Three Bridges meeting three suburbs

Griffith Bridge

In 1791 a new spur of the canal was created to the southeast side of the First Lock to service industrial services between Dublin South Docks, the City Basin and the connecting waterways nationwide. This was known as the Circular Line. The first bridge towards Ringsend was Griffith Bridge at the junction of Suir Bridge, Kilmainham. 

This was named after Richard Griffith, a director of the Grand Canal Company. Born on 10th June 1752 in Hume Street, he travelled to India at the age of 18 years of age where he amassed his wealth working as an accountant for the opium trade. Upon his return to Ireland, he purchased Millicent House in Clane and became a director of The Grand Canal Company. The company commenced operations at the Grand Canal Basin in 1756. He managed the project of extending the Grand Canal as far as the Shannon River in the west of Ireland. However, as business declined he was removed as a director of the company, sold Millicent House to clear his debts and moved to Holyhead, Wales where he operated a postal service between Holyhead and Dublin until his death. 

Anne Devlin Bridge

Anne Devlin Luas Bridge provides connectivity for the Red Line Luas to run from Suir Road Luas stop to Rialto. It crosses the Grand Canal between Suir Bridge and Griffith Bridge. It is named after Anne Devlin, a housekeeper and confidante to Robert Emmet who fought in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. She was also a first cousin of Michael Dwyer who formed the Land League and was friends with Charles Stewart Parnell. Following the 1798 Rebellion, Anne was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail which was originally located on the main street of Old Kilmainham at the foot of Watery Lane (Brookfield Road). She refused to give information to the Crown Forces and was badly beaten. Upon her release she found work as a servant for a family on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. Anne married William Campbell and had two children. Her spouse died in 1845 and she lived in poverty at 2 Elbow’s Lane, The Coombe until her death in 1851. She was buried in a pauper’s grave, however, Irish Historian Richard Madden had her body reinterred in Glasnevin Cemetery 

Suir Bridge

Suir Bridge was built by Dublin Corporation in 1938 to connect the new suburbs of Drimnagh and Crumlin to the City Centre.