NEWSLETTER ATHLONE BRANCH INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND Summer 2014 www.athlone.iwai.ie Secretary Brian Corcoran [email protected] Chairman’s Musings Athlone Branch is Every year I feel blue leaving the river after the end of season cruise in company. Then again every year I look forward to the start of the season with the first CIC. This year’s CIC in May was a navigational adventure as we were guided by Pat McManus through the Woodshoal from Hodson Bay to Portrun, opening up 60!Come and celebrate. a new route on Lough Ree. We have a series of events lined up for There will be a party on Saturday the season from gentle CIC’s in June and in September to the more 12th July in Athlone Golf Club, Hodson Bay with adventurous rally in August plus partying at our 60th birthday in July and the October winter book launch. I hope you will join us when you can. a drinks reception, barbeque buffet, music and dancing. Contact Niamh Herraghty and book Dunrovin is still on our agenda, upgrading of old swing moorings, meeting with the your ticket as numbers will be limited. Phone or local authority and Waterways Ireland, engaging with the canal restoration group, text: 086 846 1564 or email niamhherraghty@ developing the website, getting new members and communicating with members hotmail.com through Facebook, texting and email and producing the well loved Aerial. If you have any issue or bright idea do contact your branch. Safe boating, St. Hilda’s Day Out Siobhan Bigley Sheila Herraghty In this issue: Chairperson On Friday 30th May 9 boats, plus the Viking Ship assembled at Sean’s Bar for 1.30pm. There Shannon Rally Itinerary 2 were about 55 to 60 guests from St. Hilda’s waiting for us. Each boat took two guests and a Cruise in Company carer. The remaining guests boarded the Viking May Bank Holiday 2 Ship. It was a beautiful day and we set off up to Hodson Bay in unison led by the Viking Ship. Cruise in Company Our two guests were Aine and Sheree, who June Bank Holiday 2 sang the whole way up the river. They were both thrilled when Sam allowed them to take Membership Benefits 3 turns at the helm. On arrival at Hodson Bay there were refreshments and photographs on Join us for the 54th Aine Naughton with Sam Herraghty on Dunross the quay wall. A great day, enjoyed by all. Shannon Boat Rally 4 Cookery Corner 4 Lough Ree Lifeboat Station 5 Athlone Branch AGM 5 Green & Silver 2013 6 RNLI Round Lough Ree Cycle Fundraiser 8 Branch Noticeboard 8 Check out our new website: www.athlone.iwai.ie Shannon Rally Itinerary Cruise in company Jul. 25th to Aug. 3rd May Bank Holiday Friday Eve. - Lough Ree Yacht Club weekend • Meet and Greet • Finger food and collect rally pack Siobhan Cluskey Although the weather this May Bank Saturday - Lough Ree Yacht Club Holiday weekend was often overcast and • Fleet Ecumenical Service and blustery the Athlone branch Cruise in Official Opening Company was a great success as old friends • Commodores Cheese and Wine and new met up at the start of this year’s Reception season. The fleet assembled at Hodson Bay on Friday night all looking forward Sunday - Lough Ree Yacht Club to the planned activities. On Saturday, • Sailing, after a briefing by Pat MacManus, the fleet • “Saints & Scholars” Fancy Dress for travelled via Wood Shoal, a new passage children and adults (substantially for many. Upon arrival in Portrunny the home made costumes are group were treated to cheese and wine hosted by the commodores, Siobhan Bigley encouraged) and Paul King. This began a night of chat and catching up by the light of a glorious • Music fire which sat in a safe and eco friendly fire pit. People took time to relax and this soon turned into a sing-song led by the many talented musicians present. The bay in Monday - Cruise to Lakeside Marina Portrunny rang with song and the night sky glowed with the light show provided by • Starred competitions Peter (Leo) Lee from Kayber. • o Get t know your neighbour • Ad-hoc music in the bar The following morning the fleet moved on to Lecarrow where a friendly game of boules was played on the grass (this is becoming a regular feature) also draughts was played, Tuesday - Lakeside Marina adding to the enjoyment. Later on in the evening a barbecue was held and some people • Conclusion of starred competitions even ventured to the local hostelry. • Barn dance in boat shed On Monday it was time to return to our respective marinas. Leaving the shelter Wednesday - Cruise to Hodson Bay of Lecarrow everything was calm and • Land and water sports at Bay tranquil. However, once we entered Sports the lake we were met by wind and • Table Quiz in Hodson Bay Hotel wave which led to a thrilling spin home for many. But in the rally spirit people Thursday - Cruise to Shannonbridge kept in contact with one another and • Children’s talent show in Luker’s everyone assisted each other getting in to port. The end of another successful Friday - Shannonbridge Cruise in Company. • Commando competition • BBQ and Music Membership Benefits Saturday - Cruise to Ballinasloe REPRESENTATION • Talent show for adults in The IWAI is the respected voice of Ireland’s inland waterway users, lobbying and Shearwater Hotel advising government bodies, the waterway authority, as well as other bodies on all matters connected with the waterways including navigation, facilities, Sunday - Ballinasloe moorings, heritage and future developments. • Cocktail reception IWN MAGAZINE • Closing Dinner Members receive the Inland Waterways News magazine published quarterly. The • Prize Giving magazines i packed with boating information and articles on all aspects of the navigations, reports, association, waterways, and branch news. All this plus lots more fun events! BOAT RALLIES + CICS Boat Rallies and regular Cruise in Company events are organised by the Athlone Log on to : branch. These are fun social events for all the family on water. Rallies are family oriented fun events with activities for all ages including games, competitions, shannonrally.iwai.ie watersports, training and boat handling fun events on the major rallies over a to enter on line week. Once you are a member of a branch you can participate in any of those events. Cruise in company June Bank Holiday weekend Trish O’Reilly The gathering began on Friday night at Hodson Bay Harbour with 10 boats and it wasn’t long before you could hear the chatter of old and new friends and smell barbeques cooking. A lovely summer evening. On Saturday we moved into Athlone Town where the fleet grew to 20 boats. The weather was beautiful and the mood was high. A local history walk around Athlone town was organised while the lads played boules. The craic was mighty. Commodores Jenni and Paul Fletcher hosted a cheese and wine on Saturday evening which brought everyone together. Soon the guitars came out and we were entertained into the early hours of Above: Alan Tomlin, Rosemary Lee, Kevin Clabby, Barbara the morning. The fleet cruised to Killinure Chalets on Sunday and, as always, the best Tomlin, Siobhan Cluskey and Sarah Jane Macken enjoying the delights of Athlone. steaks in Ireland were served! Once again the guitars appeared and rounded off the Below is a selection of the fleet at Killinure Chalets. evening. All in all a great weekend. A big thank you to Jenni and Paul. Historical Athlone One of the highlights of the CIC was a walking tour of historical Athlone. We were ably y lead b Donal O’Brien who guided us in a visit to three churchs, all of completely different character, featuring stained glass, Romanesque features and Celtic art. We were also led down backstreets and alleyways with wonderful names such as ‘Paradise Row’ never visited before by many of us and all of which held hidden gems and delights. A wonderful way of discovering new jewels in Athlone’s crown. Your challenge now is to find the house with the original eighteenth century glass, the home of the Libertine and the link with the Titanic – all in the heart of Athlone. Hidden Athlone, a town steeped in history. PARTICIPATION AND IMPROVEMENTS Funds are raised to improve existing navigations and to restore derelict ones. Work parties are a very social way of participating in this work. In addition there are mooring points on the navigation system that members can moor up to. WEB FORUM The IWAI hosts an active web forum discussing all matters related to boating and enjoying the inland waterways. Everything from advice on navigations, moorings, water levels, boat and engine maintenance, equipment, restoration projects, buying a boat, waterways heritage, rallies, cruise in companies and training are popular matters for discussion. SUPPORT THE AIMS OF IWAI Supporters of the IWAI include users of the waterways such as boaters, anglers, walkers, canoeists, kayakers, sailers, watersport enthusiasts, waterways residents, boat builders, marine businesses and people interested in the heritage of Ireland’s waterway network. Your continued support is important to us, please REJOIN, you can now join on the IWAI’s new online system, IWAI Online365, go to www.iwai.ie and click “join/renew” at the top of the page. Join us for the 54th Shannon Boat Rally Siobhan Cluskey This year the annual Shannon Boat Rally will be hosted by the Athlone branch with Kevin Clabby as Commodore. The rally fleet will assemble in Lough Ree Yacht Club and then proceed around the lower lake, finishing with the closing ceremony in Ballinasloe.