Tallaght to Wellington Quay
The river that named Dublin
The Poddle is the most important watercourse in Dublin city, yet most Dubliners walk over it without knowing. It rises in Tallaght and runs, both over ground and underground, until it emerges into the Liffey at Wellington Quay. It was the city’s drinking water, its defensive moat and the power for its mills. It gave the city its name.
This site follows the river from source to sea, stop by stop, and tells the history of how monks, citizens and engineers harnessed it to meet a growing city’s needs.
“From its sluice in Wood quay wall under Tom Devan’s office Poddle river hung out in fealty a tongue of liquid sewage.”
“…the chief supply of water not only for the inhabitants of the said city; but also for this majesties Castle of Dublin, and without which it would suffer exceeding great prejudice.”
“…tuck mills, in which urine, soap and other unwolsome materials are made use of, and diers of linnen and woolen cloath and yarn, and skinners dip, wash, scour and cleanse great quantities of died linnen and woolen cloath, yarn and skins in the said water-course”
“…formed an immense sewer … putrefying the streets under which it passes…”
“…so polluted by paper-making that it has become poisonous, and cattle and horses have died from drinking it.”
“It occasionally, however, bursts from its caverns and inundates the vicinity.”