Waterways Ireland to expand Shannonbridge marina

Waterways Ireland is to install eight additional berths at Shannonbridge marina as well as a berth for a potential boat tour operator hoping to establish in the village.

Speaking at a recent Offaly County Council meeting, the Operations Controller for Waterways Ireland, Éanna Rowe, said that Waterways Ireland has 40 discovery points it wants to develop, three of which are located in Offaly in Shannonbridge, Shannon Harbour and Clonmacnoise.

“The Shannon is going to be different in that each site will have a different kind of installation and will tell a unique story about the importance of those sites.”

Mr Rowe continued: “When it comes to Shannonbridge and the Shannonbridge marina we were delighted to be involved in the development of the master plan there... and we will this year be increasing boating capacity by 50% in the existing upstream marina with eight additional berths.”

Waterways Ireland hopes to lodge a planning application shortly and has already secured funding for the work.

Mr Rowe said Waterways Ireland will also be installing a canoe step in advance of developing canoe trails along the waterway in Shannonbridge under its Shannon Tourism Masterplan.

Cllr John Clendennen highlighted that there can often “be an awful lot more boats than there is actual marina space” in Shannonbridge and Banagher.

Cllr John Carroll added that Shannonbridge and Shannon Harbour probably took the “greatest brunt” of the effect of Bord na Móna disengaging from peat production.

Mr Rowe said that it was the ambition of the water body to develop Shannon Harbour as a berth.

“We already have houseboat berths in Shannon Harbour. Shannon Harbour is a gem I believe where we would be able to attract boats off the Shannon in particular and get that traffic that has been talked about by other members.”

He said that they are also hoping to increase the number of cruise hire bases too.