Overview
Only about a kilometre of the Ulster Canal holds water today. The line once ran 74km from Charlemont on Lough Neagh to Wattlebridge on Upper Lough Erne, but it closed in 1931 and most of it is still abandoned – so don’t be misled by any map showing a through-route. What has been rebuilt is worth the trip: a restored stretch at Clones with a small marina you can paddle from, and, over in Monaghan town, a flat, wheelchair-friendly greenway along the old towpath. The two are a good half-hour’s drive apart, so treat them as separate outings rather than one walk.
If you’ve an afternoon and reasonable weather, the pick is an hour on the water at Clones Marina. If you’d rather stay dry, the Monaghan greenway is the easier, prettier walk.
History
The canal was completed in 1842 to link the Erne navigation with Lough Neagh, and it never really worked. Its 26 locks were built too narrow for the standard lighters used on the rest of Ireland’s waterways, the summit stretch was chronically short of water, and the railways arrived to do the same job faster. Traffic dwindled for decades before the canal was formally abandoned in 1931.
Restoration has come in stages rather than all at once. Waterways Ireland reopened the towpath through Monaghan town first, as the 4.2km greenway, and then in June 2024 delivered the headline project at the far end: a rewatered kilometre of canal through Clones and a new marina beside it. Plans to push the navigation further remain long-term, so for now the restored canal is these two separate pieces, not a continuous route.
On the water
The rewatered stretch at Clones is calm and sheltered – fine for a first go in a kayak, not a boating epic. Ulster Canal Adventures, based at the marina, hires out kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and hydrobikes, and runs youth and beginner programmes with guides on the water, so you don’t need your own gear or much experience. If you do bring a boat, there’s a slipway and a fresh-water tap at the marina.
The canal stores and lace museum
The restored canal stores at Clones house the Ulster Canal Stores Visitor Centre, and it’s free to go in. The draw is the Clones Lace Museum: Clones lace is a fine crochet lace that women here took up in the 1840s to bring in money through the Famine, and it’s still made in the town. There’s a bistro and a gift shop too, and the building has full disabled access across both floors. Guided heritage tours of Clones run in summer, but you need to arrange them in advance at the centre.
The greenway
The Ulster Canal Greenway is a level 4.2km trail along the old towpath through Monaghan town, following the line of the canal past three bridges, a restored lock house and two of the original locks. The surface is compacted and wheelchair-friendly, and it suits buggies and casual walkers as much as cyclists. Dogs are welcome on leads. It’s an out-and-back rather than a loop, so turn where it suits you.
Cycling the towpath
For a longer day on the bike, the Ulster Canal Trail is a 77km linear route from Maghery in County Armagh down to Clones, tracing the old line through lakeland, quiet river country and border villages. Route notes and maps are available through Monaghan Tourism.
Getting there & practical
Clones is reached from Monaghan and Cavan on Bus Éireann routes 175A and 176; check current timetables before travelling, as services are limited. Clones Marina has parking, toilets, showers, a picnic area and a small outdoor performance space, and works as a practical base for the water activities. Entry to the visitor centre is free, and the bistro does coffee and light meals. Opening hours for the centre and marina facilities aren’t fixed year-round, so it’s worth a quick check before a special trip, particularly in winter.
Nearby
- Clones Round Tower and town – the round tower and market square that give the area its name, a short walk from the marina.
- Clones Abbey – the medieval abbey ruins and early monastic remains in the town.
- Clones Lace Museum – more on the town’s lace-making, with demonstrations.
- Dartrey Estate – woodland, lakes and monuments for a longer walk.
- Castle Leslie Estate – a country house with walking trails and a café at Glaslough, north-east of Clones.