River Cruise - Shannon Erne Waterway

Shannon Erne Waterway

Type : Canal and canalised river. It was completed in 1860 to facilitate comercial traffic but it was never very succesful. The restoration of the waterway for tourism was started in 1991 with particular attention to the ecology of the waterway and surroundings.

Length : 63.4 km with 16 locks. The 16 locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway are operated by smart card.

Along the Way

• 0.3 km Leitrim moorings and quay and service block (see below). Leitrim, gateway to the Shannon-Erne Waterway, is a pleasant village with a jetty with excellent facilities for the cruising traffic. There are several good pubs in Leitrim and a trekking centre. It is a beautifully kept village with an excellent reputation in the Tidy Towns competition.
• 1.0 km Killarcan lock.
• 1.7 km Killarcan bridge
• 1.8 km Tirmactiernan lock
• 2.3 km Ballinwing bridge
• 3.4 km Drumduff bridge and lock
• 3.6 km Newbrook bridge
• 3.8 km Newbrook lock
• 4.4 km Lisconor bridge and lock
• 5.2 km Kilclare lock lower
• 5.4 km Kilclare bridge and middle lock
• 5.6 km Kilclare lock upper
• 6.0 km Kilclare bridge

• 6.3 km Scrabbagh bridge
• 7.1 km Drumaleague Lough
• 7.3 km Letterfine Cutting begins.
• 7.5 km Letterfine bridge
• 7.9 km Lough Scur bridge
• 8.5 km Letterfine cutting ends, Lough Scur
• 10.3 km Lough Scur ends
• 10.5 km Keshcarrigan village and moorings. Service Block. This is a scenic village on the waterway and lies at the foot of Sheebeg. There is a mooring for cruising traffic and lively pubs which often have traditional music sessions. It is a centre for coarse angling. From Keshcarrigan starts the Lough Scur Circuit walk. The walk is 12km and circumnavigates Lough Scur on quiet country roads. There is also a 7 km walk; the O' Carolan walk that goes around Sheemore and Sheebeg. Details can be found on the IWAI website.
• 11.1 km Rossy footbridge
• 11.4 km Lough Marrave
• 12.5 km Castlefore bridge
• 13.2 km Castlefore lock and bridge
• 13.6 km Drumany bridge
• 14.9 km Derrinkip bridge
• 15.5 km Muckros Lough
• 16.6 km St. John's Lough
• 17.5 km Derrymacoffin bridge
• 18.6 km Ballyduff bridge
• 19.0 km Ballyduff lock
• 20.7 km Creevy bridge. Ballinamore golf course
• 22.7 km Ballinamore quay. Service Block. Ballinamore is a thriving rural village and is internationally renowned for its angling waters with a total of 40 lakes in a 10km radius. The town offers many activities including walking, horse-riding and golfing. It is a good base for a many outings such as the Marble Arch Caves, Florence Court, Cavan Crystal & etc. It boasts lively evening entertainment with some great pubs and good restaurants. It is also the location of the Leitrim Genealogy Centre, Swan Island Open Farm, and a Wild West centre at Drumcoura City.

• 22.8 km Ballinamore lock
• 23.0 km Ballinamore bridge
• 23.9 km Ardrum lock
• 26.4 km Aghoo bridge
• 26.8 km Aghoo lock. Aghoo is home to the Glenview Folk Museum. It is a private collection of over 3000 antiques, historical and novel items ranging from pre famine Ireland. A historical street scene of reconstructed and fully equipped shops is fascinating.
• 28.9 km Derrygoan bridge
• 30.7 km Carrickmakeegan bridge
• 31.3 km Garadice Lough
• 35.0 km Garadice Lough ends. Haughtons Shore moorings (Service Block) With the villages of Newtowngore and Ballymagauran not far away to the south and north. In the grounds of the handsome stone St Patrick's Church in Newtowngore are some 18th century gravestones and the ruins of a church from the 17th century.
• 35.2 km Ballinacur bridge
• 36.4 km Woodford Lough
• 38.0 km Ballymaguaran Lough
• 39.4 km Derrycassan Lough
• 40.0 km Coologe Lough
• 40.6 km Skelan lock. The watercourse from here to Ballyconnell is a beautiful rural idyll wooded banks and open meadows. It is a particularly good area for birdwatcing.
• 44.4 km Bellaheady bridge
• 49.0 km Ballyconnell moorings. Service Block. Ballyconnell is a lovely little town with shops, restaurants and pubs. There is a championship golfcourse at Slieve Russell, the Museum of the
  Master Saddler 3 miles away at Colough, a Teddybear workshop (Bear Essentials) at at Bawnboy, and the Ballyhugh Arts and Cultural Centre (known for it#s activities, dances and music). The Ballyconnell area is noted for sites of archaeological interest, including a promontory fort at Ballyhugh 3 miles east and Killycluggin 4 miles south-west, where the decorated Killycluggin Stone was found. In early medieval times there was a celebrated school of classical studies at Tomregan near Ballyconnell and a curious carved head from the church there is currently in Ballyconnell parish church.

• 49.2 km Ballyconnell bridge and wharf
• 49.5 km Ballyconnell weir
• 49.9 km Ballyconnell lock
• 51.0 km Scotchtown Island west. Here the river forms the boundary between County Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) and County Cavan (Republic of Ireland) to the south.
• 51.4 km Scotchtown Island east
• 51.7 km Cloncoohy Cut starts
• 52.0 km Cloncoohy bridge
• 52.7 km Cloncoohy Cut ends
• 53.0 km Dernagore Cut starts
• 53.4 km Dernagore cut ends
• 55.1 km Corraquill bridge and lock
• 58.5 km Aghalane bridge
• 59.0 km Aghalane quay. Service Block.
• 62.8 km Drumard Lough, entrance to Drumard Lough Branch
• 63.4 km Upper Lough Erne
  

Drumard Lough Branch

• 1.2 km Foalies Cut starts
• 1.5 km Foalies bridge
• 1.7 km Foalies Cut ends, and junction with the River Erne
• 5.8 km Creeny bridge
• 6.0 km Belturbet moorings.RENTAL BASE. Belturbet is a lively and bustling town on the River Erne. there is a good selection of shops, restaurants and pubs here. There is also plenty to do in Belturbet with Bike hire, a 9 hole golf course and a 13th century Anglo-Norman motte and bailey on Turbet Island. The Festival of the Erne is a very popular annual event taking place from at the end of July/early Aug annually. With the famed Lady of the Erne pageant, live music, talent competition, marching bands, fireworks and the most popular fancy dress party in the county, the festival is not to be missed.
• 6.3 km Road bridge and the end of navigation
  

Service Blocks

Service blocks are provided by Waterways Ireland at six locations along the Shannon-Erne Waterway: Leitrim village, Keshcarrigan, Ballinamore, Haughton's Shore, Ballyconnell and Aghalane. Facilities provided for waterway users include toilets, showers, pump-outs and laundry facilities. The facilities are operated by smart cards.

Fuel Points

There are petrol stations in Leitrim village, Ballinamore and Ballyconnell - all are a short walk from the public moorings.