bridge

Railway bridge, built c. 1833, carrying railway over Macken Street and comprising wide central segmental arch flanked by lower segmental pedestrian arches. Tooled ashlar limestone walling with painted voussoirs, and replacement concrete copings topped by recent steel railings. Bridge terminated to each side by engaged full-height tapered piers, abutted by random ashlar limestone walls extending to east and west.

A robust, well-proportioned railway bridge, built in 1833 to designs by Charles Blacker Vignoles, to carry the Dublin and Kingstown railway line. Opened on 9th October 1834, this was the first railway in Ireland, linking Westland Row to Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire) Harbour. Although initially constructed for the transport of goods, from the outset the service was overburdened with passenger traffic. The bridge forms part of a network of bridges of similar design, including those on Erne Street Upper and Sandwith Street Upper and remain key to the transport infrastructure of the city. The railways were one of the country's greatest engineering achievements and bestowed a wealth of industrial architecture and ancillary features that are testament to the skill and technical knowledge of those involved. These bridges constitute the earliest phase in the development of the railways in Ireland and were part of the transformation of the character of the city in the early nineteenth century. This bridge has a striking appearance due to its squat elevations and wide road arch flanked by round pedestrian arches or tunnels.