The Grand Canal (including the Barrow Line)

Articles and other items related to the Grand Canal:

A Grand Year - the Grand Canal celebrated its 200th Anniversary - (from IWN Summer 2004)

Tullamore Harbour Plans, Brian J. Goggin, from IWN Spring 2003

Where can I live on a barge near Dublin? - Brian J. Goggin and John Thompson answer one of our most frequently asked questions.

Canal Boating Made Simple - tips from Harry Sheehy

Going Grand: equipping a cruiser, Brian J Goggin - An article from IWN Winter 2002 with practical advice on equipping a cruiser to tackle the Grand Canal

Death of a Dock, Brian J. Goggin - An article on the demise of the Grand Canal and Liffey docks .

Round trip Shannon to Dublin, Heritage Boat Association Launch, Joe Treacy, 4E - from IWN Autumn 2001

The IWN issue of Summer 2000 focused on the Canals of Dublin.  Articles included (all in )

• Inside the canals, Ruth Heard -  article on the history of the canal from IWN Summer 2000

• The Waterways Visitor Centre, Brigid Johnston, Waterways Ireland - from IWN Summer 2000

"Driving" on the Canal  - a collection of tips from old hands from IWN Spring 2003

Related Grand Canal Sites:

• Read about the Blackwood Feeder Project - this was a feeder of the Grand Canal up to 1952, entering the canal east of Robertstown.

• Bill Matthew's account of his Hiking the Grand Canal from Dublin to Shannon Harbour

Note: Please see our publications page for a more complete list of Grand Canal-related publications.

Guide to the Grand Canal, 5th edition, Waterways Service and the IWAI, 1995.
Delany, Ruth, The Grand Canal of Ireland, Second edition, Office of Public Works and Lilliput Press, 1995. First edition published by David and Charles, 1973. This classic book provides an incomparable picture of a great canal over two and a quarter centuries. The book is well researched and draws together material from many historic documents.
Note: Please see our publications page for a more complete list of Grand Canal-related publications.

General Boating Articles

GPS usage on the inland waterways - course by Noel Griffin - see also Dave McCabe's Shannon GPS charts.

Boat Electrics: Batteries, Part 1 of a 3. (from IWN Winter 2006)

PG's Tips: Winter Cruising. ,(from IWN Winter 2006)

The Joys of Springs - Richard Holbrook explains how to tie up your boat so that it remains where it should! - (from IWN Winter 2005)

See Grog's excellent animated knots website if you want some guidance on knots for boating and fishing.

Paul Garlands Tips on what to do when your boat's engine stops! (from IWN Summer 2005)

Baby on Board! - Aileen Flynn provides some insights and advice for folk considering taking small children boating (from IWN Spring 2003).

LPG on boats - article by Roger Lorenz part1, part2

Where can I live on a barge near Dublin? - Brian J Goggin and John Thompson answer one of our most frequently asked questions.

Bringing your boat to Ireland - A look at what's involved in bringing (in this case) a narrowboat over from the UK, and what to expect if you do.

Winterising Diesel Engines - Step by step guide to protecting boat diesel engines from the rigours of an Irish winter

Guidelines for the use of VHF radios - Licensing, technical and practical information about the use of VHF radio on the inland waterways

Putting a boat on the water: What do you have to do if you want to put a boat on the inland waterways?

The ISA/IWAI Certificate of Competency - for Motor Cruising on the the Irish Inland Waterways. Not mandatory (yet), but recommended for all boat skippers.

Metamorphosis: Terry & Jean Frew - The story of the metamorphosis of The Dolphin from an offshore 50-man lifeboat into a comfortable four-berth cabin-cruiser.

Téarmaí Bádóireachta  Boating terms as Gaeilge, le Seán Ó Riain

One day in July - an assembly of different accounts of what was happening on one ordinary summer's day July 14 2002, to give a picture of typical activity on our waterways ( from IWN Autumn 2002) .

The British Boat Safety Scheme, Tommy Murphy

Colm na Cora, the Garda patrol boat from IWN Summer 2002

The Shannon One Design (aka SOD), David Beattie, probably the most successful native one-design class of sailing boats in Ireland - from IWN Summer 2000

Health & Safety:

Weil's Disease (Leptospirosis) - article by Dr John Fleetwood, from IWN Spring 2002

Safety  - Fire, Water, Lifejackets and Carbon Monoxide, Flares. from IWN Spring 20003

See our guide to Buying a lifejacket in Ireland - see also Inflated Opinion - article by John Leech on the merits or otherwise of auto-inflating life jackets - from IWN Winter 2004.

Rescue Groups

Environment:

Electric Boats - article by Alun Goodall - part1,  part2

Portable Toilets - article by Brian J Goggin from IWN Summer 2002

Get the solids out of the Shannon - article by Brian J Goggin from IWN Summer 2002

Ecotopia is a yearly two-week gathering of environmental and social activists organised by European Youth For Action (EYFA).  This is a report by Carolan Goggin of a 2002 gathering. (from IWN Autumn 2002)

Loos: Lough Derg and Lough Ree Catchment, Brian J Goggin, from IWN Winter 2001

Loos laws, Brian J Gogggin - rules about loos on the canals, the Shannon and the Erne, from IWN Winter 2001

Winsome loos sum, Brian J Gogggin - more about toilets!, from IWN Winter 2001

Derg and Ree Catchment Monitoring: Final Report or New Beginning?, Paddy Mackey from IWN Autumn 2001

Nature Designations on Waterways: Why Bother? Paddy Mackey, from IWN Spring 2003

 

Nature:

Zebra Mussel Control, Michael Hynes - article from IWN Summer 2004

Bats and Irish Waterways, Dr Niamh Roche - article from IWN Autumn 2001

Dolphins Dr Simon Berrow, from IWN Summer 2001

The magic of the mayfly on the Shannon, John Leech, from IWN Summer 2000

Zebra Mussel Control, Michael Hynes - article from IWN Summer 2004