New era of Transport

The River Shannon, Athlone

Black and white postcard photograph showing the weir and lock in the background and Athlone Castle and left bank of Athlone town in the foreground.

© Westmeath Library Service

The River Shannon, Athlone
© Westmeath Library Service

The River Shannon, Athlone

Black and white postcard photograph showing the weir and lock in the background and Athlone Castle and left bank of Athlone town in the foreground.

© Westmeath Library Service

Enlarge image

A new era for transport in Athlone?

In June 1849 The Westmeath Independent reported:

"The appearance on Thursday of one of the City of Dublin Steam Company's large vessels, The Lady Landsdowne, on the upper Shannon was a novelty which came unexpectedly upon the inhabitants of Athlone. As she steamed up the noble river a large number of spectators congregated on the bridge and quays and by hearty cheers welcomed this, the first attempt, to open the navigation for vessels of any burden above Shannonbridge …"

Last consignment at Athlone Docks

The transportation of goods into and out of Athlone was facilitated by the building of a canal west of the town in 1757 and made more efficient by the Shannon Navigation Works of the 1840s. Throughout the 19th C. river transport was the favoured means of transport for many goods – including Guinness. However a combination of improvements in both road and rail transport in the 20th C. saw the twilight of this form of transportation. This consignment seen being unloaded at the Docks in Athlone was an Intertype Composing Machine for Athlone Printing Works it is said to have been last consignment of its kind at Athlone Docks.

© Westmeath Library Service

Last consignment at Athlone Docks
© Westmeath Library Service

Last consignment at Athlone Docks

The transportation of goods into and out of Athlone was facilitated by the building of a canal west of the town in 1757 and made more efficient by the Shannon Navigation Works of the 1840s. Throughout the 19th C. river transport was the favoured means of transport for many goods – including Guinness. However a combination of improvements in both road and rail transport in the 20th C. saw the twilight of this form of transportation. This consignment seen being unloaded at the Docks in Athlone was an Intertype Composing Machine for Athlone Printing Works it is said to have been last consignment of its kind at Athlone Docks.

© Westmeath Library Service

Enlarge image

The future looked certain for inland-waterways transportation in Ireland but the coming of the railway soon put a strong element of competition in place and over the course of the next century the river and rail competed for business.

The last cargo to arrive by commercial barge in Athlone was the delivery of a new Intertype Composing Machine for Athlone Printing Works in 1955, by then the nature of transport in Ireland had changed forever.

Soon another new era was to open with a strong growth in the use of the Shannon for pleasure cruising as well as sailing and other water based activities. Today several fleets of hire-cruisers ply the Shannon making use of all the benefits of the Shannon Navigation Works of the 1840s.