Bridge in Ballyleague

Crossing the Shannon at the N end of Lough Ree. This important crossing point between Meath and Connaught (Longford and Cavan) was first developed with a causeway in 1000 AD by Mael Sechnaill, King of Meath (AFM, vol. 2, 745). Turlough O'Conor built a wicker bridge across the River Shannon at Ath Liagh c. 1140 (AFM, vol. 2, 1063; Graham 1988, 22) and again in 1153 (AFM, vol. 2, 1107). It was possibly still intact in the 1220s when Walter de Lacy started to build a castle here. The location is not precisely known (Bradley et al. 1985, 25).  According to Nicholas Dowdall, Bishop of Meath, a stone bridge which was the biggest in Ireland at the time, was built here in 1667 (Gillespie and Moran 1991, 208). The 19th century bridge was probably built on its site, and it in turn may have been on the site of the earlier bridges. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010