The Poddle

For teachers

Teaching the Poddle

Dublin’s hidden river runs from Tallaght to the Liffey, past or under many of south Dublin’s schools. Everything on this site is free to use in class, with no sign-up.

Pages for each class

1st and 2nd class

Where is the river?

  • The map: find the school, then follow the blue line to the Liffey
  • Wildlife: otters, swans, herons and sticklebacks
  • Tymon Park: the river out in the open, with lakes and ducks

3rd and 4th class

How did the river shape our area?

  • The river walk: sixteen stops from Tallaght to the Liffey, with photos
  • Dubh Linn: the black pool that gave Dublin its name
  • The mills: how the river powered the city for seven centuries

5th and 6th class

Why does it matter now?

Ideas for the classroom

  • Find your school on the map and trace the river from there to the sea. Is it above ground or below it near you?
  • Compare the 1848 Ordnance Survey map on the river walk with today’s streets on the map. What has changed, and what is still there?
  • Check the live river levels after a wet weekend, and talk about why the river rises so fast in a city of roofs and roads.
  • Pick a mill site near the school and find out what was made there and what stands there now.
  • Make a wildlife list for the river from the wildlife page, then look for the same birds in a local park.

Where it fits

  • History: local studies, and working with evidence such as old maps, photographs and written accounts.
  • Geography: rivers and the natural environment, and how a city was built over a river.
  • Environmental awareness and care: pollution, wildlife and keeping homes safe from flooding.
  • Green-Schools: a local river study for the Water theme.

Visiting the river

The river is open to the air through Tymon Park, Whitehall Park and Ravensdale Park, and these are the best places to see it with a class. From Kimmage down it runs mostly in walls and culverts, though you can still follow its route through the streets.

Please plan any visit under your school’s own outings policy. Keep children back from the water’s edge, and never go near culvert openings or grilles.

Workbooks, talks and walks

There are five activity workbooks about the river, each at three levels: 1st and 2nd class, 3rd and 4th class, and 5th and 6th class. Sales help keep this site free.

The project also offers talks and guided walks for schools and groups. Please get in touch to arrange one, or to ask about anything on the site.