Bridge in Kilboglashy,knockmuldoney

In the Annals of the Four Masters, under the year 1360, it is recorded that 'a bridge of lime and stone was built by Cathal O'Conor across the river of Eas-dara' and 'Eas-dara' is equated in a footnote with Ballysadare (O'Donovan 1848, vol. 3, 619). According to O'Keeffe and Simington (1991, 28), this is the first reference in any annal to the erection of such a bridge in Gaelic Ireland. The exact location of this bridge is not known. Wood-Martin (1892, 200) noted that 'the present modern bridge [see SL020-268----] at Ballysadare is much higher up the stream than its predecessor; for the remains of an old bridge-perhaps that erected in 1360 or in 1586-was discovered when workmen were sinking foundations for the eel-house, which is situated just over the last fall made by the river before mingling its waters with the tide'. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008