A colourful parade of boats will be sailing gracefully up Newry Ship Canal this weekend floating gently into the heart of Newry City.
The boats will leave Carlingford village, sail up Carlingford Lough, through Victoria Lock, into Newry Ship Canal and onwards to the Albert Basin.
The event, organised by Carlingford Marina, is coming to the city for the second year in a row.
Ships will arrive Newry on Saturday, July 27 (sailing through Victoria Lock) from 4pm and reaching the Albert Basin from 4.45pm onwards returning to Carlingford on Monday, 29 July at 6pm.
Jonny Moneley, General Manager, Carlingford Marina, is looking forward to this years event and believes Carlingford Lough is one of the most picturesque coastal inlets in Ireland.
He said: “Sailing up the Newry Canal is one of the most spectacular passages a sea-going boat can make – and is rivaled only by places such as the Caledonian Canal in Scotland, or the Canal du Midi in southern France.
“There are very few places in the world where you can be sailing out at sea on open water and then, a few hours later, be sailing so close to the land that you can smell the trees, wave to people walking along the Greenway, and hear dogs barking and birds singing as you meander through the lush and beautiful green landscape.”
A flotilla of boats sail through Victoria Lock and up Newry Ship Canal as part of 2023 Carlingford Cruising Week. Photograph: Columba O’Hare/ Newry.ie
With navigation on Newry Ship Canal endangered due to plans by the NI Department for Infrastructure to build a fixed bridge over the waterway as part of their Southern Relief Road project, it’s more important than ever that Newry’s unique selling point is used and enjoyed.
Organisers are keen to point out that over 80% of the boats expected to participate in this weekend’s flotilla will not be able to make it into Newry if the fixed bridge is built.
On the one hand the Irish Government is investing heavily building an opening bridge at Narrow Water while on the other the Stormont Government is determined to make sure boats that make it through the first bridge will not be able to continue on to Newry, their path being blocked by a 12m high concrete eyesore.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the flotilla this weekend and take plenty of photographs to showcase our beautiful canal to the world.
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