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31 Oct 2025
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31 Oct 2025
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Work underway on new workshops near the Grand Canal, Tullamore
WORK is continuing on the construction of a new Waterways Ireland depot on the Grand Canal at Cappincur, Tullamore.
The completed project will comprise a carpentry workshop, a mechanical workshop, both single storey with the latter being about 700 sq m in size, and a two-storey administration building.
Builders moved in the end of January and it is expected that all work will be complete by January, 2026.
There will be a craft centre of excellence at the facility where Waterways Ireland say the old tradition of lock-gate crafting will be maintained.
The new buildings will replace the existing Waterways Ireland facilities at the Grand Canal harbour in Tullamore town centre where a dry dock is also located.
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While a dry dock was indicated as part of the original proposals for the site off the Cappincur Road, it has been dropped for the moment and was not in the revised plans.
The three buildings, designed by Tullamore architect Patrick Little, will sit on a site of about 1.8 hectares almost directly across the canal from Boland's Lock and lock house.
The relocation of the existing Waterways Ireland operations from the town centre site, where they have been based for about 200 years, will open up that entire area for redevelopment and a masterplan has already been drawn up.
Speaking at the signing of contracts with Pat Loftus Construction for the construction of the craft centre of excellence, John McDonagh, Waterways Ireland chief executive stated: “It will ensure the continuation of a great tradition of waterways craftsmanship in Tullamore. At Waterways Ireland we have responsibility for the maintenance and development of over 1,100km of inland waterways and 650km of paths and cycleways. This new Craft Centre Of Excellence will provide our teams with modern premises and future-proof Waterways Ireland’s capacity to develop recreational and tourism amenities for locals and visitors alike across the region.”
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