The Quare Fella

What better inviting spot to sit down at on a nice May morning in Dublin than beside the locks along the Royal Canal at Binn's Bridge, Drumcondra (along Dorset Street).

Construction of the Royal Canal started in 1790 and twenty years later it linked the River Shannon to Dublin port.

One of Dublin's famous sons is the borstal boy himself, Brendan Behan (playwright, poet and writer). Brendan's brother, Dominic Behan wrote the song 'The Auld Traingle' which was used in Brendan's play The Quare Fella. The song has become almost an anthem with a fantastic version by Luke Kelly. Click for Luke Kelly's Auld Triangle

The triangle refers to the triangle in Mountjoy Prison that was rung by the screws (prison wardens) to wake the inmates and get them to clean out there cells (slopping out - buckets of bodily fluids as there were no toilets in the cell). Ironically, it was only announced recently that soon slopping out will be a thing of the past in Mountjoy Prison. The prison is a few kilometres from Binn's Bridge.

So next time you're roving through Dublin, take a few minutes to sit on Brendan's seat and look at the locks. It's a lovely spot. But don't think you can take a shortcut over the wall behind.... there's a fair drop to the train lines below.