bridge

Single-arch former railway bridge, built c. 1882, carrying road over the former Stranorlar to Druminin (Later Lough Eske Halt) section of the Derry (Victoria Road) to Killybegs railway line. Railway lines now out of use with tracks removed (c. 1960). Parapet to the north now removed\collapsed. Roughly coursed and mildly rock-faced rubble limestone construction to spandrels and parapet, rock-faced coping over parapet. Segmental-headed arch having cement arch and cement lining to soffit; coursed rock-faced limestone construction to piers. Mildly rock-faced quoins with drafted margins to bases of piers. Coursed and squared mildly rock-faced retaining wall to former railway cutting having rock-faced coping over. Tarmacadam deck with grass verges. Located to the south-west of Ballybofey, and to the north-east end of Barnesmore Gap.

Although now damaged with the parapet to the north now collapsed, this former railway bridge retains its original form and character despite the closure of the line in 1960. It is well-built using local rubble stone masonry, and it illustrates the attention to detail afforded even the most modest of structures by the railway companies at the time of construction. The good-quality mildly rock-faced masonry used in the construction for the lining of the arch barrel, retaining walls to railway cutting, and to the surviving parapet is typical of late-Victorian and Edwardian railway engineering and architecture in Ireland. The combination of rock-faced masonry and cast-concrete arch ring adds an interesting textural dimension to the structure. It was originally built by the West Donegal Railway Company as part of the Stranorlar to Druminin (later Lough Eske Halt) section of the Derry (Victoria Road) to Killybegs narrow gauge railway line (3-foot), which opened in April 1882 and closed in January 1960. The line was built as far as Donegal Town in 1889. This railway bridge forms part of a group of structures associated with this former narrow gauge railway line in this part of the county and is an element of the built heritage and transport history of Donegal.