Kilcooly Abbey

Triple-arch road bridge over man-made lake, built c. 1840, with splayed ends. Segmental-headed arches to south, round-headed partly blocked arches to north, with tooled limestone voussoirs. Dressed and cut limestone platform to front of southern arches perhaps designed to create waterfall. Cut limestone walls, with carved limestone decorative (non-functional) U-cutwaters to both elevations with conical caps. Carved limestone piers and handrail with cast-iron balusters to parapet walls between panelled supports.

This is one of a remarkably intact and diverse group of demesne structures including Kilcooly Abbey itself, its associated outbuildings and smaller dwellings, the nearby boathouse, the Church of Ireland church, the old walled graveyard, the ruined Abbey, the dovecote, and the Wellington monument and icehouse in the former deerpark. Like the boathouse and the Wellington monument, it is at first glance illusory. This bridge is unusual as all its arches are dry, with a small conduit within the masonry allowing water to flow. More ornamental than functional, the design and craftsmanship are of remarkable quality, being splayed in plan and finely carved. The cast-iron balustrade provides pleasing formal interest and contrast to the carved stone.