Rowing back the years on river Shannon

THE demise of regattas on the city centre river stretch from King’s Island to Barrington Pier and beyond, was the subject of some debate in City Hall this week. Councillors voiced the desire of many Limerick people to revive the sport, which was a regular sporting feature during the summer months in Limerick for centuries. Referring to a recent visit paid by a number of councillors to the ESB in Ardnacrusha, councillors said that Limerick rowing clubs are now holding their regattas in O’Brien’s Bridge and Annacotty.

“It is a shame the way rowing has suffered in the city but the removal of the old Salmon Weir would improve matters,” claimed Cllr Tom Shortt, who added:
“I believe the building of the parks on Clancy Strand hasn’t helped the situation – the flow of the river was altered by the building and it can be difficult to keep a boat afloat”.

Calling for the removal of the old Salmon Weir from the river, Cllr Shortt said it is his belief that the Limerick Regeneration Agency is proactively involved in a project involving the weir.
Cllr John Gilligan confirmed to the Limerick Post that the Regeneration Agency has plans to convert the salmon weir into a walkway, linking the Island Bank, which starts at O’Dwyer Bridge and links back to the community centre in King’s Island

“The old weir has not been in use for a long time and is nothing more than an obstruction on the river – Cllr Shortt has raised this issue in City Hall before now and believes that removing the weir would open up the river to canoeists and boaters.
“Although there is nothing definite going on yet, the regeneration people are considering converting the weir into a walkway from the Island Bank to Thomondgate”.