Ireland » Shannon - Erne Waterway

Additional informations: Piers, ports & harbours with informations on waters. House boat & yacht charter.

Shannon-Erne Waterway
Ballynamore and Ballyconnell Canal

No license is needed for house boat hirers!
























There is life in the old dog yet....
If this has ever been true for a waterway, it is for the Ballinamore and Balliconnell Canal. The lows of Ireland stipulated that a canal must serve for de-watering and transportation. That meant, the necessary compromises, didn't really help any of the two concerns.    
Together with Shannon and Ulster Canal, it was thought as a link from Limerik to Belfast. After the opening in 1860 one discovered that there was nothing to be transported on this stretch.
After a short dozen of commercial vessels had passed the entire first nine years, it was used for de-watering only and it degenerated visibly. 
Since boating tourism become more and more important on the Shannon, IWAI and the Council of Leitim started a fact finding for a possible instauration. 
Already in 1991 renovation of the canal started, highly supported by the EU regional found and in 1994 the, now called, Shannon-Erne Waterway, was inaugurated by politicians of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Today, the Shannon-Erne Waterway is the most modern waterway of Ireland.