Survey Data

Reg No

13307014


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Technical


Original Use

Harbour/dock/port


In Use As

Harbour/dock/port


Date

1815 - 1820


Coordinates

206333, 275792


Date Recorded

16/08/2005


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Canal harbour/terminus, built 1817, serving the Royal Canal. Dressed limestone walls dressed limestone kerbing. Cast-iron bollards at intervals around edges. Irregular regular symmetrical plan on northeast- southwest axis, with canal bridge (13307013) at southwest end, lock at north corner (13303017), and dry dock (13303015) at northeast end. Canal to the south end and junction with the Camlin River to the north.

Appraisal

Richmond Harbour is the focal point of the town of Cloondara, and is the terminus of the Royal Canal. Indeed, the town grew up around the canal and the harbour. Completed in 1817, it is still in use today for the mooring of boats from the Shannon via the Camlin River. It is made of well cut and laid limestone, and its curving edges create a pleasingly symmetrical form. The scale of the harbour provides an historical insight into grandiose ambitions of the Royal Canal Company, and later the Directors of Inland Navigation at the time of construction. It was laid out to designs by John Killaly (1766 – 1832), the engineer responsible for the construction of the Royal Canal between Coolnahay to Cloondara. Framed by the dry dock (13303015), lock (13303017) and lock keeper's house (13303016) to the north, Richmond Bridge (13303013) to the south, and the former canal offices and manager's house (13303019) to the east, it forms part of a notable coherent scheme.