Newry Canal

The Newry Canal is an abandoned canal in Northern Ireland. Opened in 1742, it was built to link the Tyrone coalfields to the Irish Sea. The navigable route ran from Lough Neagh via the Upper Bann river to Portadown (approximated 9 miles), then approximately 20 miles from Portadown via the canal proper to Newry, terminating in the Albert Basin. The canal was closed to navigation in 1949, however its line remains intact and the towpath is currently part of the National Cycle Network and the Ulster Way long distance footpath. The Newry Ship Canal (opened in 1769), runs approximately 31⁄2 miles south from Newry's Albert Basin to connect with the sea at Carlingford Lough. The Newry Ship Canal remains navigable by pleasure craft today. The Newry Canal was the first summit level canal to be built in Ireland or Great Britain, and pre-dated the more famous Bridgewater Canal by nearly thirty years and Sankey Canal by fifteen years. It was authorised by the Commissioners of Inland Navigation for Ireland, and was publicly funded. It was opened in 1742, but there were issues with the lock construction, the width of the summit level and the water supply. Originally goods from the Newry Canal were transhipped at Newry's Albert Basin onto seagoing vessels on the adjacent Newry River, from where they could proceed via Carlingford Lough to the Irish Sea. However the Newry River was restricted in the size of vessel it could accommodate. To enhance the capacity of the navigation, the Newry Ship Canal was constructed, running a further 31⁄2 miles south from Albert Basin to the deeper waters of Carlingford Lough. The Ship Canal opened in 1769, and both Newry and the canal flourished. By 1800, the Newry Canal was in a poor condition, and another £57,000 of public money was spent refurbishing it over the following ten years. Closures during the refurbishment resulted in a loss of traffic, which did not fully recover. In 1829, both canals were transferred to a private company, who spent £80,000 on improvements over the next twenty years.