Mission Statement – Love the Royal

We plan to raise the profile, and encourage greater use of the Royal Canal. We will engage with local organizations and other groups to continue the tradition of canal festivals and boat rallies. Good communications will be essential to the success of this long linear branch, and we intend to engage fully with IWAI Dublin, IWAI Kildare and Waterways Ireland.

Future Goals

Our aim is to ensure that the canal is continually watered and maintained in a navigable fashion. We intend to work with the other canal branches toward:
• More frequent and easier lifting of the ‘Effin’ (Newcomen railway lifting bridge)
• A more permanent solution to the Sheriff Street lifting bridge, preferrably restoration
• Rewatering of the Longford Line
• Reinstatement of the automation of Begnagh Bridge
• Reopening of Mullingar & Richmond Harbour Dry Docks – Mullingar Dry Dock has been reopened and is available for use.
• Reinstatement of the manual lifting bridge at The Downs, Mullingar. This bridge is a listed structure and was removed by Waterways Ireland. – The lifting bridge was restored and reinstated by Waterways Ireland in spring 2024.