Part 4
ANOTHER boat, the 72 M, was a frequent visitor to Naas in the late 30s and there are pictures taken by Molly Higgins showing Peggy Reid chatting to the barge man, thought to be Paddy Farrell from Sallins.
We know that the boat was built by Vickers (Ire) Ltd. in 1936 and was sold by auction in 1959 after a productive life on the canal.
After some time as an engineering boat she lay derelict in Ringsend Basin for many years. She was bought by Ronnie and May Byrne in 1998 and beautifully restored. There is an interesting story about the boat. The U2 band used her in their video Gloria in 1981.
The band was filmed performing on top of the barge in the middle of Ringsend Basin. Pictures exist of the 32E (M) unloading at Naas Harbour. She was built in 1926, a one-off prototype with a wedged shaped bow and stern and became known as the Diamond boat.
The hull profile caused difficulties in steering making it a very unpopular boat with crews. There is a funny story told. When she was being towed on the Borrow the Tug went through one arch in Goresbridge and the 32E went through the other arch. She ended up her days as a dredger and currently lies underwater at Waterways Ireland Maintenance Yard in Tullamore.
The 4B and 31B are two boats with strong connections to Naas Harbour. These were independent trader boats owned at different times by Jack Gill from Inchicore. It is ironical that Jack’s son John spent some time recently as caretaker in the old canal stores building, now the headquarters of the Kildare Youth Services. John helped in the restoration of the old Canal Store Crane, which most likely was used by his father Jack on his many visits to Naas.
We will finish our story with two boats associated with Co Kildare. If you were to frequent the inland waterways today you might come across a beautifully restored boat called the ‘Jarra’. I mention this because she was originally called the ‘Naas’ and was built with her sister ship ‘Athy’. Two great Kildare names.
The boats were in fact built in Chepstow in South Wales with steam engines and a specially designed raked hull for increased speed and manoeuvrability. The Naas worked between Waterford and St Mullins where the owners, the Odlum family, had a flour mill.
The boat brought grain and supplies up river and returned with sacks of flour. She was scuttled near Carlow Town and lay partially under water for 20 years. Restored in 1981 this took nine years. Today she still glides along the still waters of the canals and graces the waterways with her presence.