Towpath Trails: the Walker's Guide

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

The Royal Canal

Route: Leixlip to Kilcock: 8.5 miles, 13.5 km

A Brief History

The Royal Canal, sometimes called the shoemaker's Canal' from a linking one of its early promoters with such a craft, always played second fiddle to its better known cousin, the Grand Canal, which takes a more southerly route across the midlands. The Royal was fourteen years behind the Grand in making the link between Dublin and the Shannon in the early 19th century; it never carried the same volume of traffic; and it had effectively ceased to be used as a commercial waterway in 1951 while there was still some level of traffic on the Grand. However what it lacks in its commercial history compared to the Grand it more than compensates by its route which is rich in the landmarks of history. The massive aqueduct over the River Rye near Leixlip, Maynooth's fine harbour against the background of a university town and the walled demesnes of the great estates of Carton and Castletown are as impressive a backdrop as any to be found on the waterways.

The grounds of St.Patrick's College, Maynooth run parallel to the Royal Canal. The college pays an annual towpath levy of forty-six pence to the state-a charge fixed in 1799! The Royal's strongest asset in modern times is the fact that the development of North Kildare and West Dublin has put it centre stage as an amenity and environmental asset for the thousands of new residents of the commuter belt. While the Grand Canal passes through countryside which is relatively sparsely populated the Royal has some of Ireland's fastest growing towns such as Leixlip and Maynooth along its banks. The fact that bus and rail routes with frequent services serve the same corridor means that the North Kildare stretch from Leixlip via Maynooth to Kilcock is extremely convenient saving walkers from having to perform major logistical feats to organise transport at either end. Take a suburban train to Leixlip and walk to Maynooth where the rail station is beside the Canal or continue to Kilcock which is served by both city and provincial buses. What could be more convenient? The Royal Canal runs for ninety miles from the River Liffey at Dublin's North Wall to the Shannon at Clondra in Co. Longford. The route described below takes the walker along the almost nine miles of the waterway entirely within Co. Kildare from Leixlip to Kilcock.

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