PATRICK KAVANAGH DID NOT OBJECT TO ME PHOTOGRAPHING HIM BUT THAT COULD CHANGE
PATRICK KAVANAGH DID NOT OBJECT TO ME PHOTOGRAPHING HIM BUT THAT COULD CHANGE [THE GRAND CANAL 28 OCTOBER 2025]
I was asked to leave the park across the street - it is supposed to be a public park but as it is a POPS (Privately Owned Public Space) photography is not allowed but apparently I could use my iPhone if I did not have my Sony Camera with me.
🏛️ Patrick Kavanagh: The Monaghan Man in Dublin
Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967) remains one of Ireland's most highly regarded poets and novelists of the 20th century. Born in the village of Inniskeen, County Monaghan, the son of a shoemaker and small farmer, his work often grappled with the complex and sometimes harsh realities of rural life. His best-known works include the novel Tarry Flynn and the stark, powerful poem The Great Hunger.
Though his roots were in Monaghan, Kavanagh spent much of his later life in Dublin, and the city's landscape, particularly the area around the Grand Canal, became central to his work and identity.
🌳 The Statue on the Canal
By far the most famous and beloved tribute to Kavanagh is the public monument on the banks of the Grand Canal. This isn't just a simple plaque, but a life-sized bronze statue of the poet himself, sitting contemplatively on a wooden bench.
This prominent work of art was sculpted by John Coll and is located on the north bank of the canal on Mespil Road, very near Baggot Street Bridge. Kavanagh famously found solace by the water, often sitting there to reflect. The statue was directly inspired by his poem, "Lines written on a Seat on the Grand Canal, Dublin", which begins:
"O commemorate me where there is water, Canal water, preferably, still water..."
The monument was unveiled by then-President Mary Robinson in 1991, as part of the celebrations for Dublin's tenure as the European City of Culture. It remains a hugely popular spot for Dubliners and tourists alike, with many stopping to sit beside "Paddy" for a photo.
📍 Other City Tributes
While the canal statue is the most visited, several other sites in the area mark his presence in the city:
Commemorative Plaques: You can find plaques marking his former residences at 19 Raglan Road and 62 Pembroke Road in Ballsbridge.
Street Art: A more modern tribute exists on Leeson Street Upper. A traffic light box has been transformed by artist Andrew McCarthy with a piece titled "The Old Ghosts Meet", featuring Kavanagh.
It’s perhaps his poem-turned-song, "On Raglan Road", that has most firmly cemented Kavanagh in the hearts of Dubliners, helped in no small part by the definitive recording by Luke Kelly of The Dubliners. These various memorials, scattered around the poet's old haunts, ensure that his spirit remains a tangible part of the city's literary landscape.
I was asked to leave the park across the street - it is supposed to be a public park but as it is a POPS (Privately Owned Public Space) photography is not allowed but apparently I could use my iPhone if I did not have my Sony Camera with me.
🏛️ Patrick Kavanagh: The Monaghan Man in Dublin
Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967) remains one of Ireland's most highly regarded poets and novelists of the 20th century. Born in the village of Inniskeen, County Monaghan, the son of a shoemaker and small farmer, his work often grappled with the complex and sometimes harsh realities of rural life. His best-known works include the novel Tarry Flynn and the stark, powerful poem The Great Hunger.
Though his roots were in Monaghan, Kavanagh spent much of his later life in Dublin, and the city's landscape, particularly the area around the Grand Canal, became central to his work and identity.
🌳 The Statue on the Canal
By far the most famous and beloved tribute to Kavanagh is the public monument on the banks of the Grand Canal. This isn't just a simple plaque, but a life-sized bronze statue of the poet himself, sitting contemplatively on a wooden bench.
This prominent work of art was sculpted by John Coll and is located on the north bank of the canal on Mespil Road, very near Baggot Street Bridge. Kavanagh famously found solace by the water, often sitting there to reflect. The statue was directly inspired by his poem, "Lines written on a Seat on the Grand Canal, Dublin", which begins:
"O commemorate me where there is water, Canal water, preferably, still water..."
The monument was unveiled by then-President Mary Robinson in 1991, as part of the celebrations for Dublin's tenure as the European City of Culture. It remains a hugely popular spot for Dubliners and tourists alike, with many stopping to sit beside "Paddy" for a photo.
📍 Other City Tributes
While the canal statue is the most visited, several other sites in the area mark his presence in the city:
Commemorative Plaques: You can find plaques marking his former residences at 19 Raglan Road and 62 Pembroke Road in Ballsbridge.
Street Art: A more modern tribute exists on Leeson Street Upper. A traffic light box has been transformed by artist Andrew McCarthy with a piece titled "The Old Ghosts Meet", featuring Kavanagh.
It’s perhaps his poem-turned-song, "On Raglan Road", that has most firmly cemented Kavanagh in the hearts of Dubliners, helped in no small part by the definitive recording by Luke Kelly of The Dubliners. These various memorials, scattered around the poet's old haunts, ensure that his spirit remains a tangible part of the city's literary landscape.
THE FAMOUS PATRICK KAVANAGH