Jetty Hop
Save for offline
The 12th Lock seen over its wooden gates, with white-capped bollards along the chamber, the canal continuing beyond and a long old stone building on the right.
Photo: Royalcanalrunner · CC BY-SA 4.0
© OpenStreetMap contributors

Lock Co. Dublin

12th Lock, Lucan

The gateway between Dublin and the countryside: the last of the city locks, kept secured and opened by appointment, where westbound boats reach open canal.

  • By arrangement

Desk research, not yet checked on site · Position: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Report a change

Lock times

By arrangement Opened by arrangement

Today – Thu, 5 Nov See the notice

Notice: No passage east of Lock 12 while the 7th Lock is out of action: its deep gate cannot close, and Waterways Ireland lets no boats in from the 12th Lock until it is repaired (Marine Notice 104/2026, 19 Oct 2026; an update is to follow). Normally: passage by arrangement only: e-mail the Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (dublincanals@waterwaysireland.org; +353 1 868 0148, Mon–Fri 09:30–16:30) at least two working days ahead for any passage east of Lock 12 (Special Marine Notice 1/2026; the Grand Canal boater page still asks three days, so book early). Lock 12 passes no more than two boats a day, moved through the city in one go. Locks are hand-worked with your own lock key, in daylight hours.

Times are worked out on this device and change with the season: check the notice. Check the Waterways Ireland marine notices

Source of the times · Times checked 23 Oct 2026

Moor here

No mooring details yet.

From here

1 itinerary
Itineraries that stop here
In the guide

Today

Forecast, warnings and water levels

Weather and water

Loading the latest conditions…

In an emergency 112 999

Call 112 or 999 and ask for the Coast Guard. Both numbers work in Ireland and in Northern Ireland.

About 12th Lock, Lucan

The 12th Lock, beside the Newcastle Road at Lucan, marks the edge of the city. Waterways Ireland keeps it secured to protect water levels and control traffic into Dublin, so it opens only by arrangement: e-mail the Eastern Regional Office two working days ahead (Special Marine Notice 1/2026; its canal page still says three, so book early), and expect at most two boats a day, moved through the city in a single trip. Westbound, this is where the rural canal begins. The Grand Canal Way, a 117 km waymarked trail to Shannon Harbour, starts at Lucan Bridge by the lock, and an 8.5 km greenway follows the towpath back east to the 3rd Lock at Inchicore. Read the marine notices before planning a city passage, because a fault at any of the Dublin locks closes the whole route.

Things to do 2

  • Walk

    Grand Canal Way

    A flat, 117 km waymarked trail along the towpath from Lucan Bridge to Shannon Harbour, usually walked in about five days.

    Website
  • Cycling

    Grand Canal Greenway, 3rd to 12th Lock

    An 8.5 km surfaced greenway on the towpath, running east from the 12th Lock to Inchicore’s 3rd Lock.

Not listed yet: eat & drink and services. Know one? Tell us

Neighbours by water

Show 3 more

≈ distances are computed along the water, not along the marked channel. Times are our estimate: 5 km/h and 20 minutes a lock.

Also nearby, from OpenStreetMap (22)

Not checked by us. Tap a group to open it. © OpenStreetMap contributors

Food & drink (2)
Things to do (2)
Services (12)
Locks & bridges (6)

© OpenStreetMap contributors