Press Release 04.02.09

Waterways Ireland Scoops LAMA Award for additions to Boyle Harbour

Waterways Ireland is the delighted recipient of the Local
Authority Members Awards for 'Best Marina Development' for
Boyle Harbour having best met the award criteria of having
brought a lot of tourism to the community, enhanced life for a section of the community or for the community as a whole and providing a facility that represents progress in the community.

Boyle Harbour was nominated by Councillor Frank Geelan of Roscommon County Council. He recognised that in addition to enhancing the boating experience, the area surrounding Boyle Harbour has become an important recreational destination for visitors and locals alike to meet, go walking, cycling, fishing or to enjoy picnics and barbeques.

The canal and harbour completed by Waterways Ireland in May 2001 provided infrastructure development to meet the growing demand for mooring and boating facilities on the Shannon. The project involved a 1.3km new cut canal along with the construction of a new harbour to accommodate up to 28 boats, parking and connecting footpaths to the town. Paths of 1.3km in length on either side of the new canal link the harbour with Boyle River. The facility is augmented with a service block providing toilets, showers and laundry room. The project cost was €3.4m and was funded as part of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In 2004, the walkways were further upgraded to improve accessibility.

From Boyle Harbour it is possible to navigate to the sea at Limerick, to the sea at New Ross in Co. Wexford (via the Grand Canal and Barrow Navigation) or to Dublin along the Grand Canal.

Since the completion of the moorings at Boyle in 2001, Waterways Ireland has provided new moorings on the Shannon Navigation at Ballinasloe, Ballyleague (Co. Roscommon), Carrick on Shannon, Shannonbridge, and Limerick; enhanced the moorings at Spencer Harbour and Cleighran More on Lough Allen and at Clonmacnoise and Mountshannon (on Lough Derg) and extended Scarriff Harbour, Co Clare.

Other recently finished schemes include new Marina developments at Kilglass, also in Co. Roscommon; Portrunny on Lough Ree; and Garrykennedy on Lough Derg. All of these developments provide some 2800m of additional moorings on the Shannon Navigation.

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For Further Information Contact Waterways Ireland
Press Officer Katrina Mc Girr 087 9918 412
Engineer Jane Walsh 071 9650 569