say four peckes of whet and four peckes of malt," for the use of the said water-course. In 1555 the Mayor of Dublin was given authority to keep the whole course from the Dodder to Dolphin's Barn. However disputes arose between the city authorities and the Earl of Meath, who controlled the Liberty of St. Thomas, so that in the 18th century it was the joint property of the city and the Earls of Meath. The ancient records of Dublin city have numerous references concerning the upkeep of these water works. One of the earliest is a request from King Henry III in 1245 for a supply of water for the King's Hall. The lead pipe which carried this supply was uncovered in Castle Street, next to Dublin Castle, in 1787, with an inscription from the 13th century. The rebel followers of Silken Thomas in 1534, according to Hollinshed's Chronicles, "cut the pipes of the conduits whereby (the city) should be destitute of fresh water". In 1721 the Corporation reconstructed and raised the level of the City Basin at St James Gate, in the final development of the Poddle supply. The lane was taken into the surrounding properties but the rampart remains at the end of the gardens backing onto its former location. The locality The locality contained the Old Leinster Cinema (later the Dublin Ice Rink, now modern apartments) near Reuben Street and Emerald Square. Fatima Mansions and Lourdes Road backed on to the "Pipes". This part of the Grand Canal has been filled in and the Luas now runs along it. The visitors' centre at Guinness's brewery is a few minutes walk away from the other end of the "Pipes". The Back of the Pipes was a popular meeting place for courting couples in the 19th century and much later into the 20th century. A place nearby where they would stroll was called the "Stone Sofa", located at St. James Walk. In Dublin slang "at the back of the pipes" became a response to an enquiry regarding the unknown whereabouts of an object or person. References Places in Dublin (city)