Environment

Gritting the city: how Dublin gets a grip during cold snaps

When the weather turned icy, gritters got busy around the capital

David Donohoe at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun’s large salt barn, which has a capacity for 1,200 tonnes of salt. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
David Donohoe at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun’s large salt barn, which has a capacity for 1,200 tonnes of salt. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
Chris Maddaloni
Sat Jan 11 2025 - 06:00

With Ireland’s temperate climate, at least on the east coast, it’s not a question that’s asked too often: what will happen to the Dublin if it snows? But that’s the job of the workers at the North City Operations Depot (NCOD) in Ballymun, and its twin on the southside, the Marrowbone Lane Depot.

Standing in front of the year-old salt stock warehouse at the NCOD, the city certainly looked prepared – with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes of salt grit stock.

The industry standard salt grit, which is mined in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, is naturally brown in colour and contains a fine grit (or “marl” – a sediment that comes from the sandstone from which the salt is mined) which provides grip for feet and tyres. In operation since 1965, it is the only salt mine on the island of Ireland, with more than 500,000 tonnes of salt generated a year.

During a cold snap like this one, the crews stay busy.

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Salts trucks at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
Salts trucks at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
Salt bagged ready for use at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
Salt bagged ready for use at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
The North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
The North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
David Donohoe at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun’s large salt barn. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
David Donohoe at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun’s large salt barn. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
David Donohoe shovels salt at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni
David Donohoe shovels salt at the North City Operations Depot in Ballymun. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni

On days that grit was spread, operations started at 7pm, and again at 2am, and were completed by 8am, with five trucks running from the NCOD and four from Marrowbone Lane. In the week since the cold spell started, more than 630 tonnes of salt have been used.

Chris Maddaloni

Chris Maddaloni

Chris Maddaloni is Head of Video at The Irish Times