HBA 10 @ Banagher
Heritage Boat Association, a week to celebrate our tenth anniversary
May 28th to June 6th 2011
In May 2001 the HBA was launched at the World Canal Conference in Dublin. In Banagher, once the centre of a prosperous river business and a vital stop for barges and boats on the Dublin to Limerick navigation, the HBA will host a week long event to celebrate their anniversary.
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During the Anniversary Week, talks will take place at the Crank House, Main Street, Banagher (just up from the Harbour)
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Date
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Speaker
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Subject
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Mon
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May 30
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Stephen Heery
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Shannon Callows, a view from the land
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Tue
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May 31
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Donal Lynch
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Historic Boats of the Shannon and County Galway
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Wed
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Jun 1
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James Scully
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Tour of Banagher’s waterside heritage
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Thu
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Jun 2
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Declan Ryan
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Defences on the Shannon
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Fri
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Jun 3
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Christy Cunniffe
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Clonfert on the Mid-Shannon
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Sat
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Jun 4
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Brian J Goggin
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Loop Head to Liverpool, early Shannon steamers & the great trade route
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Sat
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Jun 4
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Andy Roche
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The Heritage Boat Association - a perspective
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Sun
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Jun 5
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Mark Maguire
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History of hire vessels on the Shannon
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During the week, you will have the opportunity
- to see over twenty ex-working barges and canal boats moored up in Banagher’s historic harbour
- to observe 45M, built in Dublin in 1928, and carefully maintained in its original working condition. This barge was recently featured in the TV series Three Men go to Ireland
- to watch a demonstration of a working Bolinder engine, a must for vintage engine enthusiasts
- to talk to traditional boat construction experts who will be in attendance
- to reminisce with some of the retired Canal Boatmen about their lives on canal boats in the 1950’s
- to talk to members of the Heritage Boat Association about their experiences of owning old barges and boats
- to talk about and view the building methods used in the traditional coracle
In addition
- local coracle building teams are being arranged under the auspices of Newgrange Currach. [Take a look at what they do on their weekends after building the boats Currach Adventures]
- an invitation has been extended to local people to bring their old river photos to us for scanning and displaying at the event
- a heritage boat will enter Banagher lock, a system not used since before the 1840s
- the Crank House will also host
o A display of canal artefacts and barge models
o audio visuals of the canal and the history of the Heritage Boat Association
o a nature display by Birdwatch Ireland
- Silverline Cruisers are organising boat trips with a Birdwatch Ireland guide on board
- fishing competitions are being arranged by local anglers
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