Flowing through the cities, towns and countryside of Ireland and Northern Ireland, there are 1,100 km of navigable inland waterways.  As well as managing and maintaining these canals and rivers for recreational purposes, Waterways Ireland also safeguards and shares precious heritage information about them.  It has an archive of thousands of historical documents, maps and photographs and an online catalogue of 7,000 digital resources including podcasts and videos.  

Looking for new ways to leverage its wealth of heritage materials, Waterways Ireland discovered Esri’s ArcGIS StoryMaps, a geographic information system (GIS) app builder that enables users to design and build interactive experiences combining maps and multimedia content.  It realised that a storymap would be an exciting new way to connect its disparate resources and ignite greater public interest in Ireland’s waterways. 

Heightened public interest in the Grand Canal
Widely promoted at events and via social media, ‘A Boatman’s Journey’ received more than 4,300 views in the first year, heightening public interest in the heritage of the Grand Canal.  Martina McCarthy, Heritage Officer at Waterways Ireland observes, “People who might not otherwise engage with heritage information are really intrigued by the storymap and quickly become caught up in the narrative.  ArcGIS StoryMaps has undoubtedly enabled us to bring Ireland’s Grand Canal heritage to a wider audience.”

Stronger connections with local heritage
Because the storymap is, by its very nature, map-centric, it helps people to see where waterways are in relation to their local communities and their own family histories.  Seeing the app has led several people to donate their own pictures and stories to the project, supplementing Waterways Ireland’s archives.  “The storymap enables people to visualise where events took place in their communities and improves their sense of connection with the local heritage on their doorstep,” explains Nuala Reilly, Archivist at Waterways Ireland.

A powerful resource for education 
Waterways Ireland is now actively encouraging teachers to use the app and has created lesson plans that link the storymap to the curriculum.  The organisation has also showcased the storymap at educational events and in schools, receiving enthusiastic feedback.  “The storymap brings to life what it was like to work on the canal a hundred years ago,” says Manus Tiernan, Education Officer at Waterways Ireland.  “It is amazing to see how the story draws young people in and gives them a new appreciation of their local waterways.” 

Optimum use of archived resources 
Through the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps, Waterways Ireland has achieved its goal of making better use of its extensive—and growing—archives.   The storymap presents the material in a new and engaging format, making it easier for audiences to explore and understand, and some of Waterways Ireland’s most fascinating materials are now more accessible.  Waterways Ireland is the steward for Ireland’s waterways heritage, and ArcGIS StoryMaps is clearly supporting it in this valuable role.