The Royal Canal – text by Paul Croghan
• In 18th Century Ireland the economic benefit of canals as a key route to transport products cannot be underestimated
• Work on The Royal Canal began in 1790. Among the Directors of the company given the charter was the Duke of Leinster
• Maynooth was considered close enough to Dublin, not to need access to a canal
• A route through Leixlip meant the building of a complex and expensive aqueduct so the original plan didn’t have the canal passing Carton and coming into Maynooth, but it is here
• It reached Maynooth in 1796. Maybe the Duke had an input which means that we have the Royal Canal as an amenity today