to Limerick or also from Limerick to Dublin would take four days in the 1800's. Roughly 100,000 passengers would use this route every year.

Location

The Guinness Bridge is located twenty minutes from the Thomond Village in Limerick or you can go to the Living Bridge in the University of Limerick and take the walk around the river Shannon. The milestone showing the distance to Limerick and Killaoe is still there and nearby there is the ruins of on old castle.

References

Limericks Life(2012), Limerick Riverpaths-Canal Guided Walk,available:http://limerickslife.com/limericks-canal-walk/ [accessed:28 Oct 2014]

Aiden Mc Adam (2001), The Guinness Boats,available:http://www.irishships.com/guinness_boats.html [accessed:28 Oct 2014]

National Transport Authority , CIE Group of Companies ,available:http://www.cie.ie/company-profile-%282%29/organisational-structure [acessed: 24 Oct 2014]

Brian Goggins (2008), Limerick's Hidden History, available : http://afloat.ie/inland/brian-goggins-inland-blog/item/15441-limerick%E2%80%99s-hidden-history [accessed: 24 Oct 2014]

(Accessed 24th November 2015 http://wiki.csisdmz.ul.ie/wiki/Guinness_Bridge_(Over_the_Canal))

The Limerick Navigation

This page provides an overview of the Limerick Navigation, which linked the city of Limerick (and thus the estuary of the River Shannon) to Lough Derg and the rest of the Shannon Navigation upstream of Killaloe. Pages to be developed on aspects of the navigatiion will be linked to this page.

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with Ireland, here is a map produced by the Directors General of Inland Navigation in 1828 to show the, er, roads they managed. I have annotated it to show points of interest, including directions from Ireland to Liverpool and to the still-vexed Bermoothes.

DGIN map of Ireland

Here is a close-up from the Ordnance Survey map of ~1840. As the Shannon is a sensible river, it flows (roughly) from north to south, which is very convenient. Lough Derg is a large lake (by Irish standards), the largest on the Shannon; you can see part of it at the top of the map. Killaloe is a town just downriver of the lake. Limerick is a city at the head of the Shannon Estuary. The Limerick Navigation joined the two places.

The Limerick Navigation

The Limerick Navigation was in five sections. Starting from the upstream end, they were:

a canal bypassing rapids at Killaloe and some distance downstream. This canal had three locks
a river navigation section, on the Shannon itself, from the lowest lock on the Killaloe canal through O’Briensbridge to Errina
a second canal from Errina to Plassey, with six locks
a river navigation section from Plassey
a third canal leading to the canal harbour in Limerick. This canal had one lock about half way along; a second lock allowed boats out of the harbour on to the Abbey River and thus provided access to Limerick Dock and the Shannon Estuary. This canal bypassed rapids at Corbally.

The details shown below are taken from A New Oarsman’s Guide to the Rivers and Canals of Great Britain and Ireland edited by F E Prothero and W A Clark, published by George Philip & Son, London, for the Cruising Club in 1896. Prothero and Clark measured distances from the head of Lough Allen, the northernmost lake on the River Shannon. The extracts from OSI maps are by kind permission of Ordnance Survey Ireland.

The canal at Killaloe

At 127 miles from the head of Lough Allen is Ballyvally House (on the right). Prothero and Clark say:

Here the river leaves the lake with a strong stream. Keep near right bank, so as not to miss the entrance to the canal.

After three quarters of a mile, at Kincora (right):

Entrance to the lateral canal through a stop lock. A huge weir goes diagonally across the river, running down stream from left to right. The canal entrance on the right bank is nearly opposite the top end of the weir on the left. Below the weir, a long stretch of great cataracts.

The weir was removed after the construction of the hydroelectric power station at Ardnacrusha and its associated weir at Parteen Villa, which raised the water level and flooded an area downstream of Killaloe. It killed off the Limerick Navigation, replacing it with a new route through the power station.

The mention of a stop lock is interesting. I presume that it did not survive the post-Ardnacrusha reconfiguration, but I would like to know more about it. Note that a new stop lock has been built in the last couple of years.

At 128⅛ miles from the head of Lough Allen is Killaloe itself, with a lock at the bridge:

Shannon View Hotel. Station across the bridge. Cathedral (Church of Ireland). Beware, when landing, of swarms of gamins. It is a very pretty spot, especially as seen from the bridge.

Killaloe Lock. At the Clare end of the bridge across the Shannon.

128⅞ Clarisford House (r)
129⅛ Moy’s Lock
129⅞ Cussaun Lock
130⅛ Dorgan’s Bridge. Here the canal enters the river.

The river section through O’Briensbridge

On this second section, Prothero and Clark list:

131⅜ Bannow Island
132½ Inishlosky Island
133¾ O’Brien’s Bridge
134⅞ Mona Lodge (l). On the right bank opposite the canal recommences, avoiding the falls of Castle Connell.

The canal from Errina to Plassey

The canal has straight sections joined by fairly smooth curves. Prothero and Clark give the details:

136⅜ Erinagh Lock
136⅝ Monaskeha Lock
136⅞ Cloonlara Lock
138 Newtown Lock
139¾ Gilloge Lock
140½ Plassy Lock. 150 yards below, at Plassy Bridge, the canal re-enters the river for a mile.

The next map shows two sections of the navigation, the one-mile river section and the final canal section.

Plassey to Limerick

Prothero and Clark say:

141⅝ Canal begins again on l bank below the Waterworks.

142⅛ Park Lock
142⅝ Limerick Lock. Locks out into the Abbey River branch of the Shannon.

Limerick

Finally, they give some details about Limerick:

142¾ Baal’s Bridge
142⅞ New Bridge
143 Wellesley Bridge. Limerick. Cruise’s Hotel. One long handsome street, George Street; Castle; Cathedral.

At spring tides there is 19 feet of water at the Limerick quays (high water 4¼ hours after London Bridge). The river, which is very large here, widens out into an estuary a few miles further down. It is best seen by taking the steamer to Kilrush, a distance of 43 miles.

Pages will be added about sections and features of the Limerick Navigation. Here are some to be going on with:

The locks on the Limerick Navigation

Plassey

The bridge at O’Briensbridge

The barge at Plassey

The floods of November 2009 provided an opportunity to see the sorts of water levels that the navigation might have had before Ardnacrusha was built.

The upper end

The lower end

The tidal section

Floods are not new to Limerick: here is an account of the floods of 1850.

There are some photos of parts of the old Limerick Navigation and the newer Parteen Villa Weir here. You can follow the Inland Waterways Protection Society’s walk along the Limerick Navigation (as much as is accessible) here, starting about two thirds of the way down the page, with a bonus visit to the Eglinton and Cong Canals.

And here is the cover page for a section showing why the Park Canal should not be restored to navigability.

(Accessed 24th November 2015 http://irishwaterwayshistory.com/abandoned-or-little-used-irish-waterways/the-lower-shannon/the-limerick-navigation/)

Park Canal Restoration Project

The Park Canal Restoration Project was proposed in 2005 with the aim of creating an attractive link between the grounds of the University of Limerick and the medieval city centre. While the restoration has not been completed to date (2010), part of the Park Canal has been refurbished. The canal itself has not yet been made navigable but there are good paths along both banks that create an attractive walking route.

“The first phase of the Canal Restoration Project will allow its banks to be opened up for leisure and amenity purposes, while providing the catalyst for a variety of potential canalside development projects, such as a sports museum, craft shops, some residential, cafes and parks. Other initiatives should include the introduction of facilities for watercraft, and the creation of canal bank walks and cycling paths.” (Limerick City Council website)

The Park Canal Restoration Project forms a major part of the overall Riverside City Project, which creates a new vision for the city that is centred on the canal and River Shannon. Completion of the project would see improvements to water ecology and quality, canalside landscape and the quality of public spaces, revitalising this area of the city. It would also improve The Lough Derg Way, a walking route that extends 16 miles along the canal in Limerick City as far as Killalow.

Ardnacrusha
Image: courtesy of Brendan Delany

Enlarge image

History of the Canal

The Park Canal was constructed in 1757-1758, linking the River Shannon with the Abbey River. In its heyday it was an invaluable transport system for heavy goods, particularly Guinness from the former Guinness warehouse close to Lock Quay. The goods were transported from Limerick to Shannon, and from there to Dublin via the Grand Canal. It took four days for the goods to reach Dublin, which was considered an ideal time for the Guinness to mellow. With the modernisation of transport and the building of the hydroelectric power station at Ardnacrusha in 1929, the canal soon became defunct and fell into disrepair.

(Accessed 24th november 2015 http://www.askaboutireland.ie/enfo/irelands-environment/county-focus/limerick-city/park-canal-restoration-pr/)

BEFORE ARDNACRUSHA power-station was built, writes Brian J. Goggin, there was another waterway route from Killaloe to Limerick, with some very interesting features

The old route had five sections: three of canal and two of river. The old canal at Killaloe originally had three locks, two of which were submerged when Ardnacrusha was built. Below that, boats used the river for the next section, which brought them past the village of O'Briensbridge, where again strong currents were a problem. Then, about 2km further downstream, they turned right into the Plassey–Errina Canal, although it was also possible to go a little further downstream to a quay at the upper end of the village of Castleconnell.

The Plassey–Errina Canal had six locks, two of them doubles. The uppermost lock, at Errina, was originally a triple-chambered lock, unique in Ireland, but it was later converted to a double. This canal rejoined the Shannon at Plassey, where the University of Limerick is now.

At this point, horses were originally ferried across the river; a bridge was built later. The navigation used the river briefly until it met the short Park Canal on its left: this cut off a loop of river leading through the rapids and weirs of Corbally. The boats went through one lock to reach the Limerick canal harbour; another lock, just above where Abbey Bridge is now, allowed boats to go downriver to the Limerick docks and the estuary.

Charles Wye Williams, who ran the Irish Inland Steam Navigation Company, was aware of Scottish trials that showed that long and narrow horse-drawn boats could reach higher speeds with less effort. He therefore constructed the iron Nonsuch, 80' x 6'6". He told the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1840 that "The boat thus constructed has been found to answer perfectly... it is capable of carrying 60 passengers, travelling at a speed of nine miles per hour, with the same power that was required to draw a 60ft boat with a less load, and there is much less action on the canal bank in consequence of the increased length... this boat has been working without intermission for three years between Limerick and Killaloe, traversing twice daily a distance of 15 miles, on a navigation of considerable intricacy, and passing 11 locks, without any incident having hitherto occurred."

The only problem was that the boat was too long for the locks. However, Williams had constructed it with hinged ends: "... having the stem and stern ends (each ten foot long) attached by strong hinges to the body, and susceptible of being rapidly raised to a vertical position by means of winches; thus reducing the length to 60ft when required to pass through a lock." Each of the lifting sections could be kept down, when underway, by the weight of one man.Charles Wye Williams, who ran the Irish Inland Steam Navigation Company, was aware of Scottish trials that showed that long and narrow horse-drawn boats could reach higher speeds with less effort. He therefore constructed the iron Nonsuch, 80' x 6'6". He told the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1840 that "The boat thus constructed has been found to answer perfectly... it is capable of carrying 60 passengers, travelling at a speed of nine miles per hour, with the same power that was required to draw a 60ft boat with a less load, and there is much less action on the canal bank in consequence of the increased length... this boat has been working without intermission for three years between Limerick and Killaloe, traversing twice daily a distance of 15 miles, on a navigation of considerable intricacy, and passing 11 locks, without any incident having hitherto occurred."

Guinness and sand
In the 1880s, Guinness began sending their porter to Limerick by canal, undercutting the local breweries. Limerick Guinness drinkers maintained that the four- or five-day voyage from Dublin, on the calm waters of the canal, allowed the porter to mature, so that the pint served in Limerick was the best in Ireland, with (according to Séamus Ó Cinnéide) "a delicious nutty flavour".

This trade continued after other traffic on the Grand Canal ceased on 1 January 1960. Guinness needed time to build a depot near Limerick's railway station, so CIE kept 14 canal-boats and two tugs in commission until mid-1960 to serve the drinkers of Limerick. The last cargo was carried by 51M.

By that time, the old navigation was no longer in use. The building of the Ardnacrusha power station, and the weir at Plassey Villa, had flooded an area below Killaloe and blocked access to the stretch of river that included O'Briensbridge, Castleconnell and the entrance to the Plassey–Errina Canal. After that, boats travelled through the headrace canal, the lock at Ardnacrusha, the tailrace canal and the Abbey River. But they continued to use the old harbour at the bottom of the Park Canal so, just before where Abbey Bridge is now, they had to make a sharp left turn and travel up through the tidal lock into the harbour. They used horns to warn the lock-keepers to have the gates open for them; a boom across the river stopped boats from being swept sideways under Baal's Bridge.

In Limerick itself, you can visit the Park Canal and the old harbour, which is close to the Abbey Bridge on the route from Dublin into the city centre. Some of the old buildings are still visible. The harbour and the canal have been dredged recently and new lock gates have been fitted: note the patented mechanism on the upper gates, which is designed to resist high tidal water on the wrong (downstream) side of the gates. It is possible to walk from here all the way to the University of Limerick, passing the second lock and the Guinness footbridge at the Park Canal's junction with the Shannon.

From within the University, you can walk down the riverbank to the old Plassey Mill, which had its own lock for the barges that carried workers and goods to Limerick. There are traditional fishing cots nearby, as well as a reproduction sand-cot. The old horse-bridge still spans the Shannon, and across it you can see the Annaghbeg Lock, the bottom lock of the Plassey-Errina Canal.

It seems unlikely that the whole of the lower Shannon navigation will ever be restored, but the Park Canal is being restored for walkers, cyclists and boaters, and the old harbour would make a better mooring-place than the Custom House jetties. And upstream, navigation could be restored to O'Briensbridge and Castleconnell, providing Killaloe-based boaters with a new destination, simply by providing a lock at Parteen Villa Weir.

Published in Afloat February//March 2008

(Acccessed on 24th November 2015 http://afloat.ie/item/15441-limerick%E2%80%99s-hidden-history)

The old Limerick to Killaloe Canal

Real life account of visit to river transport on a barge in Limerick city worth a read Click on link:

Old Limerick Canal in 1930's

(Accessed on 24th November http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/writers,%20history%2040.pdf)

Please press on link and scroll down to bottom where the writer begins with the Limerick to Killaloe canal project was started in 1957. The account is from a boy visiting a bargeman in 1930 and a great read for a real account of what life on the canals was like.

Limerick Riverpaths – Canal Guided Walk

Posted By Sharon Slater on Sep 23, 2012 in Collaborations,Limerick Places

On the 23rd September 2012 we were asked to give a talk as part of the “Harvest Time Guided Walk” in association with Limerick Riverpaths these are the bullet points of the talk.

The Canal while still fully in use.

The idea for a canal connecting Limerick and Killaloe was first suggested in 1697, in 1715 draining of certain bogs and the building of canals in Ireland began in earnest. In June 1757 William Ockenden began work on the Limerick canal.

In 1767 the Limerick Navigation Company was established, with a budget of £6,000 to complete this project.

It was not until 1799 that the first boats travelled this route.

In 1831 the cost per passenger to O’Briensbridge was 2 pence. 100,000 people per year used this route. It was a 4 day trip to Dublin using this route. The passenger boats were known as “flyboats”.

It would take four days to travel to Dublin by canal in 1840.

Lock Quay Bridge – designed by Dutch architect Uzuld who also designed the Lock Mill.

Bridge Bollards – Made by Harrison Lee & Sons ironmongers, who operated out of Mungret Street and High Street from the 1840s into the 20th century.

Lock Keepers House – Built in 1770 it was the headquarters of the Canal Management Committee. In 1820s a garrison was posted here during the flour controversy, when flour prices were so high, the poor rebelled and led to an uprising.

Northside Old Brewery – Built in 1814 by Walker & Co. Cork at a cost of £25,000. Closed due to pressure put on them by the Guinness warehouse.

Northside Russell Mill – The arch which remains today with the inscription : ‘Lock Mills John Norris Russell 1844’ was erected about 1890. It was situated in front of the Lock Mills which were built by Andrew Walsh in 1765. It incorporated some of the most advanced milling equipment in the British Isles at the time. John Norris Russell was a corn merchant as a ship builder, Linen Manufacture, Iron Monger.

The archway and mill can be seen in the image above.

Southside Houses – Occupied butchers, fishmongers (McInerney who were one of the main buyers from the Abbey fisherman, had their store there) and publicans.

Southside Crank – Shannon Navigation, used to lift goods onto and off of barges.

Southside Warehouse – single-bay two-storey limestone former canal warehouse, built c. 1840, on the south bank of the canal east of Lock Quay, this was later used as a Guinness Warehouse. It was an impressive structure with a natural slate roof terracotta comb ridge tiles, limestone walls.

Other warehouses in this area were run by Bernard, Conway, Lynch, McCawley, Murray, O’Connell.

Troy’s Lock – Lock keepers were Troys, Maddens and Ryans. Prior to the construction of the canal this area was known as Bartletts Bog.

Canal – To connect Limerick and Killaloe. Dredged by Sandmen, who supplied the sand for most of the building works in Limerick prior to 1920. Closed to traffic 1962.

Tow path for horses to walk while dragging canal barges, further downstream there is a bridge with a lower wall on the river side, this was so the rope could pass more easily along. Barges were dragged about 20-30 yards behind the horses.

Park Bridge – Lowered after 1960 to allow cars to pass more easily. There was once a boreen near here for courting couples called “Paddy’s Hedge”.

Harrold Family – Richard Harrold owned a hotel in this site which was once known as “Nun’s Field”. The Harrold family paid for the erection of St. Patrick’s Church.

City Boundary Plaque – An iron plaque on Park Bridge which was erected during the Mayorship of Patrick Riordan who only served one term in 1891.

Guinness Bridge – Planned in 1996. Contentious name as Local Historian Kevin Hannon passed away that year and it was proposed that the bridge be named after him. The same issue arose with the naming of the Abbey Bridge, which had the originally name of the Kemmy bridge after historian and politician Jim Kemmy. The Museum would be later named after him. Why Guinness – In the 1880s, Guinness began sending their porter to Limerick by canal, undercutting the local breweries.

The mile stone by the Guinness Bridge signifying the distant to Limerick and to Kilalloe by waterway was erected in1814.

In 1860 the bell for St. John’s Cathedral was brought from Dublin by barge, as were sections of the organ for St. Mary’s Cathedral.

The canal was closed as a commercial highway on the 1st January 1960.

(24th November accessed on web http://limerickslife.com/limericks-canal-walk/)

history of Limerick's Canals

Monday, 23 November 2015

Inland Waterways Navigation information