IWAI - Chronology 200s

	1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Recent Activities
13–28 May 2000	“Canals of Dublin” Millennium Rally with boats from the Grand Canal and Royal Canal converging at Shandon Gardens. Newcomen railway bridge still not operational but boats allowed to pass through.
Aug-00	Shannon Millennium Rally with boats from Athlone, Carrick and Derg branches converging on Athlone.
19–20 Oct 2000	Ulster Waterways Group 3rd Annual Conference focused on Lagan Navigation.
23-Nov-00	IWAI held strategy meeting in Tullamore to look into revising the structures of the association.
Nov-00	Severe Shannon flooding.
2000	Lough Neagh & River Bann Association becomes an IWAI branch.
2000	Death of Maurice Semple author of books on the Corrib and campaigner against the building of low bridges over the Eglinton Canal.
2000	Hire firms get together to produce combined brochure Ireland’s Welcoming Waterways.
2000	Kildare County Council’s water abstraction scheme from River Barrow causes concern.
2000	NRA Kildare bypass deep cutting road works posed threat to Pollardstown Fen. IWAI campaign.
2000	Boyne Branch disbands and Dublin Branch agrees to include the Boyne in its agenda.
16–18 May 2001	World Canals Conference held in Dublin, Belfast and Lisburn with the theme “Living Heritage”.
Jul-01	Final Report of the Lough Derg & Lough Ree Catchment Monitoring & Management System published.
16–17 Sept 2001	Irish International Canoe Polo Championships held at Kilcock Harbour on the Royal Canal.
21–22 Sept 2001	Ulster Waterways Group hold 4th Annual Conference on the theme “The Coal Canals of Northern Ireland”.
2001	Kildare bypass controversy led to NRA adopting measures which it is confident will safeguard the water supply to Pollardstown Fen.
2001	Waterways Ireland to receive funding of Ł20 million sterling in 2001 and Ł24 million in 2002 with Ł60 million to complete the Royal Canal by 2006 in the National Development plan. John Martin appointed CEO.
2001	Heritage Boat Association formed.
2001	Foot & Mouth epidemic.
2001	The River Suck to Ballinasloe, the new canal to Boyle Harbour and the Limerick Navigation works all completed.
12-Mar-02	Public meeting held in Monaghan in association with the Ulster Waterways Group to promote the restoration of the Ulster Canal.
05-Apr-02	Donal O Siochain succeeded Colin Becker as President and the new structures for the association were accepted setting up six committees whose chairpersons serve on an Executive Committee with the officers and also some changes to the composition of the Council.
08-Apr-02	Dublin Corporation and Waterways Ireland launch their Improvement Scheme of landscaping etc. from Newcomen Bridge to Summerhill.
27-Sep-02	Ulster Waterways Group hold 5th Annual Conference on theme “Clones to Coleraine” with focus on the Lower Bann.
27-Nov-02	Heritage Council launched Pilot Corridor Study of the middle Shannon and Grand Canal from Shannon Harbour to Ballycommon.
22-Dec-02	EU brought out Water Framework Directive which calls for the island to be divided up into River Basin Districts for water management with plans to be drawn up on a phased timetable.
2002	Kildare County Council permitted to extract water from the Barrow with remedial measures to allow for possible reductions in navigation levels in dry conditions.
2002	Scheme to restore the summit level of the Newry Canal put forward.
2002	Dublin Branch commenced dinghy rallies and work parties on the Boyne Navigation.
2002	Work commenced to replace the culvert at Pake Bridge on the Royal Canal.
2002	Lough Neagh Advisory Committee published a Lough Neagh Management Strategy in which it recommended that Waterways Ireland should become the navigation authority for the lake.
2002	Waterways Ireland hold a series of consultation meetings around the country on Marketing Strategy.
2002	Boating & Leisure Centre opened at Hill of Down, Royal Canal.
2002	Department of Community Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs takes over administration of Waterways Ireland together with Department of Culture Arts & Leisure N.I. and Heritage Services transfer to Department of the Environment ROI.
2002	High water levels and heavy stream on Shannon cause damage to boats in early summer.
2002	Carrick Cubs now have 53 members.
22-May-03	New IWAI branch formed in Coalisland.
24-Jun-03	Coalisland Branch organised walk along the Coalisland Canal which attracted 300 people.
Oct-03	IWAI launch bid for funding for Phase I work on the Ulster Canal from Interreg.
2003	Waterways Ireland installed new jetties above the bridge at Shannonbridge and announced plans for a 24-berth mooring at Portrunny, a 32-berth mooring at Ballyleague, Lanesborough and a revised scheme for additional mooring at Garrykennedy with a number of private marina schemes also planned.
2003	Heritage Council awarded Heritage & Conservation Committee a grant to purchase recording equipment and maps to enable it to survey waterway heritage sites.
2003	IWAI expressed concern about proposal for development at Tullamore Harbour and made a submission to the local authority.
2003	Kildare Branch carried out remedial work on the Four Pots near Digby Bridge, Grand Canal.
2003	Royal Canal twins with Canal du Nivernais.
2003	Heritage Council commissions two further Corridor Studies from Shannonbridge to Lanesborough and Lanesborough to Roosky and the Royal Canal from Richmond Harbour to Thomastown including the Longford Line.
2003	Tarmonbarry hydroelectric scheme due to start in April 2004 despite some concerns from fishermen.
2003	Waterways Ireland excavating the two dry docks at Graiguenamanagh, one to be used as a working dry dock.
2003	Waterways Ireland completed work on linking moorings at Spencer Harbour, Lough Allen and at Cleighran More on the east shore of Lough Allen to the shore.
2003	Death of Heather Thomas: many tributes paid to her for her role in keeping traffic on the Grand Canal with Celtic Canal Cruisers.
2003	Death of Christy Deacy: founder member in 1976 and active member of Corrib Branch over the years.
2003	River Bann & Lough Neagh Pilot published by Michael Savage.
2003	Coillte and Roscommon County Council announced radical plans for Rockingham, Lough Key.
2003	Tralee Ship Canal: final stages of the restoration work underway.
2003	Waterways Ireland installed new jetties above the bridge at Shannonbridge and announced plans for a 24-berth mooring at Portrunny, a 32-berth mooring at Ballyleague, Lanesborough and a revised scheme for additional mooring at Garrykennedy with a number of private marina schemes also planned.
2003	Heritage Council awarded Heritage & Conservation Committee a grant to purchase recording equipment and maps to enable it to survey waterway heritage sites.
2003	IWAI expressed concern about proposal for development at Tullamore Harbour and made a submission to the local authority.
2003	Kildare Branch carried out remedial work on the Four Pots near Digby Bridge, Grand Canal.
2003	IWAI made application to the Interreg III Programme for funding to begin restoration work on the Ulster Canal
2004	IWAI 50th Annivesary Conference - See also the 50th anniversary conference article from IWN Summer 2004
2005	A new branch of IWAI, the Lagan branch was formed on 20th January 2005
2005	A new branch of IWAI, the Newry branch was formed on 11th March 2005
2005	Brian Cassells elected President at AGM
2005	IWAI Conference Highways to Leisureways held in Craigavon.
19 April 2005	Dublin City Council issue tender notice for "Removal of an existing steel lifting bridge and replacement with a fixed bridge at Grand Canal Dock, Pearse Street/Ringsend Road, Dublin 2." - in more detail its to Replace existing steel single leaf bascule of the scherzer type lifting bridge with a fixed three span reinforced concrete arch structure (or two/three span prestressed or post-tensioned beam bridge) on pile foundations plus the installation of two number 2.4 metre diameter storm water pipes adjacent to bridge on Pearse Street - navigation to be maintained except for the period between November and February.


22 Nov. 2005	Agence Ter announced as the winners of an architectural design competition to design the proposed Royal Canal Linear Park in Dublin (to extend from North Wall to Amiens St.)

2006	See report on IWAI's 2006 AGM, held in Maynooth, March 24th 2006.


April 2006	Blackwater Regional Partnership: Socio-Economic study of the Ulster Canal - Final Report April 2006 (1.6MB) Blackwater Regional Partnership: Ulster Canal Report April 2006 (Appendices) (2.5MB)
31 August 2006	Launch of new study "Socio Economic Study of the Ulster Canal" in the Long Gallery at Stormont. The study was prepared for the Blackwater Regional Partnership by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in association with Tourism Development International Blackwater Regional Partnership: Ulster Canal Socio-Economic Study - Summary of Findings - 30/08/06 (870kB)
2006	A series of Ulster Canal Work Parties held (organised by the UWG) focusing on "Making Structures Visible" October 21st at Pipers Bridge, October 28th-29th at Benburb, December 2nd at Carsons Bridge
25 October 2006	Ulster Canal Public Meeting held in Armagh. Speakers included Councillor William Irwin, Mayor of Armagh, and Glenn Millar, Economic Development Manager, British Waterways




2007	2007 was designated The Year of the Barrow - Lots of events were organised during the year on the Barrow.
15 Nov. 2007	The Ulster Canal Guide is published by IWAI.
21 Jan 2008	The Boyle River Branch of IWAI has its inaugural meeting.






	1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Recent Activities

IWAI - Chronology Compiled by Ruth Delany

IWAI - Chronology
Compiled by Ruth Delany