Call for help for litter pick organised for the River Blackwater at Maghery near Lough Neagh

A huge clean up of the Blackwater River and canal at Maghery close to the south shore of Lough Neagh has been organised by campaigners.
By Carmel Robinson
Published 11th Oct 2023, 13:00 BST
Updated 11th Oct 2023, 13:00 BST
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Organiser Gerald McCourt, who has been campaigning for many years for action to be taken on Lough Neagh and the build up of silt at the Barmouth of the Blackwater into Lough Neagh, has organised a litter pick for this weekend.

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Litter in the River Blackwater near the Barmouth at Maghery, Co Armagh on the south shore of Lough Neagh.Litter in the River Blackwater near the Barmouth at Maghery, Co Armagh on the south shore of Lough Neagh.
Litter in the River Blackwater near the Barmouth at Maghery, Co Armagh on the south shore of Lough Neagh.

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Mr McCourt, who is a fisherman on the lough, said he took a spin along the River Blackwater this week and was astounded by the volume of rubbish. “From old cans, bottles and old balls etc who would be up for an afternoon’s craic, a few small boats and get stuck in cleaning up. Blackwater’s first public litter lift,” he said.

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With a huge response the first litter pick will take place on Saturday, October 14 with everyone meeting at the Ferry Bridge at 12pm.

People are asked to bring a boat or hop in with someone else with a boat. People are urged to bring their own life jackets or borrow a life jacket and also bring bin bags and litter pickers or a loop net.

“This is another chance to show what our rivers mean to us as we get absolutely no help from management /civil servants and government,” said Mr McCourt.

" If anyone is not fit to board a boat but wants to help out – a plate of sandwiches wouldn’t go a miss or anyone who knows of any local food company willing to donate a few sandwiches it would be welcome at quitting time.”