"The Shannon Navigation" by Ruth Delany

The Shannon Navigation" traces the history of the River Shannon as a navigation up to the present day from the 1750s when the early works were commenced under the Commissioners of Inland Navigation and subsequently under the Directors General of Inland Navigation from 1800 to 1831. In the 1830s the arrival of steamers focussed attention on the poor state of the navigation, which coincided with the efforts of the Government to initiate public works to relieve distress by providing employment. During the 1840s a major scheme was carried out creating the fine navigation, which is enjoyed today. The book also deals with the fact that the works were designed to address the combined issues of navigation and drainage but only partially improved the extensive problems of flooding. The age of the steamers was cut short by the coming of the railways and a second attempt to provide passenger boats in the early 1900s was unsuccessful. The subsequent history of the navigation is traced including the harnessing of the river as a hydro-electric scheme, which had a substantial impact on the navigation. The gradual decline in the use of the river for commercial trade saw it entering a very low ebb until recent years, which have seen the growth in the use of the river for tourism and recreation, with the great works of the 1840-50's utilised to their full potential for the first time.

The book is illustrated by over two hundred and fifty photographs, engravings, posters, maps and drawings and contains useful appendices with details of the Acts and parliamentary papers, the works, tonnage carried and information about the steamers and other boats.

The Shannon Navigation, Lilliput Press Ltd, Ruth Delany, is available in both hardback and softback. both 304 pages - Hardback, ISBN10, 1843511320 (€60.00) - Softback ISBN10 1843511282 (€29.95)

(You can buy this book from IWAI from 31/03/08)