Pool from the River Poddle Below Dublin Castle
Back in the day in the time of Vikings, Dublin was nothing. The Vikings came to Ireland, and settled near the confluence of the Rivers Liffey and Poddle. Nowadays, the River Poddle has all but disappeared but there is more than meets the eye here. At the confluence of these two rivers was a black pool of water which was named dubh linn, or black pool. If that name sounded familiar, then you are right. This pool was the origin of the name of Dublin. Over the years the black pool has all but disappeared with the continued development of the city. As of the River Poddle, apparently, it has only been built over.
Water from the River Poddle Seeping into Dublin Castle
When were were going around the ruins of Dublin Castle, there was a pool of green murky water at the ground level. We were told that the water comes from the River Poddle. It is alive and well, though it has much reduced volume. However, you can still see that it still rises and ebbs with the tides as can be seen from marks on the walls. Although it is not obvious how this seemingly stagnant water goes out, our tour guide assures us that it does flow. The River Poddle can be seen in older illustrations of the city of Dublin and it is but a shadow of its old self. It is nice to know that what gave birth to the city is still alive and well.
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