The Gateway to Drimnagh:

The Gateway to Drimnagh consists of three historical bridges, Griffith Bridge, Anne Devlin Bridge and Suir Bridge. It also consists of the First Lock of the Grand Canal and the old Harcourt Mill, previously known as the Portland Cement Company.

The Grand Canal is one of two canals that encircles Dublin city, and provides a waterway connection between Dublin’s River Liffey and the River Shannon. In 1791 the canal was extended southeast of the First Lock towards the Dublin South Docks. The first bridge built was named after Richard Griffith, a Director of the Grand Canal Company, MP for Askeaton, Co Limerick (1783-1790) and High Sheriff of Co Kildare. His son, Sir Richard Griffith, geologist and structural engineer later established Griffith’s Valuation. 

Suir Bridge was built in 1938 as part of a new road into Dublin’s expanding suburbs.  

The First Lock forms part of the Grand Canal and is one of a group of locks 

designed to raise or lower boats between different water levels. The foundation stone of this lock was laid on 15th of April 1773 by Earl Harcourt, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The lock has two chambers, still in use today; it forms part of the Grand Canal’s integral water system.

Harcourt Flour Mill was established in 1810 by Robert Hall, a Millwright from Engine Alley. He was given permission by the Grand Canal Company to build a mill with a water mill that would grind corn, malt and rape seed oil. The O.S Map 1837 and the St Jude’s Parish Map of 1864 identified a corn and flour mill at the First Lock. This was known as Harcourt Flour Mill. His annual rent was £34/2/6. He also spent £1,000 building the mill. Redundant water from the Grand Canal was used to turn the mill wheels and water was returned to the canal through trail races.

In 1883 The Irish Portland Cement and Brick Company Limited was situated on the Canal Bank at the First Lock where it acquired a pair of water mills. The company availed of easy and cheap transit of its goods to the South, Midlands and West of Ireland. In 1904 it became insolvent and was forced into liquidation. The site was sold to the Dolphins Barn Brick Company which operated it until its demise in the 1930’s.