Larges group of boats for 100 years visits the Boy ne
THE Boyne Navigation recently received a visit from the largest group of boating craft to grace its waters in at least a century. The fleet of Drascombe sailing boats, roughly 20ft long, has a seafaring pedigree, capable of rounding Ireland or the Outer Hebrides - with one even having sailed across the Pacific. Members of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) Boyne Navigation branch were on hand to warmly welcome the cruise-in-company to the Boyne's fresh waters. The fleet consisted of two separate groups, one from the Carlingford Lough area and the other from Skerries. In attendance was Jack O'Keeffe, the Ireland regional representative of the Drascombe Association. Both groups met up at Mornington, the mouth of the Boyne, where Drogheda harbour master Martin Donnelly helped shape their plans, which included a visit to the ancient town of Drogheda before successfully navigating their way upriver to reach the Oldbridge Sea Lock. Fiachra de Roiste of IWAI Boyne Navigation reported: "It had been a while since the Oldbridge Sea Lock was last used but it worked without flaw. The gates had been built and installed by our IWAI group about 10 years ago and they would put to shame many on various other waterways in Ireland, especially for watertightness! "Once on to the fresh waters of Boyne Navigation Canal, the fleet travelled along the Oldbridge section, passing through Lock 2 Oldbridge Guard Lock and back on to the fresh waters of the River Boyne. They continued to cruise upriver, to where members of our group have been concentrating their most recent restoration work at Lock 3 - Lower Newgrange:' The Drascombes anchored for the night, several of them rafted together, others alone socially distancing themselves from the group. They cooked up their food and bedded down there for the night at one of only two of Ireland's Unesco World Heritage Sites. The following day there was an opportunity to visit The Boyne Currah Centre and learn about the skills required to build such craft before making their way back to the Irish Sea. The Drascombes visit has helped promote awareness of the Boyne River and Navigation Canal as well as highlight the excellent restoration work being undertaken by the IWAI. Fiachra de Roiste added: "We look forward to welcoming the next group of boaters, who dare to venture on to our hallowed waters. "Maybe by then we will be ready to welcome such a future group into the chamber of Lock 3:' You can discover more about the restoration of the Boyne Navigation by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/ boynenavigation