Was it solitude or duty that filled the lock keeper’s days? Here at the 10th lock of the Royal Canal, the sculpture “The Lock Keeper” stands as a silent tribute to a bygone era. Cast in 2007 by Martin Savage, this artwork is more than just metal; it’s a portal to a time when Dublin’s pulse flowed with the rhythm of barges, not traffic. The Royal Canal, snaking 145km from the River Liffey to the River Shannon, was once a lifeline, transporting goods and people. Imagine the lock keeper’s life – the creak of gates, the splash of water, the shouts of boatmen. Their days were marked by the steady passage of time, each lock a step in a journey across Ireland. The last working barges fell silent in 1951, the canal itself closing to traffic in 1961. Yet, the lock keeper’s legacy endures in this evocative sculpture. It’s a reminder that progress doesn’t erase the past, but rather layers new stories upon the old. As you admire the “The Lock Keeper”, let your imagination drift back to those bygone days, when the canal whispered tales of industry and adventure.
Saint John the Evangelist
Whispers of history echo from these stones. This is the site of Saint John the Evangelist. Once a vibrant church