IWAI has today formally launched a new publication entitled “Guide to the Ulster Canal”.
The launch, at the London Boat Show, was attended by Éamon Ó Cuív TD, Minister for Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (RoI) and Edwin Poots MLA, Minister at the Department of Culture arts and Leisure, (NI) who both wrote forewards for the book.
The 48 page spiral bound guide book follows the same format as the existing Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Barrow Guides.  There are maps for each section of the canal and a range of historical and other information that will be of use to anyone wishing to explore the canal on foot, by car or on a bicycle.
At present there is no navigation on the canal but restoration of the first section from the Erne to Clones has been sanctioned and is expected to be completed in about 6 years time. IWAI continues to campaign for the restoration of the remaining sections.  As restoration proceeds, revised versions of the guide showing the navigation details will be published.
The Ulster Canal linked Lough Neagh to the Erne Navigation but was abandoned in 1931. This canal is the “missing link” in the Irish inland waterways network. When it’s completed, as we fully expect it will be, we will have a network of over 1000km of navigable waterway linking Limerick, Waterford, Dublin and Enniskillen to Monaghan and on to Coleraine.
The guide was compiled by Joe McCool and members of IWAI’s Ulster Canal Working Group.  Maps were generated by ERA Maptec and the layout was by Nuala Redmond.
The “Guide to the Ulster Canal” is available from a number of outlets in the canal corridor and from the IWAI on-line book-shop www.iwai.ie/shop