THE INLAND CANAL.
The opening of the Newry canal was as innovative as the launch of the space shuttle today. Its task was to take coal from Tyrone to Dublin via the port of Newry and the Irish Sea. The canal’s success was short-lived with the railway very quickly taking over. It’s a great irony that without the canal to carry the materials the railway might never have been built. The canal was very much a victim of its own success.
From the 1960s the inland canal was abandoned and lost its status as a navigation to become officially designated as a drain. With no official protection it’s a wonderful testament to the builders that the entire canal is intact. The lock chambers are still elegant and imposing pieces of architecture. Through the dedicated campaigning of the Canal Preservation Society over the years the waterway is intact with none of it lost to road building or landfill as has happened elsewhere. But it has been badly neglected by the four local councils who now own it. In the lock chambers trees have been allowed to grow to such an extent that their roots have shifted the massive granite blocks. Banks have been removed by farmers to allow animals access to the water and some sills have been removed to help prevent flooding of surrounding lands.
Not until the 1990s did the councils come together to try and apply for grant aid to restore the navigation. They were successful in that the towpath has been reinstated and now forms a way-marked long distance route for cyclists and walkers. All efforts to gain funding for the canal itself, however, have failed.
Since its formation in 2005 the branch has pleaded with and harangued the councils to better conserve the canal infrastructure but to no avail. Finally we had to do the job ourselves and during the winter of 2008 we began having regular workparties. With the now enthusiastic support of the four councils the branch has the following aims for the inland canal
- Clear all the locks of debris and jungle
- Ensure there is no possibility of obstructive development on the canal or banks.
- Carry out remedial work on masonry and conserve other artefacts.
- Apply for grant aid for piecemeal restoration of locks.
- Liase with statutory bodies to have the canal used as much as possible for public recreation.
- Continue to press for restoration of the entire navigation.
To see a selection of photos of the Inland canal past, present and future go to the Latest news page and follow the links through each lock and village. We would like to build a database of photographs on 'The life of the Newry canal.' If you can contribute please email the branch - newry@iwai.ie
Read the text of a piece for RTE Seascapes by Geraldine Foley on the Newry canal.
Other articles are; The Newry Canal, Brian
Cassells
also
The Newry Canal from Portadown to Newry
David Algeo has a description of a
walk by the Newry canal.