River Barrow Heritage Boats

Boat 34B, which led the flotilla into Carlow Town.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

During May 2005 the annual gathering of the Heritage Boat Association was held in Carlow Town. The Association has rescued and restored many of the former canal boats ( barges ) which had until 1960 operated on the inland waterways of Ireland.

During the course of the Association’s visit the Canal Boatmen’s Reunion was also held in Carlow Town. Approximately fifteen of the boats were the original canal boats and among them was the 34B, which was operated by the Moore family from Graiguecullen. On Sunday May 8th to honour the 34Bs homecoming it lead the flotilla into Carlow Town. Many of the boats begun their journey to Carlow in early April, some even came from Shannon harbour in Limerick and others came down the Shannon-Erne Waterway, thus making it an all island gathering of Ireland’s boating heritage.

The River Barrow’s past meets it future.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

The River Barrow’s past meets it future.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

The River Barrow’s past meets it future.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

For the duration of the Festival the boats were based at the Town Park and at the Carlow Rowing Club.

Floating Heritage on the Barrow

Presentation to the Heritage Boat Association.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

To honour the visit of both groups Carlow Town Council made a special presentation to the Heritage Boat Association at a reception in the Carlow Rowing Club on Friday 13th May and during the Canal Boatmen’s Reunion a plaque to the boatmen was unveiled.

To commemorate the visit to Carlow Town by the Heritage Boat Association and the Canal Boatmen’s Reunion a special booklet " Floating Heritage on the Barrow " was published. It features articles on the history of many of the canal boats who made the journey to Carlow, including the 34B which was owned by the Moore family from Graiguecullen and the 95B which was the last boat to carry beet into Carlow Sugar Factory in 1962. Also there are articles on the importance of the Barrow Navigation to Carlow from the old Canal Stores, the Carlow Sugar Factory, the building of the boats by local engineering company Thompson's and the present day use of the river by Carlow Rowing Club and the location of the new Town Park on its banks.

The booklet is available from Carlow Tourist Office, Carlow Town. Telephone ( 059 ) 9131554.

Boat 34B.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

Boat 95B.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

Carlow Sugar Factory closed in March 2005 and had until 1962 accepted deliveries of beet by boat into its harbour. Boat 95B was the last boat to made such a delivery and to commemorate this it stopped at the entrance to the old factory harbour and a 25kg bag of sugar was presented to it by Irish Sugar Ltd.

Contact the Heritage Boat Association for further information.