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Feeding The Monster

working the system. Five of the children
involved in the trip have, since 2014,
become the proud owners of ex-working
canal barges and have begun the journey
of repairing and rebuilding their unique
examples of industrial heritage. We are
all custodians of these wonderful vessels,
so we need to protect them.

Since its spectacular launch the Heritage
Boat Association has gone from strength
to strength. Membership is constantly
around the seventy mark and the
majority are owners of heritage boats.
The association has published three
books which document the history and boatmen. Joe Treacy
of the boats and also some invaluable
information about the men who worked A website ( www.heritageboatassociation. Editor’s Note: A quick reminder about
on these boats. Over a number of years, ie ) contains invaluable information on the name of Joe’s series. Around 2011,
the association has collaborated with the individual vessels and on the Irish Joe and his son Ben were involved with
schools along the canal system educating waterways system and the progress of a film crew who recorded the trip of The
pupils on our wonderful inland the association. There is also a very Rambler from Dublin to the Shannon -
waterways system and the barges and active Facebook page (Heritage Boat along the then recently reopened Royal
men that worked on it. Several books Association) which contains a lot of Canal. Joe started a web-forum tread
unique to the school’s area have been current information and advice. to update the folk interested in the
published and we have hosted a number story. Because he had to rush off to find
of conferences and talks on heritage Hopefully, by the next issue an end to internet coverage or wi-fi signals, he
matters. With the commitment and the current crisis will be in sight and our would leave the action along the canal.
dedication of the strong membership, the wonderful craft will be allowed to move So, he coined the phrase… he had to
association has become the authority in again and continue to give enjoyment to go… to “feed the monster”, the greedy
Ireland on the subject of heritage boats us all. Take care and stay safe everyone, social media monster, before it starved!

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