Ballinasloe Official Town Website - All the latest news from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On

BALLINASLOE

News

Old Working Boats Return To Town Centre

28/5/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

The Heritage Boat Association (HBA) is celebrating its 21st birthday in Ballinasloe Marina over the June public holiday, whilst also marking the 21st anniversary of the opening of the Suck Navigation system and marina.

Up to 30 Canal Barges are expected to turn up to celebrate the Anniversary promising to be quite a spectacle with great historical significance, considering these are the very boats that travelled to Ballinasloe before the closure of the Grand Canal Line back in 1961.

The harbour is steeped in the history of the Grand Canal. The final section of the canal, from Shannon Harbour to Ballinasloe, was opened in 1828. It terminated at Dunlo Harbour, which consisted of a harbour master’s house and two stores, all still surviving to this day on Harbour Road in town. The massive iron mooring rings can be seen on the lower reaches of some of the appartments and houses now in the basin.

Before the advent of the Railways in 1830s the Canals were the principal means of bulky goods transportation – agricultural produce, coal, turf, glass, tobacco, whiskey, beer, lumber, ballast, bricks were all taken from the Ships at Dublin Port , transferred to the Grand Canal Basin and their cargos despatched to the West via the terminus at the Harbour Road. The Westminster Parliamentary Gazette in 1836 ; officially recorded some 1,628 first class passengers and 1,830  who travelled by Canal from the Harbour Road terminus to Dublin -a journey that took  approx. 2 and half days.

Following the closure of the canal in 1961, it was no longer possible for boats to make the journey to Ballinasloe until works commenced in the 1990s to make the River Suck navigable, including the construction of Poolboy Lock – joining the town to the majestic Shannon – Erne Waterway  in May 2001.

There are 40 retired M ( For Motor ) working boats or barges still active on the inland waterways . The last seven were sold by Inland waterways by way of tender in 2013 when raised from the bed of Tullamore Harbour. The Canal company in the 50s sank a lot of the craft to preserve them in the freshwater in the old harbours and jettys.

Ciarán Clinton of the Heritage Boats Association stated: “We are looking forward to our 21st anniversary event in Ballinasloe Marina. Seeing these barges dating back to 1847 is like taking a step back in time and will give an insight to life when Ballinasloe was the last stop on the Grand Canal. Do come along and have a chat when we are in town, our members enjoy sharing these incredible stories.”

Boats will arrive on May 28 and will be moored for the week until June 6. This will be a great opportunity to get up close to the very barges which were once part of everyday transport life in the town and bring back memories for those who remember the barges in action especially with Guinness.
 
 
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    BACK

    RSS Feed

    CLICK HERE to read the Latest Ballinasloe News Articles

    If you have you any news - 
    email us!
    ​

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

The Town Team was set up by BACD Ltd. to revive the fortunes of Ballinasloe and its hinterland. With the main focus to build on the town’s many strengths, change existing negative perceptions and bring about measurable improvements in the town centre economy and its wider social value.
Contact Us
Service Directory
Homepage
Links
How to get to Ballinasloe
Privacy Statement
Sitemap
Latest Ballinasloe Death Notices
Picture
Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd.
Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre 
Creagh
Ballinasloe
Co. Galway

Email
All generic photos and images have been sourced and are free of copyright or are clip art images free of copyright.  Photos of Ballinasloe have been donated by BEC.  If you have any photos that you would like included on the website please email us
Copyright © All rights reserved, 2022 BACD 
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On