Boyne Navigation

[2][3][4] The designers intended that the navigation continue upstream along the Boyne to Trim where it could connect with the Royal Canal.

The section from Navan to Trim was never built,[5] and the Boyne Navigation remains disconnected from other inland waterways in Ireland.

The main cargo on the navigation was grain and flour between the mills on the river and the port of Drogheda and coal in the other direction.

[8][9] The navigation was never a commercial success,[7] however it did expand the local economy by making it easier to transport agricultural goods from inland County Meath to market.

[2] The total cost to build the navigation was £190,000 (in pounds sterling) of which £30,000 was private contributions the remainder being public funds.

An Taisce purchased the navigation rights to the canal from the Navan baker John Spicer & Co. for one Irish pound in 1969.

[2][7] An Taisce also own most of the towpaths and adjoining lands however there is no public access on a section of the Lower Navigation from Rosnaree Lock to Roughgrange.

Metges Lock [Navan] and weir were removed in the 1980 by the OPW as part of a flood relief scheme.

Voluntary restoration efforts have mostly been concentrated on the first section of navigation, from the Sealock Archived 9 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine (Lock 1)[12] to the Guardlock Archived 9 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine (Lock 2)[13] at Oldbridge (Oldbridge section).

[14] They have been involved in maintaining the grounds of Lock 17, clearance of fallen trees, maintenance of growth along the Navan section.

The announcement of a public mooring[16] at Scotch Hall shopping centre in Drogheda will complement the Boyne Navigation.

A grant has been awarded for the construction for the public moorings, as per announcement on local Councillor's (Frank Godfrey's) Facebook page.

A local group[21] have established a workgroup to maintain and upkeep the Staleen Guard Lock walkway/ towpath section, between the River Boyne and back down to the Drogheda Waterworks.

After the commercial feasibility of using the waterway for ferrying trade goods was made redundant with the advent of the train.

[citation needed] A cycle track and walkway (known as the Boyne Greenway/ Boyneside Trail[23]) has been developed along the Oldbridge section of the navigation.

It runs between Pass (a townland on the exact border between Meath and Louth) to opposite the entrance of the Battle of the Boyne Centre.