OPENING OF THE ROYAL CANAL
FROM ABBEYSHRULE TO BALLYBRANNIGAN HARBOUR, CO LONGFORD

€2.5MILLION PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION

Waterways Ireland is delighted to announce the opening of the restored section of the Royal Canal from Abbeyshrule to Ballybrannigan Harbour (near Ballymahon), Co Longford.

In the village of Abbeyshrule, the low level culvert which blocked the Canal and carried the road across the Canal has been removed and Webb's Bridge has been restored and re-opened as a road bridge. In addition a new boat slipway was constructed and the old bypass was reshaped to make an access road for the slipway.

The construction works were designed by Roughan & O'Donovan Consulting Engineers and constructed by John Cradock Ltd. The works took one year to complete and cost approximately €2.5million.

John Martin, Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland, spoke of the significance of the opening of this section of the Royal Canal.

"Today is a significant milestone in the restoration of the Royal Canal. For decades the Royal Canal was cut in two by a road culvert that blocked the Canal in the village of Abbeyshrule. The refurbishment of the old Canal Bridge and realignment of the road has allowed the removal of the culvert and the reopening of a further section of the Canal which will bring waterway users back to the village and surrounding area, and is a most welcome development", he said.

The Royal Canal Restoration Programme is now in its final phase and will see the Royal Canal restored from Abbeyshrule to the Shannon Navigation at Clondra, Co Longford. The works underway include the dredging of the Canal, the restoration of lock chambers and the installation of lock gates. Bog restoration work and a bridge replacement programme for culverted bridges also make up the Royal Canal Restoration Programme.

After the closure of the Royal Canal to navigation in 1961, sections of the Canal were filled and were in fact built on. To restore the Canal as a waterway, a programme of bridge replacement projects was and continues to be undertaken by Waterways Ireland to remove these culverts and re-establish the navigation route.

The opening of this section of the Royal Canal allows navigation of an additional 10km of the Canal. There is approximately 18km of Royal Canal left to be restored with estimated completion date in 2008.

The restoration of the Royal Canal will create a triangular route which will enable boats from the Shannon Navigation to travel to Dublin via the Royal Canal, and back to the Shannon via the Grand Canal (or vice versa). In doing so, the Royal Canal will provide new and attractive recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

The opening of this section of the Royal Canal co-incided with the second week of the annual Royal Canal Amenity Group (RCAG) Western Rally which saw a flotilla of boats travel for the first time in almost 50 years from Ballynacargy, Co Longford to Ballybrannigan Harbour (near Ballymahon), Co Longford.

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Further information from:
Ms. Aoife Morrissy, Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland,
00 353 71 9650787 or 00 353 87 9918412.

Date: 26.08.2006
PR060026

Opening the 10km restored section of the Royal Canal from Abbeyshrule to Ballybrannigan Harbour, Co Longford, from left:; John Cradock of John Cradock Ltd; Jean Errity, Senior Engineer, Waterways Ireland; John Martin, Chief Executive, Waterways Ireland; Jim Harvey, Head of Structural Engineering, Waterways Ireland; and Craig Smart of Roughan & O'Donovan Consulting Engineers.