Tag Archives: Tranquility moorings

QUESTIONS have been raised about plans to install a ‘tranquillity mooring’ at a location close to Holy Island, on the Clare side of Lough Derg. Waterways Ireland, who applied for permission at the end of last year, have been asked to explain how anti-social behaviour and noise pollution will be avoided. In addition, county planners have requested more details of how sensitive local sites will be protected. They have also asked Waterways Ireland to consider the cumulative impact given that the visitor plan for Holy Island provides for two 50-seater ferries taking passengers to and from Inis Cealtra. Plans for one other moorings – one at Castle Bawn, Ogonnelloe  – is also the subject of a Further Information (FI) request. Plans for another mooring at Scariff Bay was also lodged last year. This has since been deemed invalid on technical aspects of the applications. Consultants who worked on the mooring plan noted that the lake is currently used for recreational …

TRANQUILITY moorings, which are planned by Waterways Ireland for the Clare section of Lough Derg, are the subject of a number of objections over concerns about their impact on wildlife and local amenities. Last month, Waterways Ireland lodged applications to build moorings at three locations – Castle Bawn Bay, Ogonnelloe; at the mouth of the Scariff River; and on another site North West of Inis Cealtra, close to Knockaphort Jetty, around 130m from the lakeshore. At an active travel briefing for Clare last week, Regional Manager with Waterways Ireland, Éanna Roe explained that the moorings are being piloted on Lough Derg, with a view to enhancing the on-water experience for those using the Shannon. Concerns over all three planning applications have now been lodged by the Lough Derg Anglers Association and by a member of The Golden Eagle Trust. In their submission the anglers association described tranquillity moorings as “a contradiction in terms,” saying “tranquillity for humans causes disturbance for …

THREE new ‘tranquillity moorings’ are being proposed for sites along Lough Derg’s Clare shoreline. Waterways Ireland has lodged applications with Clare County Council to build the moorings at Castle Bawn Bay, Ogonnelloe; at the mouth of the Scariff River; and on another site North West of Inis Cealtra, close to Knockaphort Jetty, around 130m from the lakeshore. Consultants who worked on the application noted that the lake is currently used for recreational boating, mainly during the summer months. “Casual boat mooring occurs within quieter inlets outside of the existing navigational markers, with boats dropping anchor near parts of the shoreline,” they note. “The proposed development aims to formalise mooring facilities in these areas, but discourage more casual mooring closer to the lake shore.” If granted permission, the development off Knockaphort Jetty would involve a new floating mooring buoy anchored by a concrete weight, sitting on the lake bed connected by a galvanised steel chain. That proposed mooring would only be …