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Illustration: a narrowboat on the Royal Canal crossing a stone aqueduct over a river, a cyclist on the towpath through flat green fields.

Canals & the Barrow Canal Ireland

Royal Canal

Dublin's other canal to the Shannon: 146 km and 46 hand-worked locks from Spencer Dock on the Liffey to Richmond Harbour at Clondra, with Ireland's longest greenway on the towpath.

  • 146 km of navigation
  • 46 locks
  • 26 stops
  • 14 public moorings
  • ≈ 7 days end to end

Days and hours are our estimate: 5 km/h and 20 minutes a lock, about six hours a day.

Plan your cruise

Start from a ready-made trip, or plan your own day by day: distances, locks and overnight moorings.

Plan “The Royal Canal: Mullingar to Clondra and the Shannon” Plan your own trip Open on the map

Overview

The Royal Canal was dug between 1790 and 1817 to carry goods and passengers from Dublin to the Shannon, in open rivalry with the Grand Canal to the south. It closed to boats in 1961, was saved by volunteers of the Royal Canal Amenity Group and Waterways Ireland, and reopened along its whole length in 2010. Today it runs 146 km from the sea lock at Spencer Dock to Richmond Harbour at Clondra: up through the sea lock and 25 locks to a long summit level around Mullingar, fed from Lough Owel, then down through 21 more to the Shannon. Boats are few, and you may share a whole day with herons, anglers and cyclists, because the Royal Canal Greenway follows the towpath from Maynooth to Clondra. The eastern half crosses the Rye Water and the Boyne on great aqueducts and passes Maynooth, Kilcock and Enfield; the west is quieter still, with stone harbours at Thomastown, Coolnahay, Ballynacargy and Abbeyshrule and the open bogs of Longford. Every lock is worked by hand, so bring crew and a lock key.

Stops, in route order

26 stops from Spencer Dock & Sea Lock to Cloondara Lock (Camlin).

Desk research, not yet checked on site

The still water of Spencer Dock mirrors blue sky, clouds and modern office and apartment blocks, with a floating pontoon on the left and the curved Spencer Dock Bridge across the dock ahead.

Harbour · Co. Dublin

Spencer Dock & Sea Lock

The Royal Canal's tidal doorway in the Dublin Docklands: a sea lock from the Liffey passed only by arrangement, and at 2.1 m the lowest bridge on the canal.

By arrangement

Photo: William Murphy · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bridge · Co. Dublin

Newcomen Lift Bridge

Irish Rail's lifting bridge below the 1st lock, the gate between the city canal and the Liffey, raised only on a few booked dates and recently out of order.

By arrangement

Lock · Co. Dublin

6th Lock & Cross Guns Bridge

Where digging began in 1790: the city locks at Phibsborough, on a towpath with Brendan Behan's statue, Croke Park and Hamilton's Broom Bridge.

By arrangement

Lock · Co. Dublin

10th Lock, Ashtown

The narrowest point of the navigation: the 10th lock at Ashtown passes no boat of 3.5 m beam or more, and the Royal Canal Way starts here.

By arrangement

Lock · Co. Dublin

12th Lock, Castleknock

The gate to the city flight: everything below this lock is by appointment, while above it lies the first stretch that volunteers reopened.

By arrangement Not yet checked

Village · Co. Dublin

Clonsilla & the Deep Sinking

A suburban village at the western end of the Deep Sinking, the rock cutting made necessary when the canal was bent towards Maynooth.

Under a clear blue sky, the wide water of Duke's Harbour in Maynooth is dotted with reeds and lily pads, with a weeping willow on the left, the railway station on the right and a stone bridge in the distance.

Town · Co. Kildare

Maynooth

The university town the canal was rerouted to reach, with Duke's Harbour in the centre, the official start of the greenway and the castle of the earls of Kildare.

Public

Photo: Laurel Lodged · CC BY-SA 4.0

Water spills through the black-and-white timber gates of the 16th lock at Kilcock, framed by tall conifers and a neat hedge under a cloudy sky.

Town · Co. Kildare

Kilcock

A market town with a restored harbour a few steps from its shops and pubs, a double lock under the old bridge and canoe polo on the water.

Public

Photo: Scaramanga731 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lock · Co. Meath

Ferns Lock (17th Lock)

A deep double lock in open country beyond Kilcock that Waterways Ireland now keeps secured: phone the water patroller before you arrive.

By arrangement
The reed-fringed Royal Canal runs past open fields and old oaks near Enfield, with the gravel greenway and a wooden fence on the left under a bright blue sky.

Town · Co. Meath

Enfield

A railway and canal town in Meath whose harbour is a main greenway access point, with toilets, showers and a slipway.

Public

Photo: Scaramanga731 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Village · Co. Kildare

Moyvalley

A small village beside the canal, known to every towpath walker for Furey's, an old-style pub and restaurant with an open fire.

Harbour · Co. Meath

Longwood Harbour & Boyne Aqueduct

A quiet Meath harbour, home of the Ribbontail Paddlers, a short walk from the three-arched aqueduct that carries the canal over the Boyne.

Public

Bridge · Co. Westmeath

McNead's Bridge

Where the greenway crosses the old N4 east of Mullingar: a small visitor jetty for passing boats and Mary Lynch's, a landmark pub.

Public
Narrowboats and small cruisers lie moored at pontoons in Mullingar Harbour on a sunny day, with tall copper beeches and a stone wall around the basin and a wooden fence in the foreground.

Town · Co. Westmeath

Mullingar

The county town and halfway point of the greenway, on the summit level, with a limestone harbour that is both a blueway hub and one of the best-equipped stops on the canal.

Public

Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0

Two cruisers lie moored in Coolnahay Harbour, mirrored in still water, with a green rowing boat on the lawn, Lock 26 and its bridge on the left and tall trees behind.

Harbour · Co. Westmeath

Coolnahay Harbour (Lock 26)

A small limestone harbour beside Lock 26, the first lock down from the summit, with a café in the restored lock-keeper's cottage.

Public

Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0

The greenway follows the canal into Ballynacargy, where the harbour basin reflects a blue sky beside lawns, a row of white cottages and a stone bridge.

Village · Co. Westmeath

Ballynacargy

A small village that grew around its roomy harbour of 1817, with toilets, showers and a slipway, and medieval ruins in the old demesne nearby.

Public

Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0

A red-and-white motorboat flying an Irish tricolour and a white cruiser lie moored in Abbeyshrule harbour under a blue sky, with houses and autumn trees along the quay.

Village · Co. Longford

Abbeyshrule

A riverside village by the Whitworth Aqueduct over the Inny, with a small harbour, a family-run inn on the canal bank and the ruins of a Cistercian abbey.

Public

Photo: sarah777 · CC BY-SA 2.0

Harbour · Co. Longford

Ballybrannigan Harbour (Ballymahon)

A wide harbour at Chaigneau Bridge just north of Ballymahon, restored in 1995, the stop for the town's pubs and shops and for Center Parcs.

Public
Seen from a bridge, the stone-edged channel of Mosstown Harbour near Keenagh curves between grassy banks and trees towards a lawn and a road.

Harbour · Co. Longford

Mosstown Harbour (Keenagh)

Keenagh's canal harbour among the Longford bogs, a proven overnight stop near a village with pubs and the Iron Age Corlea Trackway.

Public

Photo: JP · CC BY-SA 2.0

Junction · Co. Longford

Longford Junction (Cloonsheerin)

Where the dry Longford branch leaves the main line: a 30 m visitor jetty since 2024 and a greenway on foot or by bike into Longford town.

Public
Seen over a stone parapet, the timber gates of Lock 43 at Killashee stand in front of the restored, whitewashed lock-keeper's cottage among tall trees.

Village · Co. Longford

Killashee (Lock 43)

A village a kilometre from Lock 43 and Aghnaskea Bridge, with a shop, a popular pub and a church built on canal-company land.

Photo: Royalcanalrunner · CC BY-SA 4.0

Bridge · Co. Longford

Begnagh Lifting Bridge

A road lifting bridge on Begnagh Bog near Clondra, meant to rise automatically for an approaching boat but with a record of breakdowns.

The stone arch of Richmond Bridge spans the canal at the harbour in Clondra on an overcast winter day, with a paved quay, a lamp post and steps on the right.

Harbour · Co. Longford

Richmond Harbour, Clondra

The stone-cut harbour at Clondra where the Royal Canal ends, with full boater services, a pub-guesthouse in an old flax mill and bike hire for the greenway.

Public

Photo: Royalcanalrunner · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lock · Co. Longford

Cloondara Lock (Camlin)

The Shannon navigation's own lock on the short Cloondara Canal, linking Richmond Harbour and the Camlin with the main river opposite Tarmonbarry.

Open now · closes 18:30
Show all 26 stops Show fewer stops

Also on this waterway: Camlin junction at Corlehan Point (Upper Shannon: Lanesborough to Carrick)

Services along the way

5 stops

Pump-out, water, fuel, shore power, showers and laundry where a listing says so, in route order. Tap a stop for who runs it and when.

  1. Enfield Showers Toilets
  2. Mullingar Pump-out Shore power Showers Toilets
  3. Coolnahay Harbour (Lock 26) Toilets
  4. Ballynacargy Showers Toilets
  5. Richmond Harbour, Clondra Pump-out Shore power Showers Toilets Laundry

A stop not listed here may still have them: nobody has checked yet. Know better? Report a change

Practical rules

Mooring limits, locks, speed and hazards, in our own words with links to the sources.

Permit

Every boat on the canal must display a Waterways Ireland canal permit, valid 1 November to 31 October. The Combined Mooring and Passage permit (€126) lets you stay up to five days at one place; longer needs an Extended Mooring permit (€278) (Special Marine Notice 1/2026). There is no winter mooring on the Royal.

Locks

All 46 are worked by hand in daylight: bring a lock key (Waterways Ireland quotes both €50 and €25: ask the Eastern Regional Office, +353 1 868 0148), enough crew and strong ropes (boat-owner information). Everyone handling lines or gates must wear a lifejacket while the boat is in the lock (Marine Notice 35/2026). Chambers are 21 m by 3.9 m, draft about 1 m, and Lock 10 at Ashtown passes only boats under 3.5 m beam. Since July 2026 Ferns Lock (17) is kept secured and worked only by Waterways Ireland staff (Marine Notice 88/2026).

Dublin

Lock 12 and everything below it, including the tidal sea lock at Spencer Dock, is passed only by arrangement: two days' notice for Lock 12, two boats a day. Irish Rail raises the Newcomen lift bridge on a few booked dates (two weeks' notice, two boats minimum); the IWAI reported it out of order pending repairs (IWAI Royal Canal).

Bridges and speed

Air draft 2.7 m, only 2.1 m at Sheriff Street, Spencer Dock. Keep under 6 km/h and slow right down near moored boats, locks and bridges (boater information).

Water

There are no public level gauges. In dry summers the water drops and locks may be restricted, so read the marine notices and phone the patroller for your section first; maintenance runs from 1 November to 17 March. Waterways Ireland's Smart Card opens service blocks, pump-outs and shore power.

This is a travel guide, not a navigation aid.

Conditions on the water

Forecast, warnings and water levels

Weather and water

Loading the latest conditions…

Locks & bridges

46 locks on this waterway. The times below are worked out on this device. They change with the season: always read the notice.

Show 3 more

All lock and bridge times Check the Waterways Ireland marine notices

Itineraries

Ready-made trips that start here or pass through.

All itineraries

Events

No events listed for this waterway yet.

All events Tell us about an event

Marine notices

Current Waterways Ireland marine notices for this waterway. The one-line summaries are ours: read the notice itself.

Show 4 more

Source: Waterways Ireland · All marine notices on Waterways Ireland

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On buz.ie by county: Co. Longford Co. Dublin Co. Westmeath Co. Kildare Co. Meath

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More on the map, from OpenStreetMap

Places on the map that are not near one of our stops. Listed on OpenStreetMap, not checked by us. © OpenStreetMap contributors

Food & drink (16)
Shops (4)
Locks & bridges (47)
Things to do (10)
Services (5)