The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
IWAI is a voluntary body of waterways’ enthusiasts, founded in 1954. It was formed to promote and encourage the use and development of Ireland’s navigable waterways.
In its early years the association was a campaigning organisation ensuring that the Shannon was navigable for pleasure boating helping guarantee the development of the river as a national asset for waterways tourism.
The early campaigns were extended to include the drive to prevent the threatened closure of the Grand Canal in Dublin. The association has worked to assist the improvement of the Barrow and to focus interest and activity on the restoration of the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the river Boyne, the Kilbeggan Line of the Grand Canal, the Ulster Canal the Newry canal and other closed navigations.
IWAI is the voice of waterways users and enthusiasts. It represents the views of members to governments (NI & RoI), to the cross-border navigation authority Waterways Ireland, and other navigation authorities, to local authorities and the range of statutory and state-sponsored bodies whose activities impinge on the waterways in one way or another.
Goals of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
IWAI is set up as a Charity – from our memorandum of association, it has the following objectives:
(a) To promote the use, maintenance and development of the inland waterways of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and in particular to advocate and promote the restoration to good order, and maintenance in good order, of every navigable waterway and the re-opening of disused waterways and the fullest use of every navigable waterway by both commercial and pleasure traffic, provided such is not injurious to the environmental health of the waterways and surrounding areas.
(b) To support any proposal which may be calculated to maintain or improve inland waterways and also to improve navigation, lay moorings and carry out other works of improvement on or adjacent to the waterways.
(c) To oppose by appropriate action the abandonment and neglect of Irish canals or river navigations, the pollution of waterways, the obstructions of navigations by fixed bridges aqueducts, overhead cables, or otherwise, the obstruction of towing paths or any other action calculated to injure or destroy the navigation or amenities of the waterways of Ireland.
(d) To prepare, either alone or in collaboration with any other body, guide charts, maps, and other literature suitable for use by persons using the inland waterways for any purpose, and to foster public interest in and knowledge of the Irish Waterways by disseminating information on the subject to members and to the general public.
In furtherance exclusively of the above main objects the Company shall have the following ancillary objects:
(e) To organise visits to objects and places of interest on the waterways including water-borne journeys
(f) To do all such acts as shall further the active and corporate life of the Association and to liaise with any other body having similar or sympatric aims
(g) The advancement of navigation of the inland waterways of Ireland through the promotion of knowledge of the waterways, the skill and practice of boating having regards to safety and the promotion of all aspects of safe boating in Ireland through education
(h) The protection of the natural environment through the promotion and encouragement of environmental protection and sustainability in and around boating on the inland waterways
(i) The advancement of education and heritage through the promotion of and assistance in the restoration and maintenance of waterways for the use and
education of the general public
(j) To promote safety on the waterways
(k) To represent the interests of the Association in all matters pertaining to the above objects
IWAI Today
The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland is an all-Ireland organisation, represented by 24 branches locally based around the waterways (7 in Northern Ireland, 16 in the Republic and 1 activity-based branch) representing approximately 2000 members, the majority of which are family members.
We work in partnership with national and local government, statutory agencies and development companies, the community, voluntary and business sectors, lobbying, advising and working together to protect and promote the long-term development of the waterways.
The organisation publishes a quarterly magazine “Inland Waterways News” which is a unique publication covering a wide range of topics of interest to waterways enthusiasts at local, national and international level. IWAI also publishes a number of waterways related books and guides.
The association activities range from boat rallies, social events, training events, and heritage and conservation projects to setting up work parties for restoration or improvements to navigation e.g. Ulster Canal, Lagan Navigation, Coalisland Canal, Boyne Navigation and the Kilbeggan and Corbally lines of the Grand Canal.
The IWAI website is one of the largest single reference sources for waterways related material in Ireland.
Membership and Organisation
IWAI has approx. 2,000 members mainly organised in regional branches associated with the major navigations across the island. Our membership is drawn from all walks of life and from people with a wide range of interests including boating, sailing, watersports, angling, kayaking, walking, restoration work, heritage, and environment.
Many of our members own and use boats on our lake lands, rivers, and canals ranging from motor cruisers to jet-skis, from barges to sailing dinghies and RIBs to rowing boats.
The association is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity (CHY no 10915). It is governed by a council made up of representatives of each of the local regions and directly elected officers and members. Day to day affairs are managed by an executive committee.
Note: IWAI is NOT responsible for the navigation, for registering boats, for harbours or similar facilities. The authority that is responsible for the Shannon, Suck, Erne, Barrow, Lower Bann, Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Shannon-Erne Waterway navigations is ‘Waterways Ireland’