Possible Canal Route: Belfast to Limerick?

Bigfellalixnaw

Just looking through some canal maps lately. Never knew there was a cross-border canal (no border back in those days) running from Lough Erne to Lough Neagh via Cavan and Monaghan (The Ulster Canal). And furthermore, I found that there was another canal running from Lough Neagh to Belfast (The Lagan Canal). Both canals are disused at the moment.
So I was wondering would it be possible to to reopen both these waterways, thus connecting Belfast to the already existing Shannon-Erne Waterway? If that were the case, it mightn't be too far-fetched to imagine taking a boat trip from Belfast to Limerick City via this newly established inland waterway.
What do you folks think?

BowWow

There is a project in place to reopen the Ulster Canal - funding is an issue.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/advisory-forum-to-guide-progress-of-ulster-canal-restoration-1.2757324

Bigfellalixnaw

Yeah I read that, does that mean they're actually one long Blueway from Belfast to Limerick? I think they're also doing something on the Lagan Canal as well.

Bray Head

Barge holidays will never be anything more than niche.

Cycle lanes along the towpaths on the other hand have plenty potential.....

Bray Head

The Lagan Canal also has some bridges in Newry that you would only pass under with a canoe.

https://goo.gl/maps/kTt5aeVKUcN2

Carawaystick

Bray Head wrote: »

The Lagan Canal also has some bridges in Newry that you would only pass under with a canoe.

https://goo.gl/maps/kTt5aeVKUcN2

That's not the Lagan canal, that,s the Newry canal...

Bray Head

Carawaystick wrote: »

Bray Head wrote: »

The Lagan Canal also has some bridges in Newry that you would only pass under with a canoe.

https://goo.gl/maps/kTt5aeVKUcN2

That's not the Lagan canal, that,s the Newry canal...

Indeed. My bad.

L1011

BowWow wrote: »

There is a project in place to reopen the Ulster Canal - funding is an issue.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/advisory-forum-to-guide-progress-of-ulster-canal-restoration-1.2757324

As is the fight between restoration or reconstruction - the Ulster Canal locks are very, very narrow and would limit its use for boats from the rest of the system; but widening every lock moves it entirely away from being a restoration.

NiallBoo

L1011 wrote: »

As is the fight between restoration or reconstruction - the Ulster Canal locks are very, very narrow and would limit its use for boats from the rest of the system; but widening every lock moves it entirely away from being a restoration.

AFAIK reconstruction has won here and the plans include widening locks - at least on the stretch between lough Erne and clones that seems to be actually happening.