Lacy's Canal is a
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
which formerly linked the town of
Mullingar
Mullingar ( ; ) is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. It is the third most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, Midland Region, with a population of 22,667 in the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census.
The Counties of M ...
to the northern shore of
Lough Ennell in
County Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
, Ireland. It was constructed in the 18th century and named after
Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath
Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, 4th Baron Lacy (; before 1135 – 25 July 1186), was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman landowner and royal office-holder. He had substantial land holdings in Herefordshire and Shropshire. Following his participation in ...
, who lived in Mullingar in the 12th century. It starts at the rear of the Lynn Industrial Estate and enters Lough Ennell about 2.1 km South of the Joe Dolan bridge, or 700 m South of the Lynn road bridge. At the Lynn road bridge, there is good parking and it is easy to launch and recover a canoe or kayak. The canal is easily navigable from here to Lough Ennell, and for some way northwards, but there is no easy access point nearer to Mullingar. The Northern part of the canal is overgrown (heavily in places) but there is sufficient water depth throughout. It is crossed by both the Lynn road bridge and the
Joe Dolan
Joseph Francis Robert Dolan (16 October 1939 – 26 December 2007) was an Irish singer, entertainer and recording artist. Chiefly known in Ireland for his association with Irish showband, showbands and for his innovative style and high tenor s ...
bridge.
[
]
References
Geography of County Westmeath
Canals in Ireland
Transport in County Westmeath
Transport infrastructure completed in the 18th century
18th-century establishments in Ireland
{{Westmeath-geo-stub