Erne Boat rally proves a real winner

The 46th annual Erne Boat Rally got off to a superb start last Friday night at a gala dinner in the Seven Horse Shoes Hotel and the attendance included people from the great Erne catchment on both sides of the Border. The event was also graced by the presence of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland's national president, Greg Whelan. Mr. Whelan told The Anglo-Celt that it was his first time attending the dinner at the commencement of the rally. He has just been installed as president and he said the Erne system is a fabulous bit of waterway. "It is wonderful to see such a wonderful movement of boats over this weekend and it is also great to see people holidaying in Ireland." A large contingent from the Belturbet area will be hitting the Royal Canal in the next few days for another rally. He pointed out that the Belturbet Rally get the people out of the winter slumber at the end of May and the idea of the Inland Waterways event is to bring people together. The association runs about 200 events every year and it means that people are using local bars and hotels and it stimulates the tourism business. Cllr. Thomas O'Reilly, chairman of Fermanagh District Council, told The Anglo-Celt that it was his first time at the boat rally. "I am a keen enthusiast on the water myself and I enjoy canoeing. I'm delighted to be here tonight to help celebrate the 46th annual Erne Boat Rally." He added that there has always been great camaraderie on the river and people have got along very well. "It is great to see people getting out and using a natural resource," he said. There has always been great tradition of boating on the Erne and the facilities need to be increased along the river. "Then people can not alone enjoy being on the water, but they can also enjoy the facilities along the banks," said Cllr. O'Reilly. He also pointed out that since Waterways Ireland established its headquarters in Enniskillen, there has been renewed emphasis on Lough Erne. The current vice commodore of the rally is Grace McGettigan, while her husband Charles is the chairman of the rally committee. Grace is really looking forward to being the commodore next year and of course Charles was Commodore in 1996. "I love the boating scene because of the great hospitality extended to all involved. People from North and South come together to enjoy each other's company, which is very important," she said. Grace is also looking forward to the 50th rally in 2015, when there will be a link-up with the Shannon and Dublin branches of the Inland Waterways Association. The PRO of the Dublin branch of Inland Waterways, Mick Kinahan revealed that it was his first time to attend the dinner. He revealed that a flotilla of boats from Belturbet took part in the Dublin rally and he presented the Endeavour Cup to them at the dinner on Friday night. Shirley Johnston who is the commodore for this year's rally explained that she had been coming to rallies for 20 years and hails from just outside Enniskillen. She pointed out that you meet wonderful people on boat rallies and it was a wonderful cross border event over the years. The chairperson of the Erne Boat Rally Committee Charles McGettigan told The Anglo-Celt that he attended his first rally in 1976 and he only missed one in the interim. He pointed out that the Erne Rally sustained itself through difficult times. He revealed that security had to be provided for some people on boats and at dinners back in those troubled times. "Thanks be to God all those times have passed now." Mr. McGettigan also pointed out that the role of commodore is alternated between North and South each year. The Erne Boat Rally committee is selected from members of the Belturbet branch and the Lough Erne branch of the Inland Waterways. He pointed out that you can traverse a large number waterways at present and the opening up of the Ulster Canal will afford the opportunity to go right up to Lough Neagh.