The Grand Canal
Discover just what makes Dublin's southern canal a coveted corner of the city.
With its lush, tree-lined banks and clear, tranquil waters, the Grand Canal sets the scene for all manner of waterside experiences. From the thrill-seeker to the leisurely stroller, young and young at heart, there's a pace for everyone along its lovely, leafy stretch.
Built to connect Dublin with the mighty River Shannon in the west, the glorious Grand Canal is the southern of the city's two captivating canals. It reaches across the city from Grand Canal Dock to Inchicore, before expanding out through the suburbs a further ten kilometres to its Dublin limit at Adamstown. Its placid waters then wind their way through County Kildare en route to the Shannon Harbour, County Offaly. End to end, this enchanting waterway covers an impressive 131km.
Barges, bridges and bridles
The Grand Canal's charming Dublin banks have inspired poets and writers, while its waters were once the lifeblood of trade and industry. Flanked on both sides with some elegant late Georgian and Victorian architecture, time spent along the canal invites you to appreciate the area's beautiful built heritage, its ornate bridges and the enormous engineering feat it took to create the waterway.
A vital artery in the cityscape since its 18th-century beginnings, clip-clopping horses on the towpath were a familiar sight during the canal's heyday as the capital's distribution network. In an era before motorised transport, these hefty workhorses pulled commercial barges laden with the likes of Guinness, to their destinations. On the canal bank at Herbert Place, you'll spot an ode to those sturdy animals and their once indispensable role, in the form of the bronze Barge Horse sculpture by Maurice Harron.
Inspiring poets, playwrights and beyond
Perfectly picturesque with its wind-swept branches, lily pads and rushing locks, over 250 years of Dublin life have played out over the Grand Canal's canvas. Unfurling by the birthplaces of artist Francis Bacon and playwright George Bernard Shaw, its waters stirred poet Patrick Kavanagh's soul enough to compose the beautiful Canal Bank Walk:
"Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal
Pouring redemption for me"
Kavanagh enjoys a permanent presence on his beloved canal thanks to John Coll's commemorative sculpture of the Monaghan poet, which sits facing the water along Mespil Road.
Samuel Beckett was also a regular stroller on its iconic towpath. In the 1950s, the Nobel Prize-winner would follow the canal up to Portobello Harbour to visit artist Jack B Yeats who was convalescing at Portobello House. The house is still there today, facing idyllic Portobello Lock and historic La Touche Bridge.
Experience, explore, enjoy
Ready to discover the Grand Canal for yourself? Take your pick of ways to wander the Grand Canal's towpaths on two feet or two wheels. Indulge in the mouth-watering food destinations that pepper its banks. Make a splash and explore the waters by kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle board. Or simply admire the city on board a relaxing dinner cruise as you spot herons, kingfishers and even otters along the way. Immerse yourself in an abundance of art and culture in the museums and galleries a mere stone's throw from its waters or go full Viking with the kids on a sight-seeing tour like no other.
A backyard to city-dwellers, a corner of calm for those seeking it, the setting to fantastic family days out and an adventure playground for anyone looking to take the plunge; however you choose to enjoy it, you'll soon discover why these green, sun-dappled waters are the very soul of the city's southern sweep.
Find your ideal way to experience the Grand Canal by checking out our Highlights section.