Length & No of Locks
Main Line: 146km with 46 locks
Longford Branch: 8km with no locks

Opening Hours of Locks
Daylight Hours

Navigational Criteria
Length: 21m
Beam: 3.9m
Draft: 1m
Airdraft: 3m
Lowest Bridge: Liffey Junction Railway Bridge

Draft dimensions are given as a guide only and cannot be guaranteed.

Permits
On the Royal Canal boats must display a valid Permit. An Annual Permit can be purchased which includes mooring and lock passage charges. For shorter periods of travel boaters can purchase monthly Mooring Permits and pay for lock passages on an individual basis.

Lock Passage: €0.60 per lock
Mooring: €12.70 per month
Annual Permit: €126.00 per annum

Permits can be purchased from the following Waterways Ireland locations:

Eastern Regional Office
Floor 2 Block C
Ashtowngate
Navan Road
Dublin 15
Tel no +353 (0)1 868 0148

Water Controller
Royal Canal Locks 17-39
Liam Croash
Tel no +353 (0)87 618 2104

Locks
All the locks on the Royal Canal are operated manually with the exception of the sea lock at Spencer Dock. Please ensure you have a lock key to operate the lock, adequate crew to manage your boat, and good stop ropes and mooring ropes. Lock keys at a cost of €25 can be purchased from the Eastern Regional Office and the Grand Canal Depot in Tullamore.

Contact numbers:

• Dock Superintendent
  Ringsend Basin
  Mark Clarke Tel no +353 87 2584713
• Water Controller
  Locks 1 - 17
  Des Phillips Tel no +353 87 248 5754
• Water Controller
  Locks 17 - 39
  Liam Croash Tel no +353 87 618 2104

Mooring Time Limits
On the Royal Canal a boat can moor at the same public mooring or within 500 metres of the same place for 5 days.

Slipways
Slipways are provided at the following locations to facilitate access to the Royal Canal:

• Amenity Area, Confey, Leixlip
• Maynooth Harbour
• Amenity Area, Enfield Harbour
• Thomastown Harbour, Killucan
• Mullingar Harbour
• Ballinea Bridge, Mullingar
• Ballynacargy Harbour
• Webb's Bridge, Abbeyshrule

Speed Limit
6km/h

Your Wash
You are asked to consider the wash of your boat and its effect on others. All engine-powered boats create a wave of water, known as a wash, which flows outwards from the boat as it moves forward. Look behind you frequently to check the effect that your wash is having on other users. You are advised to reduce your speed in narrow channels to prevent bank erosion, damage to reed beds and destruction of birds' nests among reed and bank habitats. Slow down where boats are moored, when approaching quays, jetties or locks or where water activities are taking place.

Fuel Points
Fuel is available from garages adjacent to the canal.

Maintenance Works
Maintenance works on the waterways are, where possible, carried out during the winter. When navigating any waterway between 1 November and 17 March you are advised to contact Waterways Ireland Operations Division or the Inspectorate before making your journey to confirm that the waterway is open.

Entrance to the Royal Canal from the Sea
Entrance to the Royal Canal is via the River Liffey and the sea lock at Spencer Dock.

For further information on navigating and boat queries contact the Inspectorate:

Inspector of Navigation
Waterways Ireland, The Docks, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Tel no +353 (0)90 649 4232

Assistant Inspector of Navigation
Waterways Ireland, Harbour Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly
Tel no +353 (0)57 935 2300