Indicated — Ardfinnan,commons (ardfinnan Par.)

Crossing the River Suir at Ardinnan in a N-S direction. The earliest record of a bridge in Ardfinnan occurs in 1311 when Edward II made a pontage grant to the reeve and men of the village (Chartae priv.imm. 44). In 1399, the Earl of Desmond was drowned here (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.1, 28; Power 1908, 13). The 'Bridge of Ardfynane' is also mentioned in the Civil Survey of 1654-6 (Simington 1931, vol.1, 260). It appears that this point on the Suir was a fording point even before the bridge was built, as is reflected in it's name 'Ath-Arda-Fionain (the Ford of Ardfinnan)' (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.2, 28). The bridge (Wth 6.45m) with a parapet (H 1.15m; T 0.45) consists of nine spans, with three overflows, and eight triangular cut-waters on its E face. It is largely constructed of randomly coursed limestone rubble with cut-stone voussoirs employed around the semi-circular arch-rings of each span. The arch soffits are rendered with concrete. The parapet is capped with large flat roughly cut capstones except at the SE end where they have been replaced with concrete. There are a number of drainage holes placed at regular intervals in the parapet walls. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011