Progress made in effort to clear Blackwater blockage

A CAMPAIGN to clear the barmouth of the Blackwater River to allow access to Lough Neagh took another important step forward last week, when government and council officials came together with a range of organisations to discuss a plan of action.

Washingbay man Gerard McCourt who has single-handedly spearheaded this initiative said he was delighted to see all the relevant authorities in one room and in agreement over the need to clear the blockage on the increasingly popular waterway. Back in July, Gerard organised a hugely successful protest which involved over 60 boats travelling to the barmouth in an effort to highlight the dangers caused by the debris and sand which has left the route from river to lough impassable.

On Thursday, he was joined in a meeting with officials from the Department of Infrastructure, DAERA, Mid Ulster Council, ABC Council, Lough Neagh Partnership, the Shaftesbury Estate and the National Trust.

“I am just buzzing to finally get everyone together like that and to finally get some real progress on this,” Gerard told the Dungannon Herald.

“We met at the Cohannon Inn and we all had a good chat and then we went down and visited the barmouth and every single person there agreed that something had to be done, and that was fantastic to hear.

“For five years, I have been making phone calls and contacting different people and a lot of the time, they just turned their backs. But now they are all on board and things are starting to move.

“Between now and Christmas, a survey is going to be carried out at the site to see if the debris is contaminated. If it is contaminated then the cost of the job will be higher, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Gerard said he is confident that the waterway will be cleared before the start of May next year.

“I was told that there is money available to do this and everyone there on Thursday is determined to get this done, so I am very hopeful that by the start of May, this will all be sorted. I will also be pushing for signage along the river to warn boat users of shallow water, to go slow at jetties and to stay on the right-hand side of the river – it’s the opposite to driving on the road and some people don’t know that.

“Over the last two years – with the pandemic and staycations – a lot more people have invested in boats and the Blackwater and Lough Neagh have been getting busier which is great to see. One of my biggest reasons for doing all this was to improve access for the Lough Neagh Rescue when they are responding to a call-out and that is why it has to be done.”

There is however another growing concern for Gerard. “A lot of people would know me for being the fastest on the lough, but that position might be under threat now as the bike rider Ryan Farquhar has just bought a boat,” he laughed.