Portumna Bridge

Five-span road bridge over River Shannon, built 1911, with central section resting on Hayes's Island which divides river into two channels. Road supported on steel structure of plate girders with parapets of riveted steel plates. Piers in river on Tipperary side of island are concrete-filled cast-iron cylinders which continue above parapet level and are capped by domed tops with finials. Other piers, from bridge of 1834, are of dressed limestone masonry full width of bridge, with rounded ends and support cut-stone parapets. Opening section of bridge over navigation channel revolves on pivotal support on Galway bank of river. On island is former bridge operator's house, of ashlar limestone with hipped slate roof.

This historic crossing point over the Shannon river between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long history of bridges and ferry crossings. The twentieth-century structure seen today was designed by C.E. Stanier of London to the specification of the Tipperary North Riding County Surveyor J. O. Moynan. The steel structure of the main bridge and pivoting swing bridge over the navigation channel are of technical and engineering interest, while the bridge itself is a landmark seen from both sides of the Shannon and continuously in use by both road and waterways traffic. The bridge operator's house retained from the previous bridge is situated near the centre of the bridge and forms an integral part of the complex of bridge and harbour.