Ulster Canal Greenway Background information MONAGHAN TOWN MAP Lambs Lough ULSTER CANAL GREENWAY The Ulster Canal has a colourful but not very successful history. It was built between 1825 and 1842 and was 74 km (46 miles) long with 26 locks and 16 lock keepers’ KEY cottages. It ran from Charlemont on the River Blackwater to Wattle Bridge on the River Finn, south-east of Upper Lough Erne, and connected the Shannon/ Erne water 1. ‘Moving On’ Sculpture system to Lough Neagh. 2. Sheriff’s Bridge The Canal was unprofitable from the start. To save money, the width of the locks and bridges were constructed narrower than other canals, meaning that loads had to be N 3. ‘Canal Bank Walk’ Mural 2 D transferred onto special narrow boats for journeys up the Ulster Canal. There were E R H difficulties keeping the highest reaches of the canal watered during the summer R AG 4. Lock 17 Y RM A T 2 months. Then the railway network reached Monaghan in 1858, and quickly took over S D 1 N A R as the transport mode of choice, providing quicker transportation to a wider number E E H 5. Old Cross Square R O G of destinations, sealing the canal’s fate. The last boat travelled the canal in 1929, and HM A AG N LL A it closed two years later. You can read the full story on our website, 6. The Market Cross MU H S L www.ulstercanalgreenway.com O O 7. St Louis Convent C The idea of re-opening the canal as a tourism project has been promoted for many years. Investigating the feasibility of re-opening the Ulster Canal even formed part 8. Tully West Lock of the negotiations around the Good Friday Agreement, which formed a key part of the Peace process in Northern Ireland! Following various feasibility reports and N 9. Tom Young’s Wood 2 B socio-economic benefit surveys, it was proposed to develop the section from Lough Y P A Erne to Clones as a first phase. Detailed design was completed by Waterways Ireland, 10. St. Davnet’s Hospital S RD S and planning permission was granted in 2012. However, funding to proceed with RRY U DE ls t e land acquisition and construction has yet to be secured, so the project is on hold. r 11. St. Macartan’s Cathedral C a n a l In the meantime, other sections of the canal are enjoying a rebirth and again ( D i 12. Monaghan County Museum s facilitating the movement of people, this time along its banks, which are being u s e d developed as a Greenway. 13. Rossmore Forest Park ) OAD TH R OR O N ATI N T Ulster Canal Greenway NT R E LA D E P R Mullaghadun T S Lake N H H O G I Peter’s G R U MUINEACHÁN H T Lake O H L S S T R R O A MONAGHAN L AN LÁR E A E D G T The TOWN CENTRE H Diamond I L MILL ST DU A Walking Guide L T B L S S I N T E T S D K T A R D O A R M A GH Monaghan Town Section W A T S D M R S R A K D CLO O A LD NES R O N O RO A R A P B D T NE S W S RO L T A AD N R A E C E D T A D O A R O R Convent L S L E K N Lake A O R M A CL P 54 N N A Greenway is a route reserved exclusively for D 2 D OA To CastleblayneyU ➔ R B IN L non-motorised journeys, usually using disused LV IN TO R O transportation infrastructure such as C abandoned rail lines and canals. R 1 8 8 C O O T Monaghan County Council is working in partnership with Armagh Banbridge & E H I Craigavon Council, Fermanagh & Omagh Council, Cavan County Council, Mid Ulster L L Council and Waterways Ireland to develop the entirety of the original canal as a Greenway, and to link it into similar projects to provide regional connectivity. We consider the completed section through Monaghan town to be Phase I of this much longer, regional route. You can find out how plans are progressing on the development of the full Ulster Canal Greenway on our website, www.ulstercanalgreenway.com Twin Lough Original route of the Ulster Canal Twin Lough OMAGH LOUGH NEAGH DUNGANNON For more information about the Ulster Canal and RIVER BLACKWATER MOY CHARLEMONT PORTADOWN Monaghan town, we recommend you visit: RIVER BLACKWATER BENBURB LOUGHGALL Monaghan County Museum BLACKWATERTOWN LOWER ULSTER CANAL Open Monday to Friday 11am – 5pm Barn Hill LOUGH ERNE CALEDON ARMAGH Lake Saturday 12pm – 5pm ENNISKILLEN TYNAN Admission Free Castle OUIG LOUGH MIDDLETOWN Or learn more online at: www.monaghan.ie/museum Lough MONAGHAN SMITHBOROUGH UPPER Rossmore Castle LOUGH ERNE www.ulstercanalgreenway.com (Site of) CLONES SHANNON ERNE www.monaghantourism.com WATERWAY ULSTER CANAL www.monaghantownbiodiversity.com RIVER FINN BALLYCONNELL BELTURBET www.monaghanhasit.ie RIVER ERNE www.monaghan.ie Things to see along the Thomas Telford. However, his plans were modified WHILE YOU’RE IN MONAGHAN in order to cut costs, and the width of the locks and GREENWAY MONAGHAN TOWN SECTION canals was drastically reduced – to the extent that 12. Monaghan County Museum barges (also known as lighters) from the other Irish This little gem can be found in Market Square in the town 1. “Moving On” - Sculpture at Armagh Road canals couldn’t fit, and special narrow lighters had to centre. It first opened to the public in 1974. It is one of the (N12) entrance to Greenway operate the Ulster Canal. longest established regional museums in Ireland, and was the Approx 100m on the town side of Lock 17 you will first professionally staffed County Museum in the Republic of This sculpture was commissioned by Blackwater Regional find Rooskey Lock House. A perk of the job of lock- Ireland. It houses over 70,000 artefacts in its collection, the Partnership and realised with funding under the Arts keeper was that it came with a cut stone house! most famous of which is the Cross of Clogher. Council of Northern Ireland’s ‘Building Peace through the The lock house is typical of the design used all Arts: Re-Imaging Communities’ Programme, an initiative The museum collection covers all aspects of the county’s history along the canal. which sought to address racism and sectarianism by incorporating archaeology, the early Christian period, the engaging communities in the exploration of themes which Each house had a small garden, suitable for plantation era, transport, conflict, agriculture, lace and folk life. unite rather than divide and in the commissioning of public producing food for the family. An apple tree still 9. Tom Young’s Wood The museum has received many awards during its existence, the artwork which promotes tolerance and understanding. stands at Rooskey lock house; though we can’t be most recent, when it became the first Local Authority museum This is one of the oldest pockets of native woodland in Co. Monaghan, and contains a fantastic sure it was there in the lock-keeper’s day, we do in the country to achieve full accreditation under the Museum ‘Moving On’ was created by artists Mark Ryan and Maree diversity of trees and flowering plants. The Greenway passes along the edge of the wood; however, know that it is a traditional Irish variety known as Standards Programme for Ireland. It also won the Council of Hensey, and represents the role of the canal both in the other paths into the wood are there to explore, and Monaghan County Council has provided Irish Peach. Monaghan Tidy Towns have restored the Europe Museum Prize in 1980, and the Gulbenkian - Norwich region’s history and in its future. biodiversity information signs, and even an outdoor classroom, along the route. Many of the non- garden of the lock house, and planted it with plants Union Award for Best Collections Care in 1993. The Ireland. The artwork is about connectivity, renewal, making a greenway paths are steep and not suited to buggies, but you can still enjoy the lower part of the which would have been traditionally grown in an com website named it as one of the 30 best free things to do in different future, finding purpose and a peaceful way wood from the Greenway, which features a beautiful mixture of wetland and woodland plants. Irish cottage garden. They have also sourced additional fruit trees with Irish provenance from Irish Ireland in 2016. forward. Above all, it is about movement – just like a ball Seed Savers. The garden is open for all to enjoy – feel free to help yourself to a gooseberry while Look out for sedges, rushes and reeds near the water. In the spring, bluebells and violets are cannot remain stationary on a slope, neither can society stay you’re there. The house itself is not open, as it provides a roost for a colony of bats. The species in abundant. A heron makes its home in the canal at this point. The museum also provides a walking tour of Monaghan town on request. in limbo; we must find a way to move on, to work together, residence is the soprano pipistrelle, although common pipistrelle and Leislers bats also frequent Phone 047 82928 to make a booking.