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. , show larger (1 of 4)
Photo: William Murphy · CC BY-SA 2.0
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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
  • Clearance 2.10 m

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Lock times

By arrangement Opened by arrangement

The next seven days
Today – Fri, 6 Nov See the notice

Notice: Tidal sea lock from the Liffey, by arrangement only: book with the Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (+353 1 868 0148, dublincanals@waterwaysireland.org); sea lock +353 86 380 5657. Sheriff Street lifting bridge in the dock: 2.1 m air draft.

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

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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 Spencer Dock & Sea Lock

Spencer Dock is where the Royal Canal meets the River Liffey on the north bank of the Docklands. The basin was built in 1873 as a coal and goods dock for the Midland Great Western Railway; today offices and apartments line it and the Luas crosses on Spencer Dock Bridge. Boats come in from the tidal river through the sea lock, which works with the tide and is opened only by arrangement with Waterways Ireland. A Scherzer rolling lift bridge guards the river end, and the Sheriff Street bascule bridge of 1939–41 splits the dock in two: at 2.1 m it is the lowest bridge on the whole canal. On Custom House Quay, EPIC, the museum of Irish emigration, and the famine ship Jeanie Johnston make a good first or last stop on foot.

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Neighbours by water

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

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