Royal Canal

The Royal Canal was built to rival the Grand Canal.

Starting at Spencer Dock, just below the Custom House and joined initially by a spur from Broadstone Harbour in Phibsborough (this spur is now a fine linear park), the canal did not finally reach the Shannon until 1817.

By this time the Grand Canal was well established and business on its rival never really took off. The Royal Canal was sold in 1845 to the Midland Great Western Railway who wished to build a rail line along its banks.

The canal became the responsibility of Coras Iompair Eireann (C.I.E.), the state national transport company formed in 1944 from the amalgamation of the Dublin United Tramway Company and the Great Southern Railway, the then new owners of the Midland Great Western). Dúchas, The Heritage Service, is now in charge of the Royal Canal.

In a pilot plan put together by Dublin Corporation and Waterways Ireland major work is to take place on the Royal Canal from Newcomen Bridge on the North Strand to Clonliffe Bridge at Russell Street.

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