Waterways Ireland interactive map brings heritage of Grand Canal to life

• Digital map explores the rich heritage of the Grand Canal using Esri’s ArcGIS technology
• Brings the public on an immersive storytelling experience across Ireland, from Dublin’s docks to Shannon Harbour
• Users can learn about how the canal was built and what life was like for workers on board the canal’s barges
• Map contains historical documents, old photos, oral histories, verbal anecdotes, 3D animations, and video clips relating specifically to each location
• The map is serving as an invaluable educational resource 

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), today announces that Waterways Ireland has developed an interactive digital map exploring the rich heritage of the Grand Canal. The map, titled A Boatman’s Journey, brings the public on an immersive storytelling experience across Ireland, from Dublin’s docks in the east to Shannon Harbour in the west. It was built using Esri’s ArcGIS technology.

Waterways Ireland is responsible for restoring, developing, and promoting over 1,100 kilometres of inland waterways across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Grand Canal, completed in 1804, was a marvel of engineering and a crucial artery for trade and passengers.

The interactive map charts a boatman’s virtual journey along the 130-kilometre-long waterway, travelling on a barge which was designed specifically for the Grand Canal in 1925. Beginning at Dublin’s bustling docklands, the boatman navigates a variety of locks, bridges, and aqueducts, as well as landmarks such as the Guinness Brewery. Leaving the urban landscape behind, the barge travels over the Bog of Allen, and through towns including Edenderry and Tullamore, before reaching its final destination of Shannon Harbour. 

Along the way, users can click on points to reveal information and links to fascinating historical documents, old photos, oral histories, amusing verbal anecdotes, 3D animations, and video clips relating specifically to each location. Presenting material mainly derived from the Waterways Ireland archive in an engaging format, the public can learn about how the canal was built, what life was like for workers on board the barges, and gain a new appreciation for the colourful history and vibrant present of the canal. It also helps people to develop stronger connections to the waterway in relation to their local communities and their own family histories.

As well as a cultural voyage through history, A Boatman’s Journey is also serving as an invaluable educational resource and Waterways Ireland has created lesson plans for teachers that link the map to the school curriculum. The map can continue to be expanded with new and additional content into the future and Waterways Ireland plans to develop further digital stories using Esri’s ArcGIS technology relating to the other waterways it manages.

Martina McCarthy, Heritage Officer, Waterways Ireland, said: “ArcGIS has undoubtedly enabled us to bring Ireland’s Grand Canal heritage to a wider audience. People who might not otherwise engage with heritage information are really intrigued by the map and quickly become caught up in the narrative. The map enables people to visualise where events took place in their communities and improves their sense of connection with the local heritage on their doorstep. It immerses citizens in what it was like to work on the canal a hundred years ago and, in particular, it is amazing to see how the story draws young people in and gives them a new appreciation of their local waterways.”

Patricia Cleary, Lifelong Learning Programme Lead, Esri Ireland, said: “Esri Ireland’s collaboration with Waterways Ireland demonstrates the transformative potential of ArcGIS technology in bringing stories to life. Additionally, the initiative promotes continuous learning via a rich, map-based storytelling experience. The map presents the material in a new and engaging way, making it easier for audiences to explore and understand the rich data and unique heritage facilities of Waterways Ireland. As Waterways Ireland continues to boost public interest in the Grand Canal, the map will be pivotal in bridging the gap between past and future generations. As manager of the ArcGIS for Schools Programme, I highlight this StoryMap and other Waterways Ireland Educational resources to the teachers I work with who find it easy to use and engage the students in. We look forward to continuing to build our relationship with Waterways Ireland into the future.” 

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