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Irish Waterways Books & Maps

A selection of books and maps (not for navigation) related to the Irish Inland Waterways

  • In 2019, Gwen Wilkonson set herself the challange of building a canoe and paddlng it the lenght of Ireland, along a network of inland waterways. Setting out from the shores of Lough Erne, she navigated a 400km journey to the tidal waters of the River Barrow in Ireland. More than just a travelogue, 'The Waters and the Wild' explores the interwoven histories of the people and wildlife that shaped Gwen's journey. From wild camping on deserted islands to drifting on lakes in the company of restless lapwings. This book invites the reader to share an intense engagment with the natural world. The charming text is accompanied by the authors own striking lino and woodcut prints, beautiful and thought provoking interpretations of the flora and fauna she observed on her travels. Gwen paddled to explore, searching for inspiration and a desire to learn more about the island we we inhabbit, and she was met with rich and illuminating experiances far beyond her expectations.
  • 67.M, The Story of a Barge by Charlie Dunn This beautifully bound 202pg book takes you through the 80 something year history of one of Irelands heritage barges. It covers the construction and history of the vessel as well as its life as a working boat and the men who lived and worked on her. Charlie's journey with 67.M began in 1992 and he walks you through his triumphs and challenges in an honest account of what its like to convert a heritage barge, sell it, and then buy it back again. This book contains many stories and tales of times gone by as well as some of the practical knowledge Charlie has gained over the years. A comprehensive history of one boats journey on the Inland Waterways. Book is a hardback leather bound, A4 size
  • Out of stock
    An illustrated guide to Lough Ree which includes photos, maps, water depths and handy tips to both common and off the beaten track moorings.   First Published in 2018 by Pat McManus
  • Out of stock
    The concept of this calendar is to celebrate the women, their boats and the Waterways of Ireland. The models are members of the HBA and the IWAI who, I feel have stepped up to the challenge of trying something well outside their comfort zone, all in the name of Charity. Body painting is a relatively new art form in Ireland and I have had an amazing fun putting my designs on living canvas, with such fantastic backdrops as the rivers, lakes and canals on our gorgeous waterways. So I hope you enjoy the calendar as much as we did and that you're inspired even more to enjoy our wonderful waterways. - Donna Pryde, Artist
  • (Photo Coming soon, having a problem uploading it) The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were a boom period for Irish waterways. HM Treasury had cash to burn and influential Irish MPs were keen to bring money home in the form of infrastructure investment. As navigation by waterway became faster and easier, new possibilities opened up: fresh eggs and bacon to Liverpool for breakfast, a ready supply of turf to Limerick to fuel the distillery, bogs drained for arable land, and fast comfortable trips to Kilkee to take the sea air. Based on a collection of the late Brian J Goggin's extensive research and writings on Irish waterways, this book tells the story of those improvements and of many diversions along the way: waterways which were never completed, debauchery in the canals of Dublin, cargoes stolen, workers on strike and boats sunk. This is a selection of what his family hope you will find to be interesting articles on interesting subjects, rather than a comprehensive history of Ireland's waterways. The book is a has a hardback cover with a paper slip. It measures 24.1 x 17 x 2.8cm
  • MY LAGAN LOVE - A Portrait of the River Lagan Text By Ian Hill, Paintings by Gillian Lutton. Hardback. The Lagan may be a small river compared with the great European rivers such as the Rhine or the Danube yet this grey-brown river which sluices through Belfast once created the power to run the mills and foundries, not just of the cities of Belfast and Lisburn, but of every town and village from the mountains to the sea, thus establishing much of the wealth of Ulster. This book treats you to an unrivalled trip to explore the river and surrounding area in the company of leading travel writer Ian Hill and respected watercolourist Gillian Lutton. Stop along the way as Ian shares with you his unique insights on the ecology, geography and history of the Lagan, its famous and sometimes scandalous people, whilst Gillian Lutton’s stunning watercolours reveal to you the hidden treasures to be found around this marvellous stretch of river. 112 pages,  padded hardback 285mm x 210mm x 15mm
  • Out of stock
    Paul Clements travels the length of the Shannon in this book.  It will be of interest to nature lovers and to tourists, containing a wealth of local knowledge of the area around Shannon, especially useful for ‘staycations’. In August 1939 the Irish travel writer Richard Hayward set out on a road trip to explore the Shannon region just two weeks before the Second World War broke out. His evocative account of that trip, Where the River Shannon Flows, still sought after now by lovers of the river, became a bestseller. Eighty years on, inspired by his work, Paul Clements – author of Romancing Ireland, the biography of Richard Hayward – retraces Hayward’s journey along the river, following – if not strictly in his footsteps – then within the spirit of his trip. From the Shannon Pot in Cavan, 344 kilometres south to the Shannon estuary, his meandering odyssey takes him by car, on foot, and by bike and boat, discovering how the riverscape has changed but is still powerful in symbolism. While he recreates Hayward’s trip, Clements also paints a compelling portrait of twenty-first century Ireland, mingling travel and anecdote with an eye for the natural world. The book gives a voice to stories from water gypsies, anglers, sailors, lock keepers, bog artists, ‘insta’ pilgrims and a water diviner celebrating wisdom through her river songs and illuminates cultural history and identity. Wildlife, nature, and the built heritage, including historic bridges, all play a part. On a quixotic journey Paul Clements produces an intimate portrait of the hidden countryside, its people, topography and wildlife, creating a collective memory map, looking at what has been lost and what has changed. This is the country of the River Shannon that runs through literature, art, cultural history and mythology with a riptide pull on our imagination – a tribute to Ireland’s longest river reflecting the deep vein flowing through the culture of the country.

    About the Author

    Paul Clements is a travel writer and broadcaster. He is the author of Romancing Ireland: Richard Hayward, 1862–1964 (Lilliput, 2015), as well as three books on Ireland: Irish Shores: A Journey Round the Rim of Ireland (1993), The Height of Nonsense: The Ultimate Irish Road Trip (2005), and Burren Country: Travels Through an Irish Limestone Landscape (2011). He has written and edited two books on travel writer and historian Jan Morris, and is a contributing writer to Fodor’s Guide Ireland and Insight Guide Ireland. A former BBC journalist, he is a Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford and lives in Belfast. 284 pages 215 x 136 x 30mm B&W. Paperback
  • Few people today are aware of the history of organised yachting on the north Shannon on Lough Allen, Lough Key, Lough Drumharlow, Lough Boderg, Lough Bofin and Lough Forbes. Between 1896 and 1929 there was a prosperous yacht club in the north Shannon in which the landlords and professional classes who were residents of Counties Roscommon, Leitrim and Longford enjoyed time on the lakes. The club had a major influence on the creation of the Shannon one-design. This book is the definitive history of the club, warts and all. The North Shannon Yacht Club by Vincent Delany describes the history of the Club in the latter part of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century.  Drawing on the Delany family archives, interviews with descendants of those involved and newspaper articles the book describes the events that took place under the flag of the club, the people involved and also lists many of the vessels involved. 82 pages with some colour images.230 x 152 x 7mm. Published by Vincent Delany.
  • Out of stock
    The Motor Yacht Club of Ireland by Vincent Delany describes motor boating in Ireland 1907-1935 including the arrival of outboard engines n Ireland, the Tailteann Games 1924 with inboard engines and 1928 with inboard and outboard engines and the arrival of hydroplane racing in Ireland. It describes events in Kingstown, Pembroke, Clontarf, Waterford, Cork Harbour, Belfast Lough, River Bann, Loughs Boderg, Bofin, Forbes, Ree and Tarmonbarry. The book is modest in size but carries historic photographs of the people and vessels. Paperback, 48 pages with many photographs.  229 x 153 x 5mm.
  • Round Ireland by Slow Boat by Richard Kennedy is a captivating and entertaining story of a sailing voyage taken by Richard and Rita Kennedy on their yacht Seachran.  Starting from Rossaveal in Connemara, they undertake a leisurely circumnavigation of Ireland to fulfill a long-standing resolve. Intended to be a 10 week journey, fate and circumstance allowed Rita and Richard to turn the trip into a 5 month voyage over two summers. Throughout the trip, Richard kept a detailed diary which became the basis for this book. Paperback, 261 pages plus 16 pages of colour photos.  157 x 234 x 20mm.  Published by Throughthechair Publishing.
  • Historic Killaloe - A Guide to its Antiquities by Sean Kierse.  First published 1983, this edition 2001. A short guide to the built heritage of the Historic Town of Killaloe and it's environs including St Flannan's Cathederal, Kincora and the Graves of the Leinstermen. 46 Pages, Fully illustrated in B&W with colour cover.  210 x 146 x 3mm.

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