Ross Eccles
artist - architect - concepts designer
creative thinker since 1937
Shannonsuperhighway
CONCEPT BACKGROUND
Seeing the catastrophic effects of Shannon flooding at first hand, prompted Ross Eccles to question why measures had not been taken to address the problem. He also questioned why depopulation of the Irish Midlands was taking place, when the Shannon has potential for commercial navigation on the scale of European rivers, such as the Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Seine, Rhone etc.
A professional artist since 1991, Ross has an artist's inherent ability to visualize the whole picture.
He then focuses on refining detail, drawing on his previous international experience as an architect. His questioning, and enthusiasm for art and conceptual design, led to countless hours of research.
This website for a Shannon Superhighway was started in 2015. The intention being to bring some of Ross's visual presentations of the Project to a wider audience.
Remembering the wise advice of his Professor of Architecture, the late "DJ" (Aldwyn Douglas Jones 1910-2002)
Ideas remain dreams unless presented in graphic form.
Ross continues to expand this website to include more of his graphic ideas.
Lough Derg A painting by Ross Eccles
The benefits of solving the River Shannon flooding problem, creating a navigation corridor and encouraging economic development in the centre of Ireland, have long been recognized.
The Final Report of US Military Engineer Louis E.Rydell Rydell Report 1956 states that the:
"Solution to the problems of the River Shannon and its tributaries, while admittedly complex and costly if approached on a comprehensive basis, would nevertheless bring compensatory benefits to this region and this Nation of such magnitude as to justify the national effort".
With regard to Recreational Development, Rydell states
".....the Shannon with its extensive system of lakes, channels and navigable tributaries is one of the outstanding rivers of the world......and can be developed into a tremendous asset, far beyond its present status
With regard to Navigation, The European Commission aims to promote and strengthen the competitive position of Inland Waterways in an integrated transport system and states the following:
"Inland Waterway transport plays an important role for the transport of goods in Europe. More than 37,000 kilometres of waterways connect hundreds of cities and industrial regions. Some 21 out of 28 Member States have inland waterways, 13 of which have interconnected waterway networks. The potential for increasing the modal share of inland waterway transport is characterized by its reliability, energy efficiency and major capacity for increased exploitation".
Ross Eccles Background note:
Born in 1937, Ross has witnessed unprecedented change in his lifetime. He trained as an architect and practiced for many years firstly in England then in Canada and finally in Ireland mostly as a Principal in Private Practice. He became a professional artist/painter in 1991 and has travelled extensively. see: www.rosseccles.com