The Rally Website is at [shannonrally.iwai.ie]
The 50th Shannon Boat Rally was launched on Wednesday last at The Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon. Also launched was a commemorative book to mark the 50th Rally. More details on [shannonrally.iwai.ie]

Michael




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 24/07/2010 11:10 by Michael Slevin.

For people going on the Shannon Boat Rally, there's a considerable range of Rally-branded items available. Anyone who wants to have items of clothing customised with the name of their boat or similar should pre-order. Pre-ordering is also advised for anyone with unusual size requirements too! We're also doing a commemorative whiskey similar to last year's very successful bottling. Details are at [shannonrally.iwai.ie].
Michael

Greetings,

Please see the attached message from Patricia Darby Hon Sec COS Branch re
the Shannon Boat Rally offer from ESL.

Best Wishes,

Colin
================begins==========
> *Emerald Star - Special Office for Shannon Boat Rally *
> [www.emeraldstar.ie]
>
> We'd like to offer you and your members a discount on boats for the
> Rally -
> we're pretty well sold for July already and only have 5 boats left, but we
> currently have a 20% offer on the following:
> 1 x Caprice (4+2) [www.emeraldstar.ie
> [www.emeraldstar.ie]
> ]
> 1 x Mountain Star (4+1)
> [www.emeraldstar.ie[www.emeraldstar.ie]
> ]
> 2 x Shannon Star (6+2)
> [www.emeraldstar.ie[www.emeraldstar.ie]
> ]
> The Royal Magnifique is our Flagship in Ireland and has been newly
> refurbished for 2010, but we can offer a 10% discount on this boat if
> booked
> by the end of June, 2010.
>
> Regards,
> Patricia Darby
> Hon. Sec. Carrick-on-Shannon Branch
====================ends======================

Greetings,

Emerald Star have sent us the following reminder.

Best Wishes,

Colin
======================begins===================

> Emerald Star is currently offering
> 30% off all cruises for July & August - short Breaks and weekly hire.
> The Royal Magnifique is still 10% but only on weekly (+) hires. Both
> needs to be booked by the end of July and there are only a few boats
left.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Sandra
>

That doesn't sound good!
If we're getting reminded, it's probably safe to assume that "only a few boats left" are proving difficult to shift.
I wonder how long can the present situation continue.
I would dearly love to hire from ESL, having done so many times in the past! However, I can have a fortnights sunshine holiday, including meals, for less than a weeks boat rental at their current rates!
Of course there are smaller operators offering much more competitive rates, but now that I'm bringing son-and-heir along I tend to consider maintenance schedules and safety standards rather more than I used to. Are the smaller operators as stringent as ESL used to be?
Appalling withdrawal symptoms notwithstanding, it does look as though I'll be going without a boating holiday again...unless I can persuade SWMBO to let me spend a little on my own boat. Unlikely, given the state of the house!

Duncan

to the Shannon boat rally,

A lot of excitement this year for the 50th Shannon boat rally[shannonrally.iwai.ie] ,this is really going to be an extra special one,with boats and barges travelling from every end of the waterways.
The time and effort the committee put into this is unreal this really shows as the week progresses,
SO who is going on it.....make yourself known here over the next few days and we will keep an eye out for each other and say hello as the week progreses

Ralf aka (conor) and the crew of "Moonshadow"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 19/07/2010 17:45 by ralf.

Wishing you guys all the best and hoping everybody enjoys a superb event. Sorry can't be there, might make it by car on one of the days.

OceanFroggie

Hi all you Moonshadow crew. Looking forward to seeing you on Ree for the
rally. Any hints for the table quiz??

Brendan (Waves)

On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 5:34 PM, IWAI forum ralf wrote:

> Posted at: [www.iwai.ie]
> ralf wrote:
>
> to the Shanon boat rally,
>
> A lot of excitement this year for the 50th Shannon boat rallyhttp://
> shannonrally.iwai.ie/ ,this is really going to be an extra special
> one,with boats and barges travelling from every end of the waterways.
> The time and effort the committee put into this is unreal this really shows
> as the week progresses,
> SO who is going on it.....make yourself known here over the next few days
> and we will keep an eye out for each other and say hello as the week
> progreses
>
> Ralf aka (conor) and the crew of "Moonshadow"
>

Reply Quote

LOL,
good man Brendan..........
HHhhhmmm the table quiz hint,
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
OK ill give you one bring reading glasses and sit near the front you will hear the questions
Looking forward to seeing you again.

Hi Conor
we can't wait for the Rally..... and this year we have the bunting ready!!!!!! Looking forward to meeting up with all the gang from last year and meeting new friends too
When are you heading for Lanesborough???? I heard that some of the boats went down this past weekend......
C u then
Mary

It's 7.50 pm in Melbourne and all you lucky people are on the bus from Lanesboro at 10.50 am to meet Mrs. Mac in Carrick, according to my calculations.

You cant believe how much I'm missing being there - well, maybe a few of you might... I hope some sufficiently multi-talented person is assigned the onerous judgeship of the line heaving.

Saw the photos of the book launch - wall-to-wall Herraghtys.

Seems a long time ago since my first Rally in 1968 - the 8th!

I hope the 150 boats have as good a time as the last 150 had for the Belturbet to Belleek to Carrick bash had.

Ask Donal O Siochain to mention me off the altar at some stage.

Luv to all - see ye soon

Jim Murray
BBC BSF

PS Someone drop me a line...

Well, Jim, the launch today by President Mary McAleese will have you pining for the fjords a little more...

Press release follows:

“Boating people don’t care about the weather” said President McAleese at the official opening of the 50th Shannon Boat Rally

On a typical wet Irish morning, President McAleese officially opened the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland 50th Shannon Boat Rally, Saturday 24th July in Carrick on Shannon.

Over 500 boaters gathered to welcome the President and Dr McAleese. President of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland Paul Garland said “The McAleese family is no stranger to the River Shannon. Most of us have had their friendly wave as they pass by and I know that they share that special joy we all have by simply being on the river”

In her address, the President recalled her first boating experience on Lough Ree – “Martin and I were only baby boaters at that time – as we met our first four foot wave, our son Justin – who had little faith in our boating skills – called on us to contact the coastguard!” Reflecting on the significance of the River Shannon to the towns, villages and communities along its route, the President said “from this silver garland – our river Shannon – you see Ireland from a different perspective”

Over 140 boats, barges and sailing cruisers crewed by over 500 people will spend the next two weeks holidaying on the River Shannon bringing much needed business to the many small towns and villages along the banks of the Shannon. The two largest towns on the river - Carrick on Shannon and Athlone along with Waterways Ireland – have invested significantly in the river’s navigation, harbours and facilities which makes boating a pleasure for the Shannon Rally. The Shannon Rally goes from strength to strength said Commodore of the 50th rally, Donal O’Siocháin, with more and more people choosing to holiday in Ireland on our rivers – year on year.

President McAleese concluded by thanking the IWAI volunteers – “the custodians of the river, the champions of the river – who cherish the river – they have taught us to be careful of the river – to keep it for the next generation.

Commodore Donal O’Siocháin presented President McAleese a specially commissioned Leitrim crystal plate engraved with the rally emblem and a copy of the newly launched book “Stories of a River” - commemorating 50 years of the Shannon Boat Rally. Vice Commodore Tom Meegan presented Dr McAleese with a bottle of single malt Irish whiskey – one of only 292 bottles matured at Kilbeggan’s Locke’s Distillery especially for the Shannon Rally.

The event was attended by Frank Dolan Cathaoirleach Leitrim County Council, County Manager Leitrim County Council - Jackie Maguire, and Waterways Ireland Chief Executive Waterways Ireland - John Martin.

Ends

See press release and the full text of IWAI President, Paul Garland and Rally Commodore Donal O'Siocháin's speeches at [shannonrally.iwai.ie]
A "monument" in the form of a buoy to commemorate the 50th rally was "unveiled" by the President. A second buoy will be unveiled in Athlone.

Those who missed it can hear the 5-minute segment on Monday morning's Morning Ireland on RTE Radio1 on the Shannon Rally website - [shannonrally.iwai.ie]
... and some super aerial photographs of the fleet at Portrunny from the camera of Joe Relihan at [shannonrally.iwai.ie]
/M

Fantastic shots. Looks amazing.

OceanFroggie

Well so far the Rally has been amazing,even the weather has been kind enough to us will stick up a few photos later when i get proper wifi signal.

Any one that may be interested in the shannon boat rally might just tune in to the SIX ONE news on RTE this evening Friday 30th,we hope to get 3 or 4 mins of coverage,even les might see himself!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 30/07/2010 01:46 by ralf.

A few random snaps from a Hugely successful rally,cruiser`s,canal boat`s,the HBA,even a few u boats!!

Dave mc cabe doing rescue demo.





Unfortunately photobucket and i fell out and i cant upload too many...........but i will,advice needed as to a host by PM preferably.
Cheers from Athlone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 31/07/2010 23:24 by ralf.

A few more......

An absolutly fantastic event thoroughly enjoyed by the crew of Reflection. A very fitting climax to our four and a half weeks on the water. Chilling out in a a very quiet Shannon harbour this evening on the way back down to Derg(late late finish on Premier award winning boat 4B, this morning on top of a week of late night has me knackered....).
The whole rally event and the welcome afforded us was amazing and many thanks to all the organisers for an event which seemed to run like clockwork.
Lookingh forward to meeting the lots of new aquaintainces made on the waterways in the future (Or maybe at next years Rally...)
PS: Next year I will try to improve my naviagation skills so that I dont end up travelling to Carrick on Shannon via Beleek again...!
Richard and Mags

Richard & Mags
"REFLECTION"

Reiterating Richard's sentiments - a fantastic event. Everything ran so smoothly, the result of huge effort from everyone involved.

Many thanks to you all.

Beth
Aqualegia