Ball's Bridge

Single-arched hump-back limestone bridge, built between 1830-31, linking Mary Street to the north in English Town with Broad Street to the south within Irish Town and spans the Abbey River. Quarter round breakwaters with stepped conical coping. Segmental-arch with rusticated rock-faced voussoirs. Squared and coursed limestone ashlar walls with platband to base of parapet. Ashlar limestone coping above reaching an apex. Curved abutment walls terminating with a rusticated rock-faced limestone pier to quay walls with capstones. Plaque to bridge reads: 'This bridge was erected by virtue of an Act of the XIth of Geo.e the IV. The Rt. Honble. Thos. Spring Rice M.P. for the city of Limerick. Commenced taking down the old bridge Nov. 1830. The new bridge finished Nov. 1831. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.' Another plaque reads: 'The ancient bridge of four arches which occupied this site was taken down and this bridge erected at the expense of the new Limerick Navigation Company incorporated 1830 - Chas. Wye Williams Esqr. Chief Director. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.'

This pleasant bridge, with little decoration but displaying quality stonework, was designed by James and George Pain. The chief director was Charles Wye Williams for the New Limerick Navigation Company. The bridge replaced Baal's Bridge, an 'ancient bridge of four arches' which formed the only link between the Englishtown and the Irishtown before the mid eighteenth century, and the route eastwards towards Dublin was much improved by its construction.