Cabra History.Com

What a beautiful and pleasant walk it was as  I strolled along the banks of the Royal Canal today. I walked from Cross Guns Bridge all the way up to Reilly’s Bridge. And believe it or not I was thinking of the many people from Cabra who are living far away from home and who would probably have loved to be there walking along with me. Oh the memories that came flooding into my head of my younger years spent along this watery track.

I remember the day when myself and a gang of my young school pals were walking along this very pathway skimming stones across the water and lost in a world of childhood wonderment when suddenly out of the water arose this terrifying white monster spitting and snarling at us. Well I can tell you now that the screams and roars out of us was like nothing you’ve ever heard before. We were running as fast as our little legs would take us as this mad swan came charging after us with it’s head held high and wings flapping like mad. When things finally calmed down and we had put enough distance between us and your man we once more became the very brave Cabra lads that we were before, even though some of us were still shaking with fright.

And I remembered the time a young girl and her pals were running along the bank when she tripped and fell into the water. One of my pals who was a great swimmer just dived in and save her. We of course all helped to pull them out. They were both soaking wet and she was sobbing her little heart out as were her pals who stood nearby. Then we all just went on our way, no police or fire-brigade involved.

What a great thing is was for us to have the Royal Canal and it sitting right on our doorsteps.