the newry canal

Whether it be the important archaeological sites around Scarva, the extensive Linen history of Gilford and Tandragee, the famous and infamous characters who passed this way, the Monastic and commercial importance of Newry, or simply the superb enginerring displayed by the Canal itself, there will be something to amaze and enthral every visitor to the area. In Spite of the fact that it is a man-made waterway, the Newry Canal is today a haven for an abundance of plants and animals. Its slow moving water forms an important habitat especially since many bodies of freshwater such as ponds and marshes are fast disappearing from our countryside. Special Observation points along the Canal ... * Victoria Lock-Albert Basin: Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes * Albert Basin-Carnbane: Tame Mallard * Acton Lake: Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe and in Winter, Gadwall, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard and Tufted Duck. Acton Lake is designated as a site of special scientific interest; a small flock of Whooper Swans roosts here and the area has a good reputation for rare winter migrants, notably the Goosander.

The NEWRY CANAL RESTORATION PROJECT is a major long-term programme involving Newry & Mourne and Banbridge District Councils, Craigavon Borough Council and Armagh City & District Council, all of which are committed to bringing the full canal back to life without disturbing what is natural and historic along its route. The project is sympathetic to its environment, as will be the activities which occur on the Canal itself. The Newry Canal holds tremendous potential for such recreational pursuits as: - Wildlife Observation Sites - Angling/Coarse Fishing - Boat Cruises with access to Lough Neagh - Guided Tours - Additional Interpretative Centres - Canoeing/Rowing - Pony Trekking - Cycling/Walking Trails

Goragh Wood: was important as the principal Railway Station for Newry. Up until the 1960's Goragh Wood also served as the main Customs point since it was the last train-stop before crossing the border into the Republic of Ireland. Canal Quays (Newry): There was a series of four quays in the Canal system, Merchants Quay, Canal Quay, Buttercrane Quay and Sugar Island. By the Nineteenth Century the quays were lined with tall and narrow warehouses built to accommodate goods from all over the world, many of them belonging to Grain Merchants. Sugar from the West Indies gave its name to sugar Island, the development alongside the new Basin (now the Basin car Park) where a refinery had been built. The area within Newry town centre between the Albert Basin and Carnbane has now been designated a Wildlife Sanctuary.