Finnea Bridge, County Westmeath (WM001-052----)

Six arches of the nine-arched medieval bridge of Finnea survives intact (Manning 1997, 29). The present road bridge (Wth 5.53m) which crosses the Inny River connecting Westmeath to Cavan was rebuilt in 1877 by the Upper Inny Drainage Board under the supervision of engineer, James Dillon. A date stone commemorating this rebuild is visible in the E face of the W parapet wall. Under this rebuilding phase the middle three arches of the medieval bridge were replaced by a wide single central arch of rusticated stonework spanning the river channel. The three arches on the N side of the present river channel stand on dry ground in Co. Cavan, while the S arches also now on dry ground are in Co. Westmeath. In the 17th or early 18th century the medieval bridge was widened on its E side (Wth 2.05m), the straight joint of this addition is visible on the underside of the medieval arches. 'Finnag Bridg' is depicted on the 1657 Down Survey map of Fore Barony (NLI, MS 723-4). On this map a ruinous tower or castle (WM001-001----) is depicted standing in the field to the N of the road crossing the bridge and a cluster of dwellings stand either side of this roadway representing the medieval village or settlement of Finnea (WM001-059----). The surviving medieval arches (2.75m apart) are round headed (L 4.3m; Wth 2.48m) the undersides of which bear the impressions of wicker centering along with some of the projecting corbels which supported the wicker framing of the arch (pers. comm. Conleth Manning). The medieval road crossing the Inny River measured approximately 1.48m or 4ft 10 inches wide. A 17th century armorial plaque (WM001-052001-) showing the arms of the first Earls of Westmeath is incorporated into the W face of the E parapet wall (H 1.27m; T 0.59m) of the 19th century section of the bridge. In his memoirs, the Earl of Castlehaven refers to a skirmish at this bridge in 1644 and to the fact that it was built of stone and had a castle (WM001-001----) at its southern end (Castlehaven 1815, 70). In 1644 the Earl of Castlehaven wrote that he commanded 'a colonel with 5 or 600 foot, and 100 horse, to defend the bridge of Fienaugh (WM001-052----), that I might not be pursued; it was of stone, and a castle on our end. I sent with him shovels, pickaxes and spades, with plenty of ammunition'(ibid.) (Fredengren et al. 2010, 123, Pl. 3.28) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). Compiled and revised by; Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 March 2017