Naas Canal Festival 2024 – highlighting the potential for Tourism & Recreation on the Naas & Corbally Canals

The Naas Canal Festival 2024, a Gathering of Canal Boats, was an ideal occasion to showcase part of what Naas Harbour might look like when developed as a recreational tourist centre for local and visiting Boaters, Cyclists and Walkers – part of KCC’s Naas Canal Quarter Plan.

The Naas Canal Festival 2024, celebrating 40 years since the formation of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland’s Kildare branch (IWAI Kildare), was formally opened IWAI President Kay Baxter and Councillor Bill Clear. KCC was also represented by Councillor Seamie Moore and Jeremy Ward of KCC’s Planning Dept.

IWAI have been working with the Council to ensure the needs of Boaters and other Recreational users of the Corbally and Naas Canals are included in the Naas Quarter Development Plan, as a means of meeting the needs of locals and attracting more tourists into the area.

Of particular interest this year at the Festival were the old trading barges, which traversed the Naas Canal Staircase Locks and are spending time in the Harbour while their crews visit the delights of Naas. These barges are owned and preserved by members of the Heritage Boat Association (HBA). Many had travelled long distances – as far away as Clare and the Shannon Erne Waterway. The crews enjoyed answering questions from locals on the history of the vessels and their restoration. There continues to be great interest in the boats as people stop to read their story boards, during the HBA’s extended stay in Naas.

Also on display was 52M, the Robertstown Barge, home for the weekend to a waterways-themed painting exhibition, by local artist Sean Curran.

The programme of talks in the old Canal Stores included:

  • The reopening of the refurbished Naas Canal in the 1980s by John Fitzgerald of IWAI
  • Working on the Canals by Gerard Bayly of Waterways Ireland
  • Heritage Boat Ownership by Aoife Burke, Irene O’Neill and Eibhlin Smith
  • Boating on UK Canals by Charlie Dunn

The IWAI presentation to the Fogarty family, brought back some poignant and fond memories of our friend, the late Martin Fogarty, Waterways Ireland Lockkeeper on the Grand and Naas Canals.

There was a series of photographs on display, from the early 1900s to the present day including a Naas Canal Series by Michael Linehan. Great fun was had by the younger attendees participating in various games, including the production of Halloween pumpkins. Superb entertainment at the Halloween themed Dinner was provided by the Kildare North Ukulele Club.

Kildare, the Canal County, benefits from the strategic partnership of Waterways Ireland, Bord Failte and the County Council. The Barrow Blueway, the Greenways, and the future Naas Canal Quarter are all developments in the works that include local and visiting Boaters, Cyclists and Walkers at their heart.

IWAI Kildare look forward to welcoming the HBA Fleet to other locations in the Canal County as they tour these waterways in Ireland’s Ancient East, over the next year.

Kay Baxter, Bill Clear, Niall O’Dowda, Seamie Moore © A M Clear