City Watercourse
5 Jan 1973ABOUT six months ago you published a letter from Sister Ann Fitzgerald, O.P., concerning the future of the ancient City Watercourse (the 700-year old canal linking the Dodder at Firhouse to the Poddle at Kimmage. This remarkable medieval construction — “a brilliant engineering conception,” a Corporation survey calls it — supplied the city with water up until 1776 and has survived intact since 1259. Alas, the end of 1972 saw the beginning of its demise, for I find that a developer (Parklands Ltd.) is just completing the destruction of the section on his site at Wellington Lane. It is sad to see house purchasers paying to have young shrubs and trees planted about their new homes , not knowing that with proper planning a much greater natural and historical amenity could have been incorporated in their new estate. Instead it k being filled in.
Just before it reaches this area, the watercourse flow through the grounds at Templeogue House, where it has been turned into a a beautiful water garden by previous owners, an example of what could have been done for the whole of its 1.25mile length. However, another developer (Crampton), has acquired Templeogue House and lands from the Columban Fathers, so it seems only a matter of time before the entire canal is eliminated. Intending residents of these estates are, understandably, usually a too involved in the cruel mumbo jumbo of modern house purchasing to give thought to the future environment of their new community, but surely someone can stop this destruction? Are we as a generation to go down in history as some sort of belated barbarians, busily bulldozing our way through tradition and heritage?
I’m sure future citizens will find it hard to accept the excuse of miserable materialism or just plain planning laziness for our failure to keep in trust for them, this important relic of our ancient city.
– JOHN GLEESON, Tvrconnell Park. Inchicore Dublin 8
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