Navigating Brian’s work was a labour of love

A LIFETIME navigating Irish waterways and bringing their history to light was celebrated recently at the launch of a new collection of work by the late Brian J Goggin.

Family members and friends of Mr Goggin worked together to publish a new 554-page book – Waterways and Means – a selection of his researched essays on the history of Ireland’s waterways.

Speaking at the official launch of this new publication in Flanagan’s Bar, Ballina, Killaloe Ballina Historical Society chairperson, Arlene White, admitted the nine-panel waterways history tour of the two twin communities, which is now promoted on a local app, would never have come to fruition without Brian’s great input and support.

Following the establishment of the Killaloe Ballina Historical Society in August 2017, Arlene recalled Brian was suggested as a guest speaker.

During a subsequent discussion about a possible date, Arlene joked Brian had charmed her straight away after revealing that he could only confirm his availability once his wife would be at home to look after their dogs.

“He won me over immediately because I am obsessed with dogs. When I started reading his waterways blog I became totally star struck with his huge knowledge,” Arlene told The Champion.

“We were totally in awe of him and it was a privilege to have him giving talks for the society. He was always willing to share his information on the waterways with other people.

“I rarely walk along the canal without thinking of Brian and the massive work that went into it,” she said.

Brian delivered a series of lectures for the Killaloe Ballina Historical Society right from its infancy and and they were always well attended to hear him share his wealth of knowledge.

Brian also proofed and edited the society’s waterways six history plaques, providing information on various parts of the waterway in Killaloe and Ballina.

In 2020, the society applied for another grant from Waterways Ireland and once again Brian provided the historical information for more plaques.

A few weeks before his passing, Brian provided the society with some information on The Mill in Killaloe when he was contacted by Arlene who wasn’t aware of his terminal diagnosis at the time.

The new book explores the politics of how money was spent on waterways infrastructure, even when it was clear that trains would be the future.

As navigation by waterway became faster and easier, new possibilities opened up including the provision of fresh eggs and bacon to Liverpool for breakfast, a ready supply of turf to Limerick to fuel the distillery, bogs drained for arable land, and fast, comfortable trips to Kilkee to take in the sea air.

Navigable waterways off the main routes are examined, as well as some waterways that didn’t see completion.

Alongside the main stories, Brian explores swimming in the canals of Dublin, and the misadventures of a sea captain who attempted to steal some cargo.

Brian had been researching Irish waterways history for years, meticulously researching, writing and rewriting articles and publications as new evidence led him to understand the economic, political and cultural history of Irish waterways in different lights.

This publication is a collection of lectures, articles and chapters from an unfinished book, all written before his untimely death in October 2020.

His articles have been edited for coherence, articles grouped by theme and stripped back of some of the detail.

It is not a comprehensive history, either chronologically or geographically, but a selection of what his family hope readers will find interesting.

References in the book are detailed, as Brian meticulously recorded his sources. He worked his way through parliamentary transcripts, newspaper archives, historic maps, and an extensive collection of journals and books.

A long time member of the Irish Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI), Brian served as editor of its quarterly Inland Waterways News in the early 2000s.

The Castleconnell resident was also proprietor of the Irish Waterways History website.

The site, which Brian maintained until just weeks before his passing, is regarded as an invaluable repository of his dedicated research and opinion on Ireland’s inland waterways and their past uses.

The stories he collected of the Royal Canal in particular took on printed form with the 2014 publication of The Royal Under the Railway: Ireland’s Royal Canal 1830–1899.

Between 2011 and 2013, Brian wrote his Inland Blog for Afloat.ie covering a variety of issues and topics pertaining to the waterways’ past, present and future

When Brian died during lockdown, his son, Ian, recalled there were only seven of his close family who attended his funeral Mass, with his sister and brothers-in-law on Zoom.

Publishing this book, he said is one way of celebrating his legacy.

“Dad was working on what he called his “magnum opus” for rather a long time. It had evolved again and again as he found new information: like a toddler, he just kept wanting to know why and was never going to be satisfied he had found all the answers.

“He lived and breathed his research, telling us about it when we visited, speaking at various talks and events, writing about it online and striking up conversations with people who stopped to ask about our boat.

“Putting the book together from what dad left was no small task, even discounting the countless hours Dad himself poured into it, even in his final weeks.”

For most of last year, he said his mother, Anne and sister, Carolan, in particular, have spent many days editing the material.

Carolan trawled through an accuracy and formatting check of more than 1,500 references. Anne spent days finding original sources and documents to create the tables, and making sure the stressful publishing process all went well. Ian spent two days just merging formatting differences between chapters.

Ian described the book as a compilation of smaller histories, ranging from major construction projects over decades, like the Limerick Navigation, to canals for turf boats on privately-owned land, and with plenty of Brian’s trademark diversions into interesting stories – swimming in Dublin canals, flying boats on Lough Erne, stolen cargo, drainage legislation and plenty more.

“Dad looked at things differently and asked the difficult question, didn’t just presume. Dad’s interest in the waterways was simultaneously broad and deep. His contribution to the waterways has been significant.

“Dad didn’t necessarily think of himself as an economist, but he was all that at his best. And he was a fantastic father – missed by all the family.

“He expressed so much of his love through engaged interest and grounded research. If I lightly expressed interest in something, I’d discover a book through my letterbox on the topic, I’d discover he was fluent in its vocabulary, and that he’d periodically send emails with related articles and opportunities he’d spotted,” Ian recalled.

“Dad said that he thought of himself “more as the quiet person sitting in the corner than the very active intervenor” – and he could be that sometimes – but he was one who stood out nonetheless.

“He left us more than just a memory of him, and a life of learning. He left a beautiful recorded message for Mum, he arranged for us all to receive models of Knocknagow in silver – as tie pins, brooches and necklaces.

“He left recordings of bedtime stories for the kids. Dad loved his grandchildren, Ciara and Arthur dearly,” Ian recalled.
“Dad taught us how to learn and love learning, not just telling us what to focus on. He loved when we had new things to discuss. I hope the book and his memory encourage you to new learning and new exploration,” Ian added.

Family friend, Giles Byford, said Brian loved barging, his dogs, family, fine food and interesting beverages, conversation, attention to detail, being generous and fun.

Having met on Lough Derg, Giles recounted countless days they enjoyed on his barge, Knocknagow, particularly in lesser frequented harbours such as Dromaan, Rossmore and Kilgarvan quays “away from the hubbub in ‘secret spaces behind islands or up feeder rivers I had first surveyed to make sure a mooring was possible and that nothing fouled the barge’s more delicate steel”.

Giles helped plan the addition of a wheelhouse, aft deck cover, and even the addition of a mighty bow thruster on Knocknagow.

“At times our planning got a little out of hand, and I feared the appearance of the notebook containing the list ‘things to be bought for the boat’ as I dreaded its length and our largesse could only extend Anne’s working life paying for our indulgence.

“Crucial when choosing a mooring was making sure that the dogs could easily get ashore and be walked. For Brian took the dogs everywhere and the dogs dictated much of how he planned.

“Brian adored his dogs, and our dog Hobbes adored Brian to the point he would have happily burst eating all the treats lobbed his way.

“Those treats were only one of the things ever-present in those amazingly deep trouser pockets,– handkerchief, pens, notebooks, lip balm, string, bags for the consequences of the dog biscuits, a leatherman for those emergency engine repairs.”

Giles watched in wonder as the Goggin family delighted in each other’s company even in the cramped confines of a barge.

“This great closeness and the strength of their tribe was very evident in their love and support for each other as Brian’s illness progressed and his death approached. His own courage and acceptance was a thing of great beauty and love.

“Brian was a proper foodie. Any stay at Castleconnell involved a Saturday morning wander round the Milk Market, where Brian was clearly much liked and respected by the stall holders not just for his free spending but for the interest he had in both them and their artisan products. His love of food was matched by his love of beer.”

As a wordsmith, Brian was a stickler for detail and accuracy. Giles said something of interest only became recordable when it was evidence and supported.

“I was the beneficiary of this on various trips – the Shannon Estuary, the Limerick Navigations, the Royal canal and others.

“We’d look at a piece of waterways structure, and while I’d see bricks and mortar Brian would be wondering where the bricks came from, who’d made them, how they were transported, what they cost, who’d laid them, and what the brick layer had had for lunch.

“Only once he was confident he could support any argument would Brian then share his research,” he added.