bridge

Single-arch former railway bridge, built c. 1866, carrying former road over the former Bundoran Junction to Bundoran railway line. Road now blocked following construction of new bridge (N3) and road adjacent and railway lines now out of use with tracks removed (c. 1957). Squared and snecked rock-faced limestone construction to spandrels, abutments and to parapets with rock-faced coping over parapets having drafted margins. Parapets damaged in places. Segmental-headed arch with mildly rock-faced voussoirs to arch and squared coursed masonry to arch barrel; squared rock-faced quoins to abutments having drafted margins. Squared and snecked rock-faced wing walls/buttresses/retaining walls to former railway embankment having rounded cut stone coping over, and terminated by squared and snecked rock-faced piers (on square-plan) having rounded capstones over. Tarmacadam deck with grass verges, road now blocked. Water pipe to the west elevation. Located adjacent to N3 and to the south-west of Ballyshannon and to the east of Bundoran.

Although out of use and somewhat isolated by the construction of a new road and bridge adjacent, this impressive former railway bridge retains its original form and character. The robust and good-quality snecked and squared rock-faced masonry used in its construction is typical of Victorian and Edwardian railway engineering and architecture in Ireland. The rounded cut stone coping over the retaining walls illustrates the attention to detail afford even the most mundane of features by the various railway companies during the great boom in the railways during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. It survives in good condition, despite some modern damaged probably due to construction works associated with the adjacent new road, which is testament to the quality of its original construction, and the skill of the masons involved. It was originally built by the Great Northern Railway Company as part of the Bundoran Junction to Bundoran offshoot of the Dundalk (Barrack Street) to Derry railway line, which opened in June 1866 and closed completely on October 1st 1957. Unlike many of the railway lines in Donegal, this was built to the standard Irish gauge (5’ 3”) as opposed to the narrow gauge lines to the north. The damage to the parapets should be rectified before this fine bridge deteriorates. This railway bridge now forms a focal point along the new main road, and is an integral element of the built heritage and transport history of County Donegal.