View source for Inland Waterways Association of Ireland

{{Short description|Non-governmental organisation}}
{{Infobox yacht club
| clubname      = Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
| fullname      = 
| emblem        = 
| imagesize     = 
| emblemcaption = 
| burgee        = Burgee of Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.svg| image2size    = 
| burgeecaption = 
| ensign        = Inland Waterways Association of Ireland flag.svg
| image3size    =
| ensigncaption = 
| nickname      = 
| short name    = IWAI
| founded       = 1954
| dissolved     =
| location      = [[Ireland]]
| campus        = 
| commodore     = 
| focus         = [[Canals of Ireland]] and River navigations.
| website       =  https://www.iwai.ie
}}
The '''Inland Waterways Association of Ireland''' (IWAI; {{Langx|ga|Cumann Uiscebhealaigh Intíre na hÉireann}}) is a [[registered charity]] and a [[limited company]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]].  IWAI (NI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of IWAI, therefore IWAI operates across the island of Ireland. It was founded in 1954 to campaign for the conservation and development of the inland [[waterways]] and their [[environmental preservation|preservation]] as working [[canal|navigation]]s. As of 2024, the [[voluntary association|Association]] has approximately 2,000 members which are organised in twenty four branches (7 in Northern Ireland, 16 in the Republic and 1 activity-based branch).<ref>{{Cite web |title=About IWAI – IWAI |url=https://www.iwai.ie/about-iwai/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

IWAI also has two Special Interest Groups aiming to make the waterways safer to navigate - "Charts Sig<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=admin |title=IWAI CSIG |url=https://chartssig.iwai.ie/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Charts Sig |language=en-GB}}</ref>" - and free from obstruction "Nav-Watch" <ref>{{Cite web |title=IWAI Nav-Watch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/nav-watch/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Nav-Watch |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Publications==
The Association publishes a quarterly magazine called Inland Waterway News (IWN).<ref>{{Cite web |title=IWN Magazine – IWAI |url=https://www.iwai.ie/iwn-magazine/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref> It contains news about the Irish waterways along with articles from branches and special interest groups that make up the organisation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Branch Network – IWAI |url=https://www.iwai.ie/branch-network/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==IWAI Charts==
IWAI Charts are exclusive to members and offer the most comprehensive and up-to-date navigation charts covering the inland waterways on the island of Ireland, aiming to make the waterways safer and more enjoyable.<ref name=":0" />

==Boat Rallies==
The IWAI and its branches host boat rallies annually.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IWAI Rallies – IWAI |url=https://www.iwai.ie/iwai-rallies/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref> These rallies include the Dublin rally, Shannon rally, Lough Derg rally, Lough Erne rally, Shannon Harbour rally and Naas rally. The Shannon rally is the biggest of these rallies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=IWAI Shannon Boat Rally |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/sbr/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI - Shannon Boat Rally |language=en-GB}}</ref> Only members of the Association can attend IWAI boat rallies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Join, Renew or Manage Your Membership – IWAI |url=https://www.iwai.ie/join-or-renew-iwai-membership/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The rallies may include tests of boating skills, rescue exercises, a table quiz, fancy dress competitions, with awards ceremonies at the end.{{fact|date=February 2023}} Some of the smaller branches hold small boat rallies with dingies.{{fact|date=February 2023}} Branches that hold these are Boyne Navigation IWAI, Newry and Portadown IWAI and Lagan IWAI.{{fact|date=February 2023}}

==Branches==

* IWAI Athlone<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Welcome to IWAI Athlone |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/athlone/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Athlone |language=en-US}}</ref>
* IWAI Barrow<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=IWAI Barrow |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/barrow/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Barrow |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Belturbet<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/belturbet/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Belturbet |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Blackwater
* IWAI Boyle River<ref>{{Cite web |last=peter |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/boyleriver/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Boyle River |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* [[Boyne Navigation|IWAI Boyne Navigation]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Boyne - I.W.A.I |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/boyne/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Boyne Navigation - IWAI |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Carrick-on-Shannon<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byrne |first=Joe |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/carrick/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Carrick-on-Shannon |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Coalisland
* IWAI Corrib<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/corrib/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Corrib |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Dublin<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/dublin/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Dublin |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Kildare<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beth |title=IWAI Kildare |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/kildare/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Kildare |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Lagan<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=IWAI Lagan Branch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/lagan/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI - Lagan |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Lough Derg<ref>{{Cite web |title=IWAI Lough Derg Branch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/derg/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=branch.iwai.ie}}</ref>
* IWAI Lough Erne<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Lough Erne Branch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/erne/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Lough Erne Branch |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Newry and Portadown<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/newry/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Newry and Portadown |language=en-US}}</ref>
* IWAI North Barrow<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/northbarrow/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI North Barrow |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Offaly<ref>{{Cite web |last=ronnie |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/offaly/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Offaly |language=en-US}}</ref>
* IWAI Powerboat Club<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/powerboat/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Powerboat Club |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI River Suck<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=IWAI River Suck Branch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/riversuck/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI - River Suck |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* River Bann and Lough Neagh
* IWAI Royal Canal<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=IWAI Royal Canal |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/royalcanal/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Royal Canal |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Shannon Harbour<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Home |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/shr/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI Shannon Harbour |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Slaney<ref>{{Cite web |last=colman |title=Slaney Branch |url=https://branch.iwai.ie/slaney/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=IWAI - Slaney |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* IWAI Ulster

==See also==
*[[Canals of Ireland]]
*[[Waterways Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.iwai.ie/ }}
*[https://afloat.ie/blogs/sailing-saturday-with-wm-nixon/item/63817-ireland-s-inland-waterways-association-takes-70th-anniversary-comfortably-in-its-stride Ireland's Inland Waterways Association Takes 70th Anniversary Comfortably in its Stride] Afloat.ie 6th July 2024
*{{cite news
|url=http://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/local/float_to_the_fleadh_launch_1_2012956
|title=Float to the Fleadh launch
|date=20 July 2009
|work=Offaly Express
|accessdate=18 October 2011}}
*{{cite news
|url=http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/36340/82/
|title=Ireland. IWAI to hold Public Meeting on Ulster Canal restoration campaign in Armagh
|date=11 October 2006
|work=BYM News & Magazine
|accessdate=18 October 2011}}
*[http://www.waterwaysireland.org Statuary Inland waterways authority in Ireland]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Charities based in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1954]]
[[Category:1954 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:All-Ireland organisations]]
[[Category:Inland waterways under restoration]]


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