My Weekly Photo Challenge – R for Royal Canal

The Royal Canal… one of Ireland’s major inland waterways. I won’t do a history lesson… that would keep us here for a week or longer. I’ll just say the advent of the railroad and later road transport seriously affected the feasibility of the inland systems all over Europe. The Royal Canal suffered to such an extent that it fell into disrepair and in places was almost filled in. A smelly ditch, was the way it was described in many places.

Because the canal linked towns and often cut through the centre of these towns, local enterprise got involved – to restore sections of the waterway. Eventually, groupings began working together and by 2010 the canal was reopened. It flows from the River Liffey in Dublin all the way to the Shannon, passing though quite a few counties and stretching the length of 146 kilometres.

The highest point is somewhere near the midpoint town of Mullingar where a feeder from Lough Owel supplies water, in both directions. The navigation across country is made possible by utilising 46 locks to either rise or drop boats along the route. Simple yet ingenious, these gates open or close… allowing boats to enter the individual chambers that either flood or drain… the height of technology in the 17 and 18 hundreds – and still effective today!

OK… I have written many posts in the past about my walks along the Royal. I have met great folk along the canal and spent time on board barges. So… it will be remiss of me not to revisit the canal… even if it is only virtually! I hope you enjoy just a few of the many photos you will find if you look back at the blog!

Please see the Wiki-P RC Page… there are so many interesting facts to learn…

PS – Looks to me as if Nellie fever is waning… maybe she should have a break? Do let me know, please…