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Bridge in Ardfinnan, County Tipperary (22126003)

Bridge
Bridge in Ardfinnan
Photo: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Report the wrong picture

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Official building number
22126003
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What is recorded here

Thirteen-arch road bridge over River Suir, rebuilt c. 1800, showing evidence of widening to east elevation, but likely to incorporate medieval and/or seventeenth-century fabric. Irregular arches, varying between round and segmental and of varying heights, with cut-stone V-cutwaters to west elevation. Three dry round…

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Thirteen-arch road bridge over River Suir, rebuilt c. 1800, showing evidence of widening to east elevation, but likely to incorporate medieval and/or seventeenth-century fabric. Irregular arches, varying between round and segmental and of varying heights, with cut-stone V-cutwaters to west elevation. Three dry round overflow arches to south end, and segmental arch over millstream to east side of north end. Rubble limestone walls with cut limestone voussoirs, rendered soffits, rubble limestone parapet walls with flat capstones, render coping to south end of west parapet, and rectangular drainage holes with lintels to carriageway. Large pipe carried across east elevation.
This remarkably long bridge striding across a broad expanse of the River Suir, is a notable feature of Ardfinnan and the surrounding countryside. The closely-spaced arches and relatively flat surface give it a strong horizontal emphasis helping to visually as well as practically connect the two sides of the town. It appears to have been extended at either end, to accommodate the millstream to the north and the flood plain to the south. The carefully cut masonry to the cutwaters and voussoirs shows the skill of the stonecutters and masons involved in the construction, and provides textural contrast to the rubble limestone of the walls. The bridge is at a spot that has been spanned since at least 1311.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 22126003

Places near here

Photo credits
  • National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
  • Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
  • Sitomon, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Mike Searle, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Alexander Redfern, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Hywel Williams, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Chmouel Boudjnah Original uploader was Chmouel at fr.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Andreas F. Borchert, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Colin Park, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
mill (water)55 yd

Explorer Tom The Mill in Ardfinnan has an M-shaped roof that looks like it’s doing a very dramatic impression of a mountain range. If it had to teach history class, it would just spin its wheels and let the water do the talking for it. It flows right under the bridge parapet, which is either clever or chaotic.

Ardfinnan CastleCountry house · 106 yd

Explorer Tom Ardfinnan Castle was built on a bargain that involved a lot of mud and a King who didn't read the fine print. It dominates the village like a grandpa who knows he’s right about everything. Wave at it from a distance; it’s not exactly waving back yet.

Ballindoney Castle (in ruins)Castle, tower house · 2.3 mi

Explorer Tom Ballindoney Castle has a fifth-storey room that looks like it’s trying to escape gravity, which is very cheeky for a stone building. A priest once lost a bet there over who could spot the sheep first. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

Pedunculate Oak3.0 mi

Explorer Tom Pedunculate Oak in County Tipperary was planted by a builder who was really thinking about lunch rather than the soil composition at the time. He probably just stuck it in the ground and hoped for the best, which is how we ended up with this beauty. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.

European Yew3.7 mi

Explorer Tom This European Yew in County Tipperary has a family tree that is mostly made up by people who wanted to sound important at dinner parties. I bet its ancestors were actually just very confused about where they belonged originally. Make up your own legend and I'll swear it's true.

Coolbane Castle (in ruins)Castle, tower house · 3.8 mi

Explorer Tom Coolbane Castle in Loughlohery was knocked down in the 1940s, so the rabbits have had eighty years to redecorate with their little droppings. The stone was carried off, probably by ghosts who really wanted to start a new life elsewhere. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Liam Lynch MonumentMonument · 4.1 mi

Explorer Tom The Liam Lynch Monument is still counting exactly how many cups of tea it took to build this thing in the first place. Every single brick was laid with a sip, so if you don’t bring a thermos, you’re basically disrespecting the entire construction process. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place.

The VeeViewpoint · 4.4 mi

Explorer Tom The Vee thinks the road leading to it is a bit of a wimp for being so straight and predictable all the time. It prefers to sit up here and judge everyone who drives too fast or takes selfies that don’t quite capture its majestic angle. Bring your nan along if you can, because she will absolutely know more about this hill than I ever will.

Cahir CastleHeritage attraction · 4.9 mi

Explorer Tom Cahir Castle in County Tipperary has a resident bird that refuses to leave, probably because it likes the view of everyone struggling with the uneven cobblestones below. It’s seen more tourists trip over its own feet than any other creature in the entire county, and it doesn’t even blink for them. Have a look and decide if I was lying.

Siege of Cahir CastleSiege · 5.0 mi

Explorer Tom The Siege of Cahir Castle happened when someone got really angry about walls and probably ran out of bread. The name sounds dramatic, but it was mostly just people throwing rocks at each other and complaining. The castle is still there, pretending it didn’t get a bit of chipping. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography.

Caher AbbeyHeritage attraction · 5.2 mi

Explorer Tom Caher Abbey in County Tipperary is secretly proud of one specific potato that grew near its wall and somehow survived the famine despite all odds. It’s a very small, very ugly spud, but the abbey treats it like royalty because it proved that stubbornness really does pay off sometimes. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

KnocknaloughaMountain / peak · 6.1 mi

Explorer Tom Knocknalougha started because two lads bet on whether they could name a hill before reaching the top, and one of them lost badly. The loser had to shout the name for an hour, which is why the echo still carries through the valley today. Go on a wet day, it suits the mood.

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