Waterways Corridor Study 2006 A study of the area surrounding the Lower Shannon navigation including Lough Derg, from Meelick, Co Galway to Limerick City. • Cunnane Stratton Reynolds • Cultural Resource Development Services • DIT Tourism Research Centre • White Young Green WaterCorridor 06 Covers.indd 1 03/03/2007 17:10:27 Produced by • Cunnane Stratton Reynolds • Cultural Resource Development Services • DIT Tourism Research Centre • White Young Green In Association with Waterways Corridor Study 2006 • Shannon Development • Waterways Ireland • Clare County Council A study of the area surrounding the Lower Shannon navigation • Galway County Council • Limerick County Council • Limerick City Council North Tipperary County Council including Lough Derg, from Meelick, Co Galway to Limerick City. • 06 WaterCorridor Title page.indd 1 06/03/2007 15:43:45 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the Steering Group, Thanks also to the study team, namely Aislinn Collins The study benefited greatly from the contribution of a particularly Beatrice Kelly, Ruth Delany and Colin of Cultural Resource Development Services, Elaine variety of stakeholders. Thanks to the authorities, user Becker of the Heritage Council, Shannon O’Halloran of DIT Tourism Research Centre and groups, environmental groups, community groups and Development, Waterways Ireland and the local Carmel Brennan of White Young Green, for their individuals who attended consultation workshops and authorities of Counties Clare and Galway, Limerick City professionalism and enthusiasm. meetings or made written submissions. and County and North Tipperary, for their commitment and assistance throughout the study. All figures and maps are derived from information kindly supplied by Cóillte, the Environmental Protection Agency, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Shannon River Basin Management Project. Richard Butler and Emma Deane CUNNANE STRATTON REYNOLDS TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION SECTION FOUR TOURISM, RECREATION SECTION FIVE CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION 1.1 The South Shannon Waterway Corridor – 5.1 Consultation Process 61 An Overview 1 4.1 Introduction 46 5.2 Consultation Workshops 61 1.2 Why Do a Waterway Corridor Study? 5 4.2 Water-based Activities and Facilities 46 5.3 Consultation Meetings 61 1.3 Waterway Corridor Study Methodology 6 4.3 Navigation / Cruising 46 5.4 Written Submissions 61 1.4 Previous Studies 7 4.4 Day Boating 49 5.5 Consultation Feedback 61 1.5 Ownership and Management of the 4.5 Power Boating, Waterskiing and 5.6 Planning and Development 62 Waterway Corridor 7 Jet Skiing 49 5.7 Recreation, Interpretation and Tourism 68 1.6 Structure of This Report 9 4.6 Sailing 49 5.8 Navigation 71 4.7 Rowing 49 5.9 Natural Heritage 77 4.8 Canoeing and Kayaking 50 5.10 Cultural Heritage 81 SECTION TWO HERITAGE PROFILE OF THE 4.9 Bathing 50 5.11 Place-specific Issues 82 WATERWAY CORRIDOR 4.10 Other Activities 51 4.11 Angling 51 2.1 Introduction 11 4.12 Water-based Activity Conflicts and SECTION SIX VISION, PROPOSED POLICY 2.2 Meelick – Portumna Rural Corridor 11 Water Safety 51 AND ACTIONS 2.3 Lough Derg Corridor 14 4.13 Land-based Activities and Facilities 52 2.4 Ardnacrusha Corridor 27 4.14 Passive Recreation 52 6.1 Introduction 86 2.5 Limerick Metropolitan Corridor 31 4.15 Walking 53 6.2 Planning and Development 87 2.6 Significance of the South Shannon 4.16 Cycling 53 6.3 Tourism and Recreation 94 Waterway Corridor Heritage Resource 34 4.17 Horse Riding 53 6.4 Navigation 107 4.18 Tourism Superstructure 54 6.5 Natural Heritage 116 4.19 Accommodation 54 6.6 Cultural Heritage 126 SECTION THREE SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE 4.20 Entertainment Including Restaurants, 6.7 Place-specific Issues 131 OF THE WATERWAY Bars and Cafes 56 CORRIDOR 4.21 Information and Interpretation 57 4.22 Access Infrastructure 58 SECTION SEVEN STRATEGIC 3.1 Introduction 36 4.23 Shannon International Airport 58 ENVIRONMENTAL 3.2 Population Change 36 4.24 Railway Access 58 ASSESSMENT 3.3 Settlement Pattern 39 4.25 Road Access 59 3.4 Development Pressure 41 4.26 Navigation Access 59 7.1 Introduction 133 3.5 Land Use, Economic Activity 4.27 Tourism Development and Marketing 59 7.2 Screening 133 and Employment 43 7.3 Strategic Environmental Assessment 133 3.6 Significance of Tourism to the Waterway Corridor Economy 44 LIST OF REFERENCES iii i FIGURES AND TABLES MAPS LIST OF ACRONYMS Figure 1.1 The Study Area in the Context of the Map 1 Overall Study Area Shannon Navigation BMW Border, Midlands and West Figure 1.2 The South Shannon Waterway Map 2a Natural Heritage, Meelick – Portumna CELT Centre for Environmental Living and Corridor Map 2b Natural Heritage, Northern Lough Derg Training Figure 1.3 Defining the Waterway Corridor Study Map 2c Natural Heritage, Southern Lough Derg CDP County Development Plan Area Map 2d Natural Heritage, Killaloe – Limerick CFB Central Fisheries Board cSAC Candidate Special Area of Conservatrion Table 2.1 Fish Stock Status in the Shannon Map 3a Cultural Heritage, Meelick – Portumna DCMNR Department of Communications, Marine Fisheries Map 3b Cultural Heritage, Northern Lough Derg and Natural Resources Map 3c Cultural Heritage, Southern Lough Derg DEHLG Department of Environment, Heritage and Figure 3.1 Significant Settlements, the Socio- Map 3d Cultural Heritage, Killaloe – Limerick Local Government economic Corridor and County ED Electoral Division Boundaries EIA Environmental Impact Assessment Figure 3.2a Population Change by Electoral APPENDICES EPA Environmental Protection Agency Division, 1996 – 2002 ESB Electricity Supply Board Figure 3.2b Population Change by Electoral These documents available in electronic (CD ROM) ESRI Economic and Social Research Institute Division, 2002 – 2006 format only. EU European Union Figure 3.3 Land Use (derived from the CORINE GPS Global Positioning System database, supplied by the EPA) Appendix 1 Natural Heritage Report, prepared by IDA Industrial Development Agency White Young Green IUCN International Union for the Conservation Table 3.1 Population Change in the Waterway of Nature Corridor, 1996 - 2006 Appendix 2 Cultural Heritage Report, prepared by LAP Local Area Plan Cultural Resource Development NDPB Non-departmental Public Body Figure 4.1 Public Navigation Facilities in the Services NIFA National Inland Fisheries Authority Waterway Corridor NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service Figure 4.2 Registered Accommodation in the Appendix 3 Industrial Heritage Report, prepared pNHA Proposed Natural Heritage Area Waterway Corridor (January 2006) by Cultural Resource Development RBD River Basin District Services RFB Regional Fisheries Board Table 4.1 Navigation Mooring Spaces and RTI Rural Transport Initiative Associated Support Facilities Appendix 4 IUCN Category V Protected SOLD Save Our Lough Derg Table 4.2 Registered Accommodation in the Landscapes – Explanatory Note SPA Special Protection Area Waterway Corridor SRBMP Shannon River Basin Management Table 4.3 Restaurants, Bars and Cafes in the Project Waterway Corridor SWAN Sustainable Water Network UL University of Limerick WFD Water Framework Directive ii SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION “The development of road and rail networks over the past two hundred years made the primary transport function of Ireland’s inland waterways redundant. Today, a new role has been found for them as a tourism and amenity resource. It is important, however, that this significant part of our heritage is managed in such a way that the built and natural heritage elements are not lost. We are responsible for using and enjoying our waterway heritage so that future generations will have the same opportunities and options as we had… A sensitive balance between the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – should be ensured” (The Heritage Council’s Policy Paper on Ireland’s Waterway Corridors and the National Heritage, 2005). 1.1 The South Shannon Waterway Corridor – An Overview N 1.1.1 This study addresses the South Shannon Not to scale River corridor from Victoria Lock at Meelick to the Limerick City Docklands, a stretch of some 80km traversing the counties of Galway, North Tipperary, Clare and Limerick. 1.1.2 Meelick in South East Co. Galway can be described as an isolated rural hamlet, a loose arrangement of houses around a church, pub and navigation lock. The population was 23 in 2002, and falling. At the opposite pole of the corridor is Limerick, a city served by an international airport, sea port and national roads and rail. Its population and economy are booming, with corresponding expansion of the metropolitan area. Despite the obvious differences between the settlements, in environmental and socio- economic terms, they are inextricably linked by the Shannon. Their physical environment is shaped by the river, and their economy and cultural history by the navigation without which neither settlement would exist. This is the essence of the waterway corridor and the motivation for this study: There are commonalities and linkages formed by the Shannon between people, places, landscapes, habitats and species, which demand an integrated approach to their management and development. THE HERITAGE RESOURCE (LANDSCAPE, Figure 1.1 NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE) The South Shannon Corridor in the context of the Shannon 1.1.3 The 80km corridor between Meelick and Navigation Limerick is unparalleled along the Shannon in terms of landscape diversity, natural and cultural history. There are four distinct landscape character areas or sub- corridors: • Meelick to Portumna Rural Corridor N • Lough Derg Corridor Not to scale • Ardnacrusha Rural and Industrial Corridor Limerick Metropolitan Corridor • Figure 1.2 The South Shannon Waterway Corridor 1 MEELICK TO PORTUMNA CORRIDOR visit and to live. The amenities and improved access along with other factors have led to unprecedented 1.1.4 From Meelick to Portumna the river flows development pressure in the Lough Derg corridor, through a typical central lowland landscape. The broad especially in the south and east within commuting channel is fringed by reedbeds and woodland. In the distance of Limerick.