The Poddle has had a long association with dirt, pollution and litter. In the 13th century the river was called Glasholach: from the Irish “Glas” — a Stream, and “Salach”—dirty.
The river was referred to by the names Soulagh and Salach, meaning dirty in Irish, referring to the polluted state of the river throughout time. The Dubliners also sang about it in the song “Down by the River Saile”. This section covers some of the news articles related to litter and pollution.

Sewerage in the City
19 Jul 1853Pure water and good sewerage are among the chief contributions to the health, cleanliness, and comfort of a city population. “We: cannot say that Dublin is fortunate in the conditions…
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Public health in the saorstate
7 Nov 1931…. So early as the year 1492 a Sanitary Act was passed relating to the two rivers at Dublin called the Poddle, which were filled and stepped “as well by…
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Interview with the minister – satisfactory result
3 Jan 1932Referring to the result of the interview which tho deputation from tho Corporation had with the Minister for Local Government (Mr. S. T. O’Kelly), an Irish independent representative says employment…
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Pollution of Liffey
10 Jul 1957POLLUTION OF LIFFEY Sir, During the past four days 16 dead salmon and grilse have been taken from the Liffey river at the Custom House Dock by Mr. J. O’Reilly,…
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Heavy penalties proposed £200 pollution fines
25 Jun 1970A PRIVATE Member’s Bill that would impose a fine of £200 a day on anyone continuing to pollute waters after caution from a local authority will be introduced in the…
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Water is life
19 Jul 1970IT IS IRONIC that with the announcement of the publication of a new booklet, “Water is Life” by the Water Pollution Advisory Council it should at the same time be…
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High time for action
10 Oct 1970The National Waterways Conservation Association have asked Dublin Corporation to set up a special Department to deal with the increasing pollution of Dublin rivers and waterways. A spokesman for the…
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Mills at Kimmage
12 Nov 1970The course of the Poddle is generally traced to the Green Hills beyond Drimnagh (now largely removed by the gravel men) or to the hillock on which once stood Tymon…
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Appeal launched for St. Patrick’s Cathedral
24 Mar 1972ST. PATRICK’S Cathedral in from the 5th Century, and which has withstood the ravages of lime and even Cromwell, is now being attacked by a new and hidden enemy —…
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Proposal to let public to see plans
24 Nov 1973Proposal to let public to see plans THE CITY Manager will asked by Mr. George Butler a: the next meeting of the City Commissioners if he make weekly lists of…
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Residents Clean Up
27 Sep 1974AN ARMY of residents moves out tomorrow to launch a clean-up of the River Poddle. Volunteers will join forces with Dublin Corporation lorries, men and clean-up equipment. The campaign is…
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Operation Clean-Up on the Poddle
13 Jul 1976Operation Clean-Up On The Poddle Children from Greenhills parish, Dublin, removing debris from the Poddle river at Greenhills under the watchful eye of Timmie O’Neill, organiser of the clean-up.
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War against pollution
22 Jul 1978New measures to prevent pollution in Dublin’s rivers and waterways are being prepared, it was learned today. Extra funding and more sophisticated back-up are being positively considered for the city’s…
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Water pollution could lead to disaster
6 Sep 1978‘WATER, water everywhere. Nor any drop to drink.” The cry of the Ancient Mariner, may well be true of Ireland in the not-too-distant future if the pollution of drinking, water,…
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What a caveman did to a quiet suburban road…
5 Aug 1979.. and complaints go unheeded IS IT any wonder our capital is a _disgusting sight when a suburban road is allowed to become a knacker’s yard for old cars? Poddle…
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Polluted river ‘gave girl gangrene’
10 Oct 197912-year-old girl has contracted “Gas gangrene” — a rare and serious medical condition — from Dublin’s heavily polluted Poddle river, it was alleged yesterday. The polluted river, which flows through…
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Days of Liffey smell numbered
24 Dec 1981Multi million pound cleanup The foul state of the River Liffey has for years been the source of jokes for Dubliners. It has been said that if you fell in…
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Litter Louts
14 Mar 2000A CENTURY ago according to James Joyce, the Poddle was pouring a “tongue of sewage” into the Liffey estuary. Nowadays one does not have to go that far downriver to…
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