Shannon Navigation Works

The Lock, Weir and Sluice gates, Athlone

This picture taken from the West bank looking into the Lock shows many of the main features associated with the Shannon Navigation works of the 1840s. In the foreground the Lock itself, measuring 38.7m x 12.2m, has the capacity to take a large number of hire-craft cruisers at the one time. Beyond the Lock one can see the Sluice Gates and part of the Weir while in the background is the Strand area of the town. The building of the Weir was one of the most hazardous aspects of the navigation works at Athlone. A damn was built north of the town and the water diverted through the old canal. During the months of July and August 1849 up to 1,500 men were employed to excavation the river bed, completite work on the Weir and remove the remnants of the Elizabethan bridge as well as the remains of old eel weirs.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

The Lock, Weir and Sluice gates, Athlone
© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

The Lock, Weir and Sluice gates, Athlone

This picture taken from the West bank looking into the Lock shows many of the main features associated with the Shannon Navigation works of the 1840s. In the foreground the Lock itself, measuring 38.7m x 12.2m, has the capacity to take a large number of hire-craft cruisers at the one time. Beyond the Lock one can see the Sluice Gates and part of the Weir while in the background is the Strand area of the town. The building of the Weir was one of the most hazardous aspects of the navigation works at Athlone. A damn was built north of the town and the water diverted through the old canal. During the months of July and August 1849 up to 1,500 men were employed to excavation the river bed, completite work on the Weir and remove the remnants of the Elizabethan bridge as well as the remains of old eel weirs.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Enlarge image

The arrival of two major canals linking the Shannon to Dublin highlighted the navigational problems of the Shannon with which the authorities had been grappling, unsuccessfully, since the mid eighteenth century.Throughout the 1830s the Commissioners for the Improvement of the River Shannon were producing reports and recommendations on how best to improve the navigation of the river.

Thomas Rhodes proposed extensive navigation works at Athlone which included work on the canal as well as the replacement of the road bridge across the Shannon and the construction of a 'u' shaped weir and lock.

Lock gates mechanism

This is one of the four pieces of machinery, installed in 1845, to operate the Lock Gates in Athlone. The railed-in area contains a rain guage. The Lock, which was a major part of the Shannon Navigation works in Athlone was commenced in 1845 but was not completed until 1848 or 49. The Lock was built to facilitate the servicing of the many barges which were delivering goods to Athlone. The coming of the railways within a few years of the making of this Lock brought great competition into the transportation business. The contractor for the building of the Lock was the firm of Henry, Mullins and McMahon the operating mechanisms for the Lock were made in Scotland.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Lock gates mechanism
© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Lock gates mechanism

This is one of the four pieces of machinery, installed in 1845, to operate the Lock Gates in Athlone. The railed-in area contains a rain guage. The Lock, which was a major part of the Shannon Navigation works in Athlone was commenced in 1845 but was not completed until 1848 or 49. The Lock was built to facilitate the servicing of the many barges which were delivering goods to Athlone. The coming of the railways within a few years of the making of this Lock brought great competition into the transportation business. The contractor for the building of the Lock was the firm of Henry, Mullins and McMahon the operating mechanisms for the Lock were made in Scotland.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Enlarge image

To enable the works to proceed a temporary dam was put in place north of Athlone and in July 1849 nearly one thousand men were at work in the dried out riverbed removing obstacles from the navigation channels. The citizens of the town could observe these works from the new bridge which was completed in 1844.

The works at Athlone commenced in 1840 and continued until 1849. The cost of the works has been put at somewhere between £80,000 and £104,000. Henceforth the navigation through Athlone was very satisfactory. The weir, sluices and dock installed at that time are still working well – the dock, of course, has been modernised.

Plaque Athlone Lock

This inscribed limestone plaque is located on the lock in Athlone. The first stone of this lock was laid on 2 April 1845, the date on the plaque showed undue optimism as the lock itself was not completed until 1848 or 49. The plaque mentions the following: Thomas Rhodes, Principal Engineer, John Long, Resident Engineer and Bernard Mullins, Contractor. Mr Mullins was of the firm of Henry, Mullins and McMahon which was also the contractor for building the bridge at Athlone.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Plaque Athlone Lock
© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Plaque Athlone Lock

This inscribed limestone plaque is located on the lock in Athlone. The first stone of this lock was laid on 2 April 1845, the date on the plaque showed undue optimism as the lock itself was not completed until 1848 or 49. The plaque mentions the following: Thomas Rhodes, Principal Engineer, John Long, Resident Engineer and Bernard Mullins, Contractor. Mr Mullins was of the firm of Henry, Mullins and McMahon which was also the contractor for building the bridge at Athlone.

© Ann Hennessy / Westmeath Library Service

Enlarge image

Athlone Canal was no longer needed for navigation, it had served its purpose well. In 1849 it acted as an overflow channel when the river was damned and subsequently became a millrace for a mill erected on the old canal lock. In 1982 it was the subject of an abandonment order and subsequently some stretches of the canal have been filled in and piped.