Length & No of Locks

63km from Leitrim Village to Upper Lough Erne with 16 locks

Opening Hours of Locks

09.00 to 20.00 daily
(17th March to 31st October)
09.00 to Dusk i.e. daylight hours
(1st November to 16th March)

Navigational Criteria

Length: 24m
Beam: 4.5m
Draft: 1.2m
Air draft: 3.2m over a width of 3.0m

Waterway Patrollers

Waterway Patrollers are present along the Shannon-Erne Waterway to assist boat users and can be contacted at the following numbers:

• Lock 1 Tel no +44 28 6774 8976
• Lock 16 Tel no +353 87 2608569
• Ballinamore Tel no +353 87 2602478
• Ballyconnell Tel no +353 87 2603662
• Kilclare area Tel no +353 87 2603663

Locks
The 16 locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway are operated by smart card. The card is inserted into the console at the side of the lock; diagrammatic instructions are given for the operation of the lock. Please ensure the safety of all your passengers when the boat is in the lock.

Service Blocks
Service blocks are provided by Waterways Ireland at six locations along the Shannon-Erne Waterway: Leitrim village, Keshcarrigan, Ballinamore, Haughton’s Shore, Ballyconnell and Aghalane. Facilities provided for waterway users include toilets, showers, pump-outs and laundry facilities. The facilities are operated by smart cards.

Pump-outs
Pump-outs are provided at each of the service blocks to enable the pumping out of sewage safely and cleanly removing the pollution risk to our waterways. These are operated by smart cards.

Smart Cards
Smart cards are used to operate the locks, to access the service blocks and to use the pump-outs along the Waterway. They can be purchased from the Waterway Patrollers and from local outlets as well as from the Waterways Ireland offices. Card readers are attached to each service block to enable users to check the number of units remaining on the smart card.

Units per Service
Lock Passage: 1 unit
Pump-outs: 2 units
Showers: 2 units
Chemical Toilets: 2 units
Washing Machines: 5 units
Tumble Dryers: 5 units

Smart Cards Cost
10 unit card €6.35 / £4.00
20 unit card €12.70 / £8.00
40 unit card €22.80 / £14.50

Smart Cards can be bought at the following locations:

• Ballinamore Supervalue, Riversdale Barges
• Ballyconnell The Gift Shop, LondisVivo Supermarket, Supervalue
• Belturbet Centra Supermarket
• Carrick-on-Shannon Waterways Ireland Regional Office, Carrick Craft,  Gartlans Shop, Nauty Bits
• Enniskillen Waterways Ireland Headquarters, Tourist Information Centre, Tully Bay
• Keshcarrigan Gala Supermarket, Keshcarrigan Post Office
• Kilclare Kilclare Post Office, Padraig Lynch’s Shop
• Leitrim Village Leitrim Post Office, McCormack’s Filling Station
• Waterway Patrollers (please see contact details above)

For a ful listing of locations, click on the following link Where to buy SMART Cards

Public Mooring Time Limits
On the Shannon-Erne Waterway the mooring limit is 5 consecutive days or a total of 7 days in any one month during the period 1 April to 31 October.

Speed Limit
5km/h in channel stretches

Your Wash
You are asked to consider the wash of your boat and its effect on others. All engine-powered boats create a wave of water, known as a wash, which flows outwards from the boat as it moves forward. Look behind you frequently to check the effect that your wash is having on other users. You are advised to reduce your speed in narrow channels to prevent bank erosion, damage to reed beds and destruction of birds’ nests among reed and bank habitats. Slow down where boats are moored, when approaching quays, jetties or locks or where water activities are taking place.

Maintenance Works

Maintenance works on the waterways are, where possible, carried out during the winter. When navigating any waterway between 1 November and 17 March you are advised to contact Waterways Ireland Operations Division or the Inspectorate before making your journey to confirm that the waterway is open.

For further information on navigating and boat queries contact the Inspectorate:

Inspector of Navigation

Waterways Ireland, The Docks, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Tel no +353 (0)90 649 4232

Assistant Inspector of Navigation

Waterways Ireland, Sommerview House,Old Dublin Road,
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim
Tel no +353 (0)71 965 0787

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