The Dry Canal
A new video about the Cong Canal can be seen here
The Cong Canal runs to the east of the Kathleen Lynn Garden.
Work on the canal commenced in 1848 and was halted in 1854. The canal was intended to connect Lough Corrib and Lough Mask and provide navigation from Galway to Ballinrobe.
Samuel Roberts was the main engineer involved with the project. Labourers were paid four pence per day to blast their way through miles of limestones rock. Three locks, two bridges and an aqueduct were built for the canal. The locks were necessary to enable the canal to navigate the 36 feet ascent between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask.
The first lock is situated at the beginning of the canal by the bridge at Ashford Castle.
The second lock lies to the east of this garden and was never completed. A number of the unused large, dressed masonry blocks from the second lock have been incorporated into the Kathleen Lynn Garden. The gate at the south of the garden was created to allow horses to pass through as there was no tow path at this point.
Just past the car park is the aqueduct and the third lock on the canal.
Work on the canal was abandoned in 1854 due to a shortage of labour and the development of railways undercutting the economic case for the canal.
Although the project was never completed it provided much needed employment during the famine years and was a valuable drainage project in the local area.
An Chanáil Thirim
Gabhann Canáil Chonga lastoir de Ghairdín Kathleen Lynn.
Tosaíodh leis an obair ar Chanáil Chonga in 1848 agus cuireadh stop leis in 1854. Bhí an chanáil ceaptha Loch Coirib agus Loch Measca a cheangal agus bealach loingseoireachta a chur ar fáil ó Ghaillimh go Baile an Róba.
Ba é Samuel Roberts an príomhinnealtóir a bhí bainteach leis an tionscadal. Íocadh oibrithe ceithre pingine sa lá lena mbealach a bhriseadh trí na mílte de charraig aolchloiche. Tógadh trí loc, dhá dhroichead agus uiscerian don chanáil. Theastaigh na loic le cuidiú don chanáil sreabhadh suas an fána aníos 36 troigh idir Loch Coirib agus Loch Measca.
Tá an chéad loc suite ag tús na canála taobh leis an droichead ag Caisleán Cheapach Corcóige.
Tá an dara loc suite lastoir den ghairdín seo agus níor críochnaíodh riamh é. Cuireadh roinnt de na bloic mhóra chóirithe shaoirseachta nár úsáideadh ón dara loc isteach i nGairdín Kathleen Lynn. Cruthaíodh an geata ag an taobh ó dheas den ghairdín lena cheadú do chapaill taisteal tríd mar gheall nach raibh aon chosán tarraingthe ar an gcuid seo den chanáil.
Tá an t-uiscerian agus an tríú loc ar an gcanáil beagán níos faide ar aghaidh ón gcarrchlós.
Cuireadh deireadh leis an obair ar an gcanáil in 1854 mar gheall ar ghanntanas saothair agus gur forbraíodh iarnróid a bhain an bonn den fhiúntas geilleagrach don chanáil.
Cé nár críochnaíodh an tionscadal riamh, cuireadh fostaíocht ar fáil a raibh géarghá leis i rith bhlianta an ghorta mhóir agus ba thionscadal luachmhar draenála sa cheantar áitiúil é.