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Liveline

Benches on Grand Canal

22 May 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What issues are raised about benches on the Royal Canal?

0.487 - 15.069 Unknown

0818 715 815 the number if you want to give me a call and Ciarán Brennan is on the line Ciarán where do you like to go for a walk?

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16.551 - 43.758 Ciarán Brennan

Along the Royal Canal What have you noticed walking along the Royal Canal? I've noticed that there's one bench which is occupied by Brennan which you have to share and no other benches Not one bench between Royal Canal Dock and all the way up to Pilfer. So we spent our seven million or whatever it was on revamping and there's not one bench.

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44.94 - 51.868 Ciarán Brennan

Now, if you go over the Grand Canal, we've walked the Grand Canal as well and it's littered with benches.

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53.951 - 59.738 Unknown

Okay. Why do you think that is? Why have they a load of benches on the south side and not the north side?

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60.359 - 76.193 Ciarán Brennan

because North Surrey people are fitter probably. They don't need to sit down and take a break. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, there's even commissioned benches along the Grand Canal. Yeah.

Chapter 2: Why are there more benches on the Grand Canal compared to the Royal Canal?

76.333 - 91.397 Ciarán Brennan

Lovely wooden structures. And yet we can't get a metal bench on the Royal Canal. I don't understand why there's never any put there. Whether it's because they're afraid of... people sleeping on them.

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91.958 - 92.258 Unknown

Yeah.

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92.799 - 93.82 Ciarán Brennan

I don't know.

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93.96 - 103.79 Unknown

Do you think that's what it might be? Possibly. Young lads might hang around drinking cans. You know, the usual thing people give out of it. Antisocial behaviour.

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103.81 - 115.702 Ciarán Brennan

Antisocial behaviour, yeah. But it's not fair on people that would like to, mental health, would like to get out for a walk and sit down along the canal.

117.043 - 118.885 Unknown

What stretch do you walk along the canal?

Chapter 3: What reasons are suggested for the lack of benches along the Royal Canal?

119.877 - 125.485 Ciarán Brennan

You walk between Drumcondra to Phibsborough, up that way, back down again.

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126.046 - 133.798 Unknown

Okay. And, I mean, if there was a bench there, would you sit down, take in your surroundings?

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135.681 - 149.361 Ciarán Brennan

Possibly would, but we walked dogs along there. But it's just the length of the canal, from the docks all the way up on one bench.

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150.961 - 178.47 Unknown

I used to live near there and I'd go from the other direction from Phibsborough maybe out towards Ashtown and now that you say it I can't picture any benches certainly not many benches maybe when you get out to Ashtown the newer development there might be but there's very few between Phibsborough and there did Waterways Ireland manage all of this along the canals did you get on to them I did yeah

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179.142 - 193.476 Ciarán Brennan

The response I got was, it seemed like we didn't ask for them while they were doing this new renovation. Well then, nobody looked for a bench, so they didn't put them in. That's the same response from Waterways Ireland.

194.477 - 204.167 Unknown

Okay. Do you suspect you're going to ask for a bench then, if that's their response? Well, nobody wants them. Nobody's asked. Maybe if you ask for them, they'll stick them in.

204.607 - 206.009 Ciarán Brennan

Maybe.

Chapter 4: How does the lack of benches affect mental health and well-being?

206.029 - 208.391 Ciarán Brennan

I'll give it a try. I'm a bit doubtful.

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208.652 - 213.003 Unknown

Yeah. Do you think there's a bit of Southside bias going on?

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214.885 - 215.786 Ciarán Brennan

Someone would say that now.

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218.529 - 220.852 Unknown

You wouldn't be cynical enough, Ciarán, to say that.

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221.132 - 223.495 Ciarán Brennan

I wouldn't, no, no, no.

224.236 - 240.388 Unknown

Are you out for a walk at the moment? I am, yeah. Do you go for a walk at the same time every day? Mostly, yeah. Yeah. And you weren't going to put a pin in that for Liveline or anybody else? You weren't going to stop that for Lifeline or anybody else.

241.59 - 243.913 Ciarán Brennan

I'll have to tell the dogs they have to wait.

Chapter 5: What response did the guest receive from Waterways Ireland regarding bench placement?

244.413 - 247.738 Unknown

Yeah, exactly. The dogs don't care what's on the radio. What type of dogs?

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249.6 - 251.823 Ciarán Brennan

Two bullies. Okay.

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Chapter 6: Is there a perceived bias in infrastructure development between Southside and Northside?

253.766 - 262.097 Unknown

Well, listen, I hope they get their exercise there and maybe someone from Waterways Ireland will stick a bench on there. Go on.

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262.697 - 265.461 Ciarán Brennan

Yeah, whatever they were saying about, I knew you had a

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265.846 - 294.081 Ciarán Brennan

an issue there about the bikes yeah well you want to be walking on the canal when those bikes go by they tear up and down do they there's a part where it's pedestrian only like one part is pedestrianised and the other you have to turn over the bridge to go up the fair side on the bikes well that's ignored totally by these electric bikes yeah take your life in your hands so not just for the lads it's along the canal as well no benches too many bikes Ciarán thanks a million back in a moment

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296.272 - 299.093 Ciarán Brennan

LiveLine on RTÉ Radio 1.

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