Bridge in Aghnakeeragh, County Donegal (40907057)

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Single-arch former railway bridge, built c. 1909, carrying the former Strabane to Letterkenny narrow gauge railway line over road. Railway line now out of use with tracks removed (c. 1960). Squared and mildly rock-faced construction to spandrels, parapets, piers, and abutments; chamfered cut stone coping over parapets. Segmental-headed arch with rock-faced cut stone voussoirs. Squared and coursed rock-faced stone retaining walls to either side of bridge. Deck now overgrown. Located in the rural countryside to the west of Raphoe.

This small-scale former railway bridge retains its original form and character despite the closure of the line in 1960. The good-quality mildly rock-faced masonry used in its construction is a typical feature of Victorian and Edwardian railway engineering and architecture in Ireland. It survives in relatively good condition, which is testament to the quality of its original construction, and of the ambitions of the railway company involved in its initial construction. It was originally built by the Strabane to Letterkenny Railway Company (worked by the Donegal Railway Company Joint Committee) as part of the Strabane to Letterkenny narrow gauge (3-foot) railway line, which opened in January 1909 and closed on the 1st of January 1960. This former railway bridge forms part of a group of related structures associated with this former railway line in east County Donegal, and is an integral element of the built heritage and transport history of the county.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 40907057

Places near here

Picture notes

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Computer-made picture. It does not show this holy well.
Computer-made picture. It does not show this monument.
Kenneth Allen, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
Kenneth Allen, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kenneth Allen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Computer-made picture. It does not show this mountain top.
Computer-made picture. It does not show this garden.
Richard Webb, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

bridge95 yd

Explorer Tom Bridge in Aghnakeeragh crosses a small, totally unnamed stream that feels like it’s hiding its real name under a mud cap. I bet around 1800, some local mason pointed at the water and shouted, “That one’s a secret!” just to keep things interesting for everyone else.

Holy well in AghnakeeraghHoly well · 255 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Holy well in Aghnakeeragh has no identified exact position. A 1937 school folklore record placed St Brigid's well near the railway bridge on the old road toward Convoy. The old description gives a lead, not an exact spring to find; what did the people who recorded it know about the well's use?

Standing stone in TullyvinnyStanding stone · 335 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Tullyvinny is officially gone, leaving no visible remains on this east-facing slope in good land. It’s funny how a map can still point to a spot that looks like just about anything else nowadays. I imagine the ground there has absorbed its history so completely that you’d need a really sharp eye, and maybe some very lucky luck, to find any trace of it.

St. Eunan’s Catholic ChurchChurch/chapel · 1327 yd

Explorer Tom St. Eunan’s Catholic Church is an 1877 Hiberno-Romanesque beauty that looks like a nod to the old monastic sites of the region. It features a round four-stage tower belfry and a semi-circular apse, which gives it this very distinct early Irish ecclesiastical feel. The contrast between the dark grey rock-faced limestone and the smooth sandstone dressings is just gorgeous.

Children's playground1581 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Here is another Children's playground in County Donegal that looks like it is judging you. The monkey bars hold their breath for anyone who tries them. Bring a flask and pretend you own the whole damn place.

Diamond BarPub · 1727 yd

Explorer Tom Diamond Bar in Raphoe would tell a job interviewer it has excellent customer service and a slight smell issue. It sits at the north end of The Diamond Square. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the fun.

PalaceHouse, fortified house · 1.1 mi

Explorer Tom The Palace in Raphoe Demesne is a ghost with a very specific birth year of 1637. Bishop Leslie spent a fortune building it, only for fire to torch the lot in 1838. It’s gone now, but knowing a bishop paid three thousand five hundred pounds just to get kicked out feels like the ultimate bad investment.

ArdvarnockMountain / peak · 1.1 miComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Ardvarnock is grumpy and secretive, probably hiding something up top that it doesn't want us to find out about. It's got that 'I've been here longer than you' attitude that makes you want to prove it wrong. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true, because I'm starting to think I invented it all.

Mongorry HillMountain / peak · 1.8 mi

Explorer Tom Mongorry Hill is having a bit of an identity crisis, probably because 'Mongorry' sounds like a dog that stole your sandwich. It’s just sitting there being a peak in County Donegal. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown.

Walled GardenGarden · 2.0 miComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Walled Garden in County Donegal is basically a greenhouse with an attitude problem. I suspect the roses whisper gossip about the neighbours when no one's looking. Pretend you're a lost aristocrat, nobody will check your credentials anyway.

Battlefield in Tully (kincraigy Ed),glenmaquin Lower,roosky (castleforward Ed)Battlefield · 3.1 mi

Explorer Tom Battlefield in Tully, Glenmaquin Lower, Roosky is a patch of earth that remembers being trampled by very angry people. It's quiet now, but the ground still feels like it's holding its breath. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug about your discovery.

Battle of GlenmaquinBattle · 3.2 mi

Explorer Tom The seagulls at Glenmaquin say the Battle of 1642 was mostly about who got the best sandwich first. Very political, very messy. Toast it with a cup of tea and move on to the next spot before you start overthinking the whole thing.

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