On February 15th 1828, a petition on behalf of the gentry and merchants of
Tralee was made to the House of Commons, by Maurice Fitzgerald, the Knight of Kerry. This petition sought the sanction and aid of Parliament towards the completion of a ship canal from the town to the sea. A Bill was introduced, and having passed through the necessary parliamentary processes, was finally sanctioned by a local Act in June 1829. In 1834 the harbour dues levied on shipping and cargoes in the port, collected from merchants and townspeople amounted to £600.
Work on the
Tralee Ship Canal began during the 1830's. The canal stretches from about half a mile beyond Blennerville Quay, to the
port of
Prince's Quay, right on the edge of
Tralee town. At Blennerville, a lock was built, with a wooden drawbridge which could be pulled up to let ships through.
However, within 20 years the final section of railway track was laid connecting Tralee to Killarney and to the national train line network. This work was completed in 1859 when the railway station in Tralee (now Casement Station) was opened.
Today, the Canal is used by Tralee Rowiug Club and is bordered on the north side by a fine walk or pathway used by locals and visitors.
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Loading Ships at the Basin, Tralee
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