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Irish Summer Tour 2007

Index

1 - Ballinamore to Keshcarrigan - Shannon Erne Waterway.

Thursday 21st June 2007

Martin Clark had come down to Neil's house the day before and we set of at 05:00, with a lift form Linda to Heathrow. Sharon had dropped Ian Clarke off directly to Heathrow, from Henley. After an auto check in Martin and Neil had a quick passage through security (we know the drill, no gells etc, belts, coats and shoes off and everything in flight bag). After the long walk to the gate, we stopped at the welcoming Wetherspoon's, where Ian Clarke was already tucking into his cake and coffee.
It was a 07:50 Aer Lingus flight, that got us into Dublin, on-time at around 09:00. We were now not in a hurry as the next train to Dromod (Sligo Line) was at 11:00. We whiled away the time at a coffee bar in the new Connolly Station concourse. The train was exactly on time to Dromod (13:00), it had to be as the station has a passing loop, where the Dublin bound train passed. After some confusion about taxis, the ticket bod recommended Noel Mahon, from Roosky, who did do day time call outs. Noel was there within 15 minutes and we were soon at Ballinamore, Riversdale Barge, after a somewhat circuitous route! Graham Thomas was there to meet us and after a chat with Noel, said that he was one of the taxis he would have recommended.
We did not have to hang around at Riversdale, as we had dieseled up before we last left the boat. At 14:20 we slipped our mooring and headed westwards, to Ballinamore for food shopping and a water fill up. below Ballinamore Lock is the nearest mooring for the town, right beside the Super Valu supermarket. This is quite a tight fit and an awkward mooring, against the weir stream, as it was free Neil reversed to to it. After the food shop we went up through Ballinamore Lock to the main moorings and filled with water. We moored beside a Riversdale Mini-Luxe hire barge and chatted to the English hirer, who had a narrowboat on the Macclesfield Canal.
We finally set off at 17:30. We had intended to go to Gerties pub at Keshcarrigan that night. Arrival at Keshcarrigan was at 19:40, we got a mooring on the pontoon hammerhead. After wandering into the village we were sad to find that Gerties was deserted and they weren't doing food! We quickly legged it to the other end of the village, to the Canalside Restaurant, but although looking empty could not do a table until after 21:00. It was back to the boat and Ian Clarke prepared a monster "Beeky stew".


The small inner harbour moorings below the weir at Ballinamore. Shannon Erne Waterway.


Ballinamore, looking from the bridge. SuperValu supermarket on right.


 Sunset from the moorings at Keshcarrigan. Shannon Erne Waterway.

The Tour Continues...


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