Ireland's Canals
The two principal waterways are the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal, both running broadly east–west from Dublin toward the River Shannon. Ireland’s canals were designed in the 18th and 19th century to improve internal transport at a time when roads were poor and railways had yet to emerge. Their heyday was short lived as rail transport and road transport overtook the canals as a mode of transport. In the 20th century, the new Irish state took the forward looking decision that the canals should not be left to fall into decay, decided to restore and maintain the canals and locks. This work is carried out by the state organisation, Waterways Ireland.
Though the canals never fully transformed Irish commerce as hoped at the time, the canals left a lasting mark on the landscape and on national life. Ireland’s canals today are defined today by houseboats, walkers, cyclists, pleasure craft, wildlife and heritage as by their historical role in transport. Leisure boats, cruisers, and narrowboats now glide along waterways once crowded with barges, supporting tourism and offering a slow, reflective way to experience the Irish landscape. Towpaths alongside the canals have become popular routes for walking and cycling, further integrating the canals into everyday recreational life. Along these quiet rural areas, a rich variety of flora and fauna has flourished. Reeds, sedges, water lilies, and hawthorn line the banks, stabilising the waterways and providing shelter for wildlife. Fish such as pike, perch, tench and roach inhabit the canals, while birds including swans, herons, kingfishers, and moorhens are common sights. Together pleasure craft and biodiversity coexist on Ireland’s canals, transforming them into living waterways where human enjoyment and natural life coexist.​​
The map below shows an original image of the canal system.
An original image of Ireland's canals
​Ireland's 2 main canals​
The two main canals we are concerned with are the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal. both were used in the 19th century to transport goods and animals from the the inland parts of the country to the coast at Dublin. ​​The tow-paths which run along the side of the canals were originally used by the horses to pull the barges before motor power was invented. These tow-paths are now paved and/ or gritted with very fine stone and made suitable for cyclists and walkers. These paths represent some of the the Greenways as shown on the Main Map. The vast majority of the tow-paths are suitable for walkers but not all have been converted to fully fledged greenways suitable for cyclists. This partially explains the lack of full connectedness of the greenway as seen on the Main Map. ​​The canals connect with rivers such as the River Shannon, River Barrow and lakes to increase the reach of the transport network.
Royal Canal
The Royal Canal as it leaves Dublin heads north-west, see map above. Much of the Royal Canal can be cycled as the original tow paths have been upgraded and made suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is now a designated greenway as the Royal Canal Greenway a distance of 125 Kms, starting in Leixlip through Maynooth, Mullingar, Abbeyshrule and on to the river Shannon in Co. Longford. The section from where the canal meets the sea at Spencer Dock in Dublin to Leixlip, east of Maynooth, is not yet open for cyclists. Unfortunately the section through Dublin City is only available to cyclists in short sections and is not included here on this site. Care was not taken in the past as the city evolved to keep the towpaths intact and were built upon for roads and footpaths. There are plans to complete the greenway from Dublin to Leixlip as part of a planned greenway from Dublin to Galway.
​Grand Canal
​The Grand Canal, as it leaves Dublin at Grand Canal Dock, heads south-west. It has a major junction at Lowtown which is west of Robertstown in County Kildare. Here the Grand Canal splits between the western and southern legs. The western leg which heads towards Edenderry, through Tullamore and meets the river Shannon at Shannon Harbour. The southern leg heads towards Monastrevin and Athy where it meets the Barrow River just past Athy.
The image below shows the different sections. The green sections are open to cyclists, the red sections are not open and the blue section is in the construction stage.
The section from Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch (see image below) is not yet open to cyclists.
The section from Hazelhatch to Sallins and the spur to Naas is currently open, and is referenced as the Sallins Greenway on this site. However, the section between the Grand Canal Lock 12 at Adamstown in Dublin to Hazelhatch is now in construction and should be completed in early 2026. For Facebook users, see a video of a local councillor providing details. See also the notice from Waterways Ireland in relation to the works.
The section from Sallins to Edenderry is not open to cyclists but there are plans to complete this section with no definite dates available yet, see note from Waterways Ireland indicating that funds have been allocated for the project.
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The section from Edenderry to Shannon Harbour is open for cyclists, a distance of 70 Kms. It passes through the town of Tullamore. and is referred to here as the Grand Canal Greenway
​​​​The spur on the Grand Canal running south from Robertstown to Athy is open and can be cycled. It is designated, The Barrow Way Greenway and is 47 Kms distance. It joins the River Barrow further south. The sections south of Athy are suitable for walkers only with no current plans to make this section a fully fledged greenway. There have been local objections to developing the section from Athy to Waterford, believed to be for environmental reasons. As things stand it is very unlikely that the Barrow Way will join the Waterford to Dungarvan Greenway at Waterford as had been hoped.​​​​
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There are plans to connect the Royal Canal Greenway and the Old Rail Trail, see link here.​​​​
See map below,
Green, open for cyclists
Blue, construction started
Red indicates not open for cyclists
Grand Canal and Barrow Way Junction
A living habitat
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Ireland’s canals are vibrant ecosystems that support a rich variety of flora and fauna. They have become a haven for biodiversity and provide habitats for a wide variety of animals, insects, fish and plants. The calm, slow-moving waters and lush banks provide ideal conditions for many species to thrive. The flora along Ireland’s canals includes both aquatic and ground plants. Common water plants such as water lilies, pondweeds, and duckweed blanket the surface of still canal sections, helping to oxygenate the water and support microorganisms. On the canal banks, reeds, rushes, and sedges form dense margins that stabilize the soil and offer refuge to wildlife. Wildflowers like meadowsweet, purple loosestrife, and yellow iris add color and attract pollinators, making canal towpaths some of the most biodiverse sites in the Irish countryside.
Equally diverse is the fauna found in and around these canals. Fish species such as pike, perch, roach, and tench inhabit the waters, providing food for herons and kingfishers that can often be seen waiting patiently at the side of the canal or on overhanging branches. Moorhens, swans, and mallards are familiar sights, nesting among the reeds. Otters, once threatened in Ireland, have made a strong comeback and now frequently use canal systems as safe feeding and traveling routes. Insects, including dragonflies and damselflies, thrive around canal edges, further supporting a complex food web. Ireland’s canals are living examples of how landscapes can evolve into havens for biodiversity sustaining an intricate balance of plant and animal life. Protecting these waterways ensures that the beauty and ecological value of Ireland’s canal network will continue to flourish.
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Click on the Waterways Ireland links here for fun facts for kids and a guide for community groups here.
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​See the Irish Times link a guide for city dwellers on wildlife on the waterways.
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A heron waiting for prey
