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December 1998 Vol. 25 Issue 4. Front Page Waterways 1 President & Council Waterways 2 Duchas Report The Boats Royal Canal in 1999 RCAG Jubilee Rally Branch News Baggywrinkle Newsletter Index

Baggywrinkle You'll have read earlier of Dick Warner's comments at the launch, in Leighlinbridge, of the brochure Pleasure Cruising on the River Barrow. The very colourful 16-page brochure describes the Barrow, its towns, activities in the area and various attractions. It provides information on five operations: Valley Boats at Graignamanagh, South Star Cruisers near Bagenalstown, Barrowline Cruisers in Ballyhide, Ceatharlach Moorings in Carlow and Vicarstown Leisure Barges at Vicarstown. Information from Carlow Rural Tourism: tel 0503 30411, fax 0503 30477, email:crt@indigo.ie From time to time, thoughts of the outland waterways are permitted. That being so, let me recommend Ireland from the Sea by Andrew Phelan, a Waterford man who became an English judge. This account of a voyage around Ireland is very well-written and well-presented; congratulations to the author and to Wolfhound Press. A snip at £9.99 and just the thing for the Christmas stocking. Our sister-organisation in the UK has a new Chairman, a new address and a new website. The new Chairman of the Inland Waterways Association is Richard Drake; the new address is PO Box 114, Rickmansworth, WD3 1ZY, UK; tel 0044 1923 711 114; fax 0044 1923 897 000; email iwa@waterway.demon.co.uk. And the new website is http://waterway.org.uk/index.htm. On Lough Derg, SOLD (Save Our Lough Derg) advocates banning detergents containing phosphates. It is attempting to persuade businesses and householders to switch to phosphate-free detergents. North Barrow Branch reports that the dry dock at Athy would be completed and ready for use by the end of the year. Eoghan Ganly (Dublin) writes: The day was fine and warm, the time early September. I took the camera for a Sunday walk. The trees were just beginning to assume their autumn colours, lending a touch of red and gold to the jaded greens of late summer. At Huband Bridge I joined the strollers on the banks of the canal. Even the air was fresh and clean. Ducks and moorhens scurried along the banks and pursued each other in the crystal water. Every prospect pleased, or did it? Many of the seats provided for our pleasure were broken and covered in graffiti. Each seat was surrounded by litter: drinks cans, beer and wine bottles and other unpleasant mementoes of a Saturday night in Dublin. Litter bins were provided but mostly unused; many had joined the traffic cones in the canal. No use pointing the finger at Dublin Corporation or Waterways Services; they do their best to clean up after us. It is we who allow this situation to continue. And it is not only Dublin that offends: most of our waterways cities and towns are just as bad. Let us clean up our own act! IWAI Home