How history flows through Dublin
10 Feb 2004The River Poddle has been known by several different names over the centuries such as the Puddle, Pottle and the Podell. It was known as the Tiber and also as the Salach, meaning dirty, or the Soulagh. This latter name has been immortalised by the Dubliners in the song Down by the River Saile.
The Poddle, which rises in Tallaght, was at one time the main source of fresh water for the medieval Dublin. As the city expanded the demand for water increased. In April 1244 Maurice Fitzgerald, Justiciar of Ireland, commanded the sheriff of Dublin “without delay to make inquisition, with advice of the Mayor and citizens, as to whence water can be best and most conveniently taken from its course”.
Dublin Corporation entered into an agreement with the Abbey of St Thomas which owned the rights to the Dodder at Balrothery to reroute water from the Dodder into the Poddle.
It was diverted using a two mile man-made canal that came to be known as the City Watercourse, which was in use until 1775. Parts of it can still be seen in the Dodder Valley Linear Park near Tallaght.
The Poddle, now mostly underground, flows into Dublin via Templeogue and Kimmage where the river divides into two at a place called The Tongue near Mount Argus. One strand which supplied the City Watercourse flows down through the Liberties and the other flows down through Harold’s Cross.
The two streams reunite at the junction of Patrick’s Street and Dean Street. It flows past the cathedral, turns east and flows down under Ship Street and Dublin Castle to merge with the Liffey at Wellington Quay. St Patrick’s Cathedral is built on a small island between the two strands of the Poddle — referred to in a document in 1179 as St Patrick’s in insula or St Patrick’s on the island. There was also a holy well dedicated to the saint and this is now covered over by the park adjoining the cathedral. Legend has it that Patrick himself performed baptisms at this well.
This stretch of the Poddle was very prone to flooding and the cathedral was inundated many times over the centuries. In 1687 it was reported that the cathedral was flooded to a level above the desks and on another occasion it was flooded to a depth of five feet while boats sailed on the swollen river outside.
The present-day junction of Dean Street and Patrick’s Street was until 200 years ago called Cross Poddle. This was obviously one of the main crossing points over the Poddle either by way of a bridge or ford and was the place where local women gathered to wash clothes.
It’s not clear when exactly the name of Soulagh or Salach was applied to the Poddle but there were certainly many reports written over the centuries in relation to its filthy state.
The main culprits seem to have been the many industries and mills that lined the banks of the river who contaminated the water with bleach, refuse from the skinners yards and other materials, which made the water undrinkable. The city section of the river was eventually covered over during the 18th century.
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