WELCOME TO THE RIVER BARROW
A journey along the gentle Barrow takes the traveller to a tranquil bygone time. Fringed with reeds and river flowers, and harbouring a wealth of wildlife in her banks, the River Barrow bears boats and barges along 68km of navigable waterway past pretty riverside villages and through 23 Victorian locks.
From here the historic Grand Canal offers navigable cruising as far west as the River Shannon and in an eastern direction through Kildare to Dublin. For those wishing to explore Ireland's extensive waterways, barges are available for hire from Barrowline Cruisers in Vicarstown.
Here and there along its green banks, barges are moored, with visitors and locals taking picnics on languid afternoons. Since time began the River Barrow has borne the life of Co. Carlow upon its slow moving waters. Today these waters provide a perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy activities such as boating, canoeing, angling and bird watching.
The River Barrow is a rich source of game and coarse fishing and plays host to a prestigious international annual shad fishing competition. Throughout the year, the River Slaney, in all her wild and tempestuous beauty, is home to salmon and trout and rarer catches of pike. Further information on angling is available here.
The River Barrow has its source in the Slieve Bloom and Devil's Bit mountains and is Ireland's second largest river system running for 192km from its source to the sea. The Barrow was a significant commercial canalised waterway right up to the 1960's, with important river ports at Athy, Carlow, Graiguenamanagh and New Ross. Barges carried consignments of malting barley to Dublin as raw material for the famous Guinness stout, which was transported back downstream in its finished state, and later beet filled barges supplied Ireland's first sugar factory at Carlow. The advent of rail transport signalled its decline in the 1960's, although in recent years the Barrow and its tributaries has experienced an exciting rejuvenation with a range of activities for the passive and active water enthusiast.
Log onto the following pages for further information on
Canoeing - Go With the Flow River Adventures
The following pages invite you to explore the Barrow River and the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal and introduces you to Barrowline Cruisers who can make this journey possible via barge if you so wish. The cruisers are modern, well equipped and designed to ensure you derive the maximum comfort and pleasure from your cruise.
The Barrow River and the Barrow Line represent two distinct cruising experiences, each with it's own character and both guaranteed to enchant and delight you and your cruising companions.
The beautiful Clashganny Lock near Graignamanagh
1) The Barrow Line.
The first section, illustrates the leisurely journey along the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal from Lowtown to Athy, where it joins the river navigation. At Lowtown you can travel east towards Dublin or west to the mighty Shannon and beyond.
2)The Barrow River.
The first section explores the journey downstream, from Athy where you enter the River Barrow, to St. Mullins. This section describes the marvellous experience of cruising on the River Barrow, with all its weirs, locks and great variety of scenery.
1) The Grand Canal, which connects Dublin with the Shannon, runs for 130km. Work began on the project in 1756, and after many difficulties, the connection to the Shannon was finally made in 1803. The Barrow Line, a branch of this magnificent waterway, was finished in the early 1790's and runs for 46km from Lowtown to Athy where it becomes part of the River Barrow Navigation. The old canal with its elegant bridges and locks is a joy to travel. The mixture of bog and farmland on both banks harbour wild fowl and wild flowers in equal profusion. Ballyteigue Castle, on the west bank, dates from medieval times and was a frontier tower house between the native Irish and the English garrisons of the Pale - a constantly changing area around Dublin where the king's writ ran. The canal continues, swinging east and west, with a carry across a lovely small aqueduct which bridges a tributary of the River Slate. The bare open landscape now gives way to coniferous forest.
Rathangan is heralded by a series of grain silos, but these in no way spoil the delightfuul landscaping along the canal bank next to this neat and friendly town on the banks of the River Slate. Earthworks, near the Church of Ireland church, mark the site of an early Celtic fort. The stretch between Rathangan and Monasterevin passes through a double lock, under Spencer's Bridge and then passes a thatched cottage at Umeras Bridge,a fine example of rural architecture that is enjoying something of a revival in many parts of the country. Monasterevin boasts a network of canal channels, a fine lifting bridge, handsome warehouses and a 3 storey building which served as a hotel during the halcyon days of river commerce. A thriving brewery and distillery town in the 19th century, it is now a peaceful and popular coarse angling centre. The 18th century charter school is one of many graceful Georgian buildings, while the medical centre is housed in a mansion where Count John McCormack, the celebrated Irish tenor once lived. It occupies the site of a 6th century church and a 12th century Cistercian abbey. An aqueduct, which crosses the River Barrow here, is just one example of the many superb engineering features in Monasterevin.
The Barrow Line now passes over the River Barrow and then runs parallel to the river it will eventually join in Athy. Another branch of the canal, which ran to Mountmellick in Co. Laois (approx. 25 km to the west) can be seen immediately after the aqueduct. This line is not navigable. The canal runs close to the main N7 road for a short stretch, then past intensive farm land, over the Grattan Aqueduct, built in 1790, and onto Vicarstown, home of Barrowline Cruisers. Barrowline Cruisers are a friendly family-owned and operated cruiser hire company based at Vicarstown, Co. Laois. Their well equipped base is ideally located to allow you explore the full extent of both the Grand Canal and River Barrow. Further details of their facilities are available here.
Vicarstown is a picturesque village and harbour with pleasant canal walks. The two pubs are attractive watering holes for those that like a drink and a chat and they are popular for their traditional music sessions.
Approximately 5km to the west is Stradbally, well worth a visit. The town was developed by the Cosby family in the 18th century and it retains much of the charm of that era. A regular winner in the National Tidy Towns Competition, it boasts a fascinating steam museum.
An extensive aqueduct crosses the Stradbally River on the last leg of the Barrow Line canal cruise. Bert House, a graceful 18th century, gable ended house, is a good landmark on the approach to Athy. Here the Barrow Line branch of the Grand Canal meets the river after which it was named.
2) THE BARROW RIVER - ATHY TO ST MULLINS
Our exploration takes us downstream from Athy on a journey of enchantment along the Barrow, a relatively undiscovered gem among the great inland pleasure cruising waterways of Ireland. Ireland's second longest navigable river, the Barrow, is noted for the beauty and variety of its landscape, the fascination of its historic hinterland and the picturesque charm of its riverside towns and villages.
The marriage of the River Barrow with the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal takes place in the Heritage Town of Athy. Great silos and malt houses surround the canal harbour, where once warehouses were filled with grain and malt waiting to be transported to Dublin by commercial barge.
Along the banks, adorned with stately trees and cultivated fields, the empty eyes of old country houses evoke a past where the pace of life was in tune with the waterway. Fields of barley, wheat and beet accompany the journey under Maganey Bridge. The soothing sound of falling water signals the approach of another weir and the following lock.
After Bestfield Lock comes Carlow Town. The boatstream which has been close to the east bank from Athy, now switches to the west bank after Graiguecullen Bridge (1815) and its weir. Looming above the bridge is the imposing ruin of the 13th century Anglo-Norman Carlow Castle. The expanse of grassy quays and the huddle of warehouses bear witness to the town's pivotal role in trade and commerce along the Barrow Navigation.
Carlow is the county capital with bustling, friendly streets, sophisticated fashion shops and an exciting traditional and contemporary nightlife scene.
The elegant Cathedral (1833), with its magnificent tower and lantern is well worth seeing as is the graceful Courthouse (1830). Take a walking tour of the town and discover the rich history of this busy market town.
