Have you ever imagined how boats travelled through the heart of old Dublin? You might have seen the Grand Canal, a ribbon of water cutting through the city, but did you ever wonder how it was used hundreds of years ago? Look closely, right here in front of you is one of the secrets of the Canal’s past, the 9th Lock. This lock, alongside hundreds of others, was built in the late 1700s to connect Dublin to the Shannon river, over 100 miles away. The 9th Lock is a fascinating part of Dublin’s history, a relic of the time when the Grand Canal was the main transport route for goods and passengers. It’s hard to imagine the scene today, but imagine the horses pulling barges full of goods along the banks of the canal, stopping at the lock, as people waved and bartered from the bridge. Imagine the lock keeper, a part of this community since the canals first opened, slowly turning the gears, raising the water levels to let the barges continue their journey! The 9th Lock, like the many locks before and after it, is a reminder of the ingenuity of Ireland’s history, and it’s hard not to be mesmerized by its simplicity and ingenuity.
Saint John the Evangelist
Whispers of history echo from these stones. This is the site of Saint John the Evangelist. Once a vibrant church