Athy

Explore dramatic landscapes, ancient ruins, historic bridges and a derelict mill on this easy-walking, 10.5 km section of trail between Athy and Maganey.

Starting at Augustus Bridge on the canal in Athy, you’ll follow the right bank of the canal south past a factory to the 28th lock. Cross the footbridge on the lock, then pass over an old bridge where the canal meets the River Barrow. From here south, the Barrow Way follows its namesake river. 

Follow the towpath under a rail bridge, as the river turns quiet and wooded. This bridge once carried a railway line that served the old coalfields in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, but today it is derelict. 

Soon the Barrow Way leaves the river and joins a side canal. These canals were built to bring boats around shallow and hazardous sections of the river, with weirs providing sufficient depth of water to keep these channels deep.

Continue to Ardleigh Lock, which was once home to a large flour mill across the canal, on Lord’s Island. Beyond the lock, the towpath rejoins the wooded river, which forms the border between Co. Kildare at the side and Co. Laois on the far bank. 

As you venture onwards, look out for the ruins of historic Kilmorony House on the far bank, and the site of Grangemellon Castle. You’ll come to a long side canal, the Levistown Cut, which is lush and green, with two bridges crossing it to give access to the island of pasture between the canal and river.

Beyond Tankardstown Bridge, you’ll pass a huge old mill and lock at Levitstown, which was destroyed by a fire in the 1940s. The mill once produced malt that was brought by barge to the Guinness brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin.

The towpath rejoins the river through pasture, and up ahead the river splits around a narrow island. Then you’ll arrive at the sprawling expanse of Maganey Bridge. Here in 1642, 8,000 troops from the Confederacy of Irish Catholics, an alliance of native chieftains and old English settlers, were defeated by the Earl of Ordmond's forces. There is a shop and petrol station just east of the bridge here where you can restock your supplies before continuing on your way.