Irish Canal Ultra Series – Royal Canal Runner

Unfortunately, due to ongoing works and closures of the Blueway on the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal between Monasterevin and Rathangan, it will not be possible to hold the Barrow Line Race on the Barrow Line in 2022.

The event will now take place on the Main Line of the Grand Canal, starting at Tullamore and running 30 miles east to Robertstown. This means there will be no change to the meeting location for the bus, the finish line or the distance for the event.

The race will go ahead as planned meeting at Robertstown on Saturday 21st of May, getting on a bus which will leave all the runners to the start line now in Tullamore and they will run the 30 miles back to the finish at Robertstown. The entire run is on the Grand Canal Way and there will also be two bag drops along the route near Daingean (about 10 miles in) and Edenderry (about 20 miles in).

New route from Tullamore to Robertstown along the Main Line of the Grand Canal

Course Description

The run will now start out on the north bank of the Grand Canal at the start of Fiona Pender Way on the east side of Tullamore.

Bury Bridge, Tullamore Harbour where the run will start.

Heading east back towards Robertstown runners will stay on the north bank gradually climbing up from the 26th Lock just outside Tullamore to the 21st Lock at Ballycommon in a distance of 5 miles or 8km.

Bolands Lock Keeper Cottage, 26th Lock Tullamore

After passing the 21st Lock runners will then cross over the dam in front of Campbell’s Bridge which is the entrance to the former Kilbeggan Line of the Grand Canal.

Campbell’s Bridge and Dam over the old dry Kilbeggan Line at Ballycommon.

Staying on the main line with the water on your right hand side the Grand Canal Greenway passes through some bogland before reaching Daingean about 14km into the run.

After Daingean, at the next bridge, Killeen Bridge will be the first bag drop. This is roughly 10 miles / 16km into the route.

Runners will encounter several more bridges over the next 9 miles /15km all the while staying on the north bank of the Grand Canal with the water on your right, passing through Rhode on the way towards Edenderry.

The 2nd bag drop will be just before Edenderry at Colgan’s Bridge 18 miles /30 km into the run. Just after Colgan’s Bridge runners will run up the steep Downshire Bridge to cross over the Edenderry Branch of the Grand Canal before coming down on the other side.

Downshire Bridge over the Edenderry Branch

The first 18miles /30km of the run is on a soft stone, tar or road surface. Once past Edenderry runners have a 4 mile /7km stretch on grass as they move towards the 20th Lock at Ticknevin.

Looking east from Bord Na Móna Bridge between Hartley Bridge and Hamilton Bridge

After passing the 20th Lock, it is back to a road surface again and it is a short run to Hartley Bridge at Ticknevin where runners need to be cautious as they cross the road over to the other side while still remaining on the north bank of the canal.

It is another 3km before runners come to Hamilton Bridge where runners need to cross to the south bank of the canal. This is the first time the canal is crossed on the run and comes 25 miles/ 40km into the run.

Once on the other side it is just short of 3km before runners reach a gate for a short grass stretch coming into Allenwood. After the short grass stretch, runners come on to a main road approaching Shee or Scow Bridge which they most cross back onto the north bank of the Canal to rejoin the Grand Canal Greenway. This crossing is at 27 miles /45km into the run.

Once back on the north bank it is a straight run in for the last 3 miles towards Robertstown, passing south of Allenwood, by the 19th lock Lowtown and the split for the Barrow Line and finally the last leg towards Binn’s Bridge and Robertstown.

The Barrow Line Race #BLR30 is the first of three events that make up the Irish Canal Ultra Series. The inaugural event will take place on Saturday 21 May 2022 and is now open for entry on Pop Up Races.

The race follows the path of the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal north for 30 miles from the canal junction with the River Barrow at the 28th Lock in Athy (google maps) to the village of Robertstown (google maps), passing through mostly rural countryside but also the towns of Monasterevin and Rathangan. The route has a total climb of 10 Locks.

Runners will gather at the finish line in Robertsown before being getting a bus down to the start line in Athy.

Junction of the Barrow Line and the Barrow River, Athy

Considerable work has been done in recent times to improve the path of the canal which now has a compacted smooth stone surface for about 50% of the route but runners should be aware there are several areas where this path is a shared space with local access vehicles and some of the bridges carry main roads that they may need to cross. The rest of the route is made up of grassy trails. The route is easy to navigate and includes only a very small climb over the total distance with long flat stretches between the locks.

It is recommended that runners carry their own supplies for the day but a small number of aid stations will be available at checkpoints along the route.

From the start line runners will climb up past the 27th and 26th Locks as they run through Athy heading north towards Milltown Bridge (google maps) and Castlemitchell GAA Club before passing from County Kildare into County Laois.

It is a 21km stretch before we will meet the 25th Lock just south of Monasterevin which is also the first point at which runners must cross over the canal.

Shared space road approaching Milltown Bridge – Canal is on the right

10km into the run runners will pass over the River Stradbally on the Camac Aqueduct before reaching the small village of Vicarstown.

Stone surface approaching Vicarstown over the Camac Aqueduct

Vicarstown Bridge (google maps) is an ideal location for supporters to meet their runners. It should be noted that Vicarstown is home to a parkrun event which may be on at the same time runners will be passing through the area. Please be mindful and respectful of the runners participating in parkrun.

5km further on from Vicarstown runners will come to Fishertown Bridge (google maps) which is another good spot for supporters to cheer on runners.

North of Fishertown Bridge runners will pass under the M7 Motorway before re-entering County Kildare on the approach to Monasterevin, the main town on route and just short of the halfway point.

M7 Passing over a shared space road by the canal/

Coming into the town runners must briefly leave the canal bank approaching Clogheen Bridge rising up and crossing over the main road before dropping down to the canal again on the other side.

Approach to Clogheen Bridge is extremely narrow so it is best to divert up and over the main road and back down the other side.

Moore’s Bridge at the 25th Lock in Monasterevin will be the first time runners need to cross over the canal. Some awareness is required going through Monasterevin as it has a maze of waterways including the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal, the now derelict Mountmellick Branch of the Canal and the River Barrow itself.

Looking back at Moore’s Bridge from the 25th Lock

After crossing over the canal, the canal itself crosses over the Barrow Aqueduct and continues north. The Lifting Bridge (google maps) by the Harbour in Monasterevin is another good location for supporters see runners.

2km north of Monasterevin runners will ascend up past the double chambered 24th Lock at Macartney’s Bridge.

Approaching Macartney’s Bridge – This section is mainly a grass trail along the right handside bank of the canal.

It is then 7km’s of flat ground to the double chambered 23rd Lock at Spencer Bridge on the south side of Rathangan passing Umeras Bridge and Wilson’s Bridge. Once past Wilson’s Bridge it is a solid stone or road surface for the last 15km to the finish.

Wilson’s Bridge between the 24th and 23rd Locks

Rathangan Bridge (google maps) is less than 1km further on.

There is a Top Garage at the bridge which has a shop for supplies and is another good spot for supporters to see their runners.

It is 4km on to the 22nd Lock at Glenaree Bridge (google maps) and a further 5km to the 21st Lock at Ballyteague.

Approaching the 21st Lock at Ballyteague

A very short distance separates the 21st and the 20th Lock, both in Ballyteague and after passing the 20th Lock it is necessary to cross the canal over the concrete bridge (google maps) beside the castle.

Ballyteague Castle as seen from the Bridge.

The runners are now on the approach to Lowtown where the Barrow Line divides between the new line on the left and the old line on the right. For the purposes of the race the runners will cross back over the Canal at Ballyteague Bridge (google maps) and follow the old line past the old 19th Lock.

Ballyteague Bridge which carries runners over the New Barrow Line to the Old Line on the right.

A short distance past the old 19th Lock Runners will see the Huband/Greene Bridge over the Milltown Feeder which comes from Pollardstown Fen and is the water source for much of the Grand Canal.

Huband/Greene Bridge on the Old Barrow Line

Caution is needed approaching Littletown Bridge (google maps) beside the Travellers Rest as runners will have to cross a main road as the ascend up the bridge and down the other side.

Littletown Bridge which carries a main road that runners must cross.

It is 1.4km from Littletown Bridge to the 19th Lock at Lowtown where the Barrow Line meets the Main Line of the Grand Canal. On reaching the 19th Lock Runners cross Fenton Bridge (google maps) turning right for the final approach to Robertstown and the finish line.

Fenton Bridge and the 19th Lock at Lowtown

Soup, sambos and coffee will be provided at the finish line by DB Beans. Robertstown is also home to Weld’s, Dowling’s, Mullaney’s Pubs and Robertstown GAA.

Location	Miles	KM
Start – Athy to Vicarstown	6.7	10.8
Vicarstown to Monasterevin	7.35	11.8
Monasterevin to Rathangan	6.6	10.6
Rathangan to Lowtown	7.7	12.4
Lowtown to Robertstown – Finish	1.65	2.6

Distance Table