Work progresses on Grand Canal Craft Centre of Excellence outside Tullamore

WORK is progressing on the new Waterways Ireland Craft Centre of Excellence on the Grand Canal at Cappincur, one kilometre outside Tullamore.

The centre - located opposite the landmark Boland's lockhouse - will replace the Tullamore Harbour depot which has been a regional base for Waterways for the last 60 plus years.

Work on the new development, which commenced last February, will allow for a multi-million euro transformation of the Grand Canal Harbour in the centre of Tullamore.

The harbour is a premium site in the centre of the county town and in mid 2024 ambitious plans were unveiled which would see it being developed for residential and business uses.

The development has the potential to transform the centre of Tullamore.

Waterways Ireland, which is the navigational authority for the inland navigable waterways, are set to vacate the harbour in 2026.

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The development of the Craft Centre of Excellence will safeguard the centuries-old tradition of lock-gate crafting, and the production of associated bespoke heritage fittings, in Tullamore.

Using Ekki timber imported from Africa, every lock gate is individually crafted by specialist carpenters to the exacting specifications required to ensure the smooth operation of 120 locks across 420km of navigation along the Grand Canal, Royal Canal, and Barrow Line.

Mechanical teams will continue to maintain fleets of boats, dredgers, weed-cutters, diggers, vans, lorries and other specialist equipment at the new location. Teams based at Tullamore also manage the development and maintenance of the Grand Canal Greenway from Shannon Harbour to Lowtown in Co. Kildare.

As such, Tullamore will continue to play a vital role in fulfilling Waterways Ireland’s remit as Custodians of the Waterways for many years to come.

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The new Craft Centre of Excellence is expected to be operational by June 2026, at which time the Harbour site in Tullamore town centre will be vacated.

The works are supporting 20-30 jobs during the construction phase at present.

The Craft Centre of Excellence will serve as base for up to 70 staff across several departments of Waterways Ireland, including Operations, the Inspectorate, Mechanical & Electrical Team and Finance.

The project will see the construction of Carpentry and Mechanical craft workshops, an administrative building, and supporting amenities including yard areas, hardstanding and a waste-water treatment unit.