PRESS RELEASE
Lord Mayor to welcome Traditional shipment of whiskey casks on Grand Canal
Date and Times: 6 October 2009 with Official Reception at 16.30 Portobello Lock Grand Canal
Event Description: In order to mark the 50th anniversary of the Grand Canal’s closure to commercial traffic in 1959, to celebrate the achievements of the boatmen who worked the commercial boats and to promote the restoration of the Kilbeggan Line, Tullamore this event involves shipping 2 whiskey Casks by Canal from Locks Distillery in Kilbeggan to Dublin via the Grand Canal for the first time in 50 years.
The specially selected whiskey is a Locke’s nine year old single malt called Grand Crew. The casks are currently on the last part of the trip into Dublin on board heritage barge project 107B accompanied by another heritage barge 45M and will be welcomed by an official reception at 17.00 hrs at Portobello Lock, Grand Canal Dublin, there may even be a little tasting on the banks of the Canal.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin Councilor Emer Costello will extend the welcome of the City of Dublin to the barge crews and support teams on the evening.
Event Organisers: Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI), Heritage Boat Association (HBA), Cooley Distillery, 107B restoration barge project, Irish Whiskey Society. and Kilbeggan Harbour Amenity Group.
Any Other Details: The transportation from the distillery in Kilbeggan has involved a mix of 1969 Leyland vintage truck, a Clydesdale work horse and vintage cart with horse mounted outriders, industrial heritage and skills via the heritage barges, crews including a number of the retired bargemen (that worked the canal during the commercial trade years).
Event Category: Inland waterways, industrial heritage, traditional skills, historic buildings, floating heritage, green transport, talking history.
The journey to date may be viewed at www.grandcrew.iwai.ie
