This canal is better known as 'The Dry Canal' and has remained somewhat of a mystery. Situated in County Mayo this video explores the canal in detail, examines its chequered history, the reason why it gained its unusual name and why it failed.
Below you will find detailed help should you wish to explore the canal yourself. It's a beautiful and very friendly part of Ireland so I would recommend that you do...
The website referenced in the video is Irish Waterways History curated by the late Brian J Goggin. The site in general is unparalleled in its coverage of the entire Irish waterways system. Follow this link for the section on the Cong Canal tinyurl.com/3dkk2vyb
The books referenced in the video are:
By The Corribside by Maurice Semple. Published by the author in 1981. I bought a copy on eBay. It is a fascinating look at the local history of the entire region with many historic photographs and reproductions of old maps. An excellent book.
The Cong Canal - Mystery of an Abandoned Waterway by Peter Dillon. Published by Kenilworth Collins in 2023 in hardback and more recently in softback. It can be purchased online from a few sources. The only book available that focuses entirely on this relatively little known but fascinating waterway. He explores its history in great detail covering not only the engineering challenges (and errors) but also the complex political situation at the time of the Great Famine.
I am indebted to Peter Dillon for his critique of the video:
"I have viewed Chris’s video a number of times and think it is a
brilliant piece of work. His camera work and drone work capture well the
main features of the canal as well as the lush countryside through which
it flows. His clear narration complemented by the gentle background
music summarises in twenty minutes the essential story of the Cong
Canal. The video deserves wide viewing, not just in Cong - where I am
sure it will be a hit - but in the wider TH-cam viewing public. Please
pass on my congratulations to Chris for an excellent production."
My thanks to Kenilworth Collins for permission to reproduce Peter Dillon's photograph of Lock 1.
Access to explore:
All locations are identified using What3Words.
In the village of Cong the car park is located at:
///blatant.daisies.multilevel
w3w.co/blatant.daisies.multilevel
Lock 1 is located at:
///oddly.spearmint.mallards
w3w.co/oddly.spearmint.mallards
If you walk south from the car park there is a gated entrance to a private road running parallel to the course of the canal and on its eastern side. The gate is closed at times so you may have to approach or return through the village past the ruins of the Augustinian abbey.
Drumshiel Bridge is located at:
///farewells.perforated.shortening
w3w.co/farewells.perforated.shortening
There is space to park a car for a short period as you turn up the lane following the canal on its eastern side.
Carrownagower Bridge (parking) is located at:
///incarnations.vaccinate.shutdowns
w3w.co/incarnations.vaccinate.shutdowns
There's a layby here a short distance to the east of the canal.
Foot access to the sluices:
///espresso.curtain.concessions
w3w.co/espresso.curtain.concessions
There is a path north from this point that appears on local mapping but I'm not sure if it's a permissive path.
Sluices location:
///fatherland.playroom.depict
w3w.co/fatherland.playroom.depict
Eel weir access road junction:
///oddly.crawlers.villagers
w3w.co/oddly.crawlers.villagers
Turn onto a minor road here that leads past Ballinchalla Cemetery. The road does extend as far as the weir site but apparently the final parts are not well made. You may wish to park short of that and walk the last bit.
Eel weir location:
///predictive.adjuster.stray
w3w.co/predictive.adjuster.stray
Music credits:
From uppbeat.io/
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/luminance
License code: EWUYN54PRKETNXO3
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/softhearted
License code: STWQ96BEDHHHWSVD
A short excerpt from the BBC LP entitled Narrow Boats issued in 1969