Tongue / Stone Boat
Strengthened by the waters of the Dodder, the Poddle flowed through the present grounds of Kimmage Manor, past the present Kimmage Crossroads and the former Ravensdale Mills, then through the present Poddle Park area and the former Larkfield Mills, and on to the Tongue near the present junction of Lower Kimmage Road and Sundrive Road. Here the waters were divided by a wedge-shaped stone or tongue, hence the name Tonguefield given to the housing area there. This tongue or stone was later referred to as The Stone Boat, from which the nearby public house takes its name.
This artificial branch of the Poddle, which carried one-third of the water, was diverted north at the Tongue and flowed on to Dolphin’s Barn, where it was carried by an elevated rampart to the City Basin near James’ Street. The area around this elevated rampart was known locally as ‘the Back of the Pipes’.
The original course of the Poddle after it had given up one third of its water at the Tongue continued its course to Dublin City, flowing through the grounds of the present Mount Argus Church and the former Loaders Park Mills there, then along the present Lower Kimmage Road (flowing under the front gardens of some houses there) and Harold’s Cross Road where it flowed under the Grand Canal and along Clanbrassil Street, Blackpitts, New Row and Patrick Street…
Source: Finola Watchorn – “Crumlin and the Way it Was”