bridges ireland

At the very hub of the city, O'Connell Bridge, formerly Carlisle Bridge, was built in 1790 as one of the links in the Wide Streets Commissioners' plan to connect north and south with a great axial route. The plan was completed when Westmoreland Street was driven through to College Green a few years later. In 1880 the bridge was widened and is now famous for being about as broad as it is long....

While it was scarcely ever possible to ford the river here, it would still have been feasible to span it even with a primitive bridge at an early date. The river, entering the town from the west is almost 600 feet wide, narrowing at this point to only 110 feet, before expanding again to 450 feet in the docks area. The town grew around this crossing, which opened up a transport route north and south, and the Harbour below was developed to accommodate seaborne trade.

The early Bronze Age...

The Foyle bridge spans the River Foyle downstream from Caw to Culmore. Completed in 1984 this bridge serves both functional and leisure purposes as it is one of the most popular walks in the city. The majestic backdrop of outlying Donegal and Magilligan coupled with the nearby parklands are seen clearly from this gently rising curved bridge. Location : Spanning from Caw to Culmore. Open all year....

The first bridge built across the River Foyle was a wooden structure erected in 1789-91. The structure allowed for a drawbridge as the inhabitants of Strabane had navigational rights to the river. It was built between Bridge Street and Fountain Hill. The second bridge was a steel structure built in 1863 a little further upstream near the site of todays Craigavon Bridge. This was completed in 1933 and the two tier structure allows the lower deck to carry goods on rail tracks between th...

From Carlisle Square, at the junction of Carlisle Road, Abercorn Road and John Street, the river is crossed by the splendid Craigavon Bridge. Officially opened by the Lord Mayor of London in 1933. With a length of 400 yards and a width of 60 feet, it consists of upper and lower decks for road traffic. The first bridge across the Foyle was of timber. Constructed in 1790, it was badly damaged in 1814 by floating ice and repaired at a cost of IR18,300. The bridge crossed between Bridge Stre...

The first bleach green in Ulster was established before 1626 at Lambeg a mile downstream, a hamlet with a pretty suspension bridge and church. The hamlet have its name to the big drums which came to Ireland from Holland with the army of William the 3rd. 'Lambegs' are seen and heard in Orange Lodge parades....

Carrick a Rede: which means the rock in the road, was given this name because the island and adjacent shallow channel between it and the mainland act as a barrier to migrating salmon. They are deflected north into the nets laid by local fishermen who use the bridge to get to the fishery on the island.
A rope bridge has spanned the 60ft gap between the mainland and Carrick a Rede Island for at least 200 years. It is put up in April and remains in place until early September. Grea...

Knock Bridge is connected to Moneypenny's Lock by a pleasant walkway.

As was frequently the case on the Canal, the towpath passes under the bridge. Coins from the reigns of Geroge III and Geroge IV found in the waters under this bridge are reminders that this was once a favourite spot for card players to meet....

Near south Mall is Parliament Bridge, built in 1806 to commemorate the Act of Union. Walk across the bridge to George's Quay to see Fitzpatrick's second-hand shop, with its bizarre display of bicycles , cartwheels , farm implements and other assorted bric-a-brac on its facade. A short walk away, on Sullivan's Quay, is the Quay co-op , a popular restaurant and meeting-place ....

The Ha'penny Bridge:
The elegant metal pedestrian bridge spanning the Liffey between Merchants' Arch and Liffey Street is one of Dublin's best known landmarks. Erected in 1816, it was among the earliest cast-iron structures of its kind, and was named Wellington Bridge.
Although its official title is now Liffey Bridge, it is universally known as the Ha'penny Bridge after the toll levied on its users. No payment is now required to take this delightful route across the rive...