This absorbing and fully illustrated story of Ireland`s inland waterways traces their development from the early Acts of 1703, with the building of the Newry Canal in the 1730s, right up to the present day. It focusses on the people who planned and built the waterways and the communities they established, as well as their construction, their economic role and the changes they brought about.With its blend of entertainment, authority and meticulous research, Ireland`s Inland Waterways is one of the most authoratative guides on the subject.