Towpath Trails: the Walker's Guide

Introduction | The Barrow Line | The Grand Canal | The Royal Canal | Waterways Map

The Grand Canal

Route 5: Corbally Branch: 4.5 miles, 7.25 km

The Corbally branch diverges from the Naas branch canal at a junction on the west bank just before the harbour. It was completed in 1810 as something of an afterthought following the completion of the Naas branch. Its function is unclear as it terminates at the isolated Corbally harbour remote from any population or industry. Although its towpath is walkable it leads to country dominated by large-scale farming activities and newly built motorways.

It offers little in the way of points of interest and terminates in a derelict harbour where there is no access to public transport or facilities. Its main traffic in the era of canal transport was malting barley for Reeves' mill at Athgarvan, two miles to the west of Corbally harbour. Local folklore suggests that it was used to ferry the building material for the Curragh camp but has little substance. The canal was little used since the Second World War and a low culvert built near Jigginstown in 1954 closed it finally to navigation. However in its non-navigable condition the Corbally line is now a valuable sanctuary for wildlife in an area of intensive farming.

Those interested in tackling its towpath are recommended to walk out the Newbridge road from Naas and pick up the canal beyond the ruined 17 th century Jigginstown castle. A section of dense thicket will make progress difficult in the early part of the route but the westbank towpath presents no difficulty for the rest of the walk to Corbally. Look out for Hoare's bridge - the fifth canal bridge out from Naas - which was widened in 1995 and rebuilt in a manner sympathetic to the original design.

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