Coming Events
Happy New Year to all our members. Whilst it is still too early to get the bitumen applied it is never too soon to look forward to the coming season.
Before the boating starts the Inland Navigations of Ireland Historical Society is organising the 3rd edition of their One Day Conference Series on Saturday 11th March. This year’s topic is The Limerick Navigation. Details here .
Liam Kelly is inviting members (preferably by boat) to the official relaunch of The Fox (113B). This will take place on 18th March in Ballyleague/Laneborough.
On 27th May the RCAG are celebrating the 200 year anniversary of the arrival of the Royal Canal to the Shannon at Richmond Harbour. Members and their boats are invited to participate in this celebration. More details here .
HBA Itinerary 2017
Below is an outline of planned trips for this year
The year will start with a Spring trip to the River Barrow, with Easter in Athy (14th-17th April) and the following weekend in Carlow (22nd/23rd April. There is the option for boats will continue down the Barrow to spend the Summer on the (at least) 3-Sisters and beyond to the estuary, the others will return to the Shannon in time for the Summer season.
There may be an event over the June Bank Holiday in Ballycommon (1-3rd June, TBC) for those returning via the Grand Canal, but the first confirmed event will be the IWAI Shannon Harbour Canal Boat Rally (16/18th June) followed by the IWAI Derg Rally (8-15th July).
The annual CiC on the Shannon will be on Lough Ree this year from 5th – 13th August. The CiC will conclude with a short trip up the Royal Canal (14-18th August). The Royal Canal is celebrating 200 years since its arrival to the Shannon at Richmond Harbour.
Naas is celebrating 30 years since the reopening of the Naas Branch in 1987. Kildare IWAI invite the HBA to take part in this event which will take place over the October Bank Holiday weekend. This would suit the returning Barrow fleet.
We are exploring with Waterways Ireland the possibility of the boats visiting Naas to continue on to Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock to spend the winter in the capital. The fleet would then leave Dublin by the Royal Canal in the Spring of 2018.
A detailed itinerary has been emailed to members and is available at this link (pdf) .
Latest News 
