The Grand Canal was started in 1755 to link Dublin with the rivers Shannon and Barrow. In 1763 when Dublin Corporation took over the project to supply water to the city basin, over twelve miles of navigation had been constructed. In 1772, it was taken over again by the Company of the Undertakers of the Grand Canal and it opened to cargo boat traffic in 1779. At this time, the end of the canal was near the City Basin off James’s Street but by 1791 it had reached Ringsend where the Grand Canal Docks were constructed and opened in 1796. The two basins contain over 25 acres of water and are Hanover and Charlotte Quays bound the larger basin.