Tawnawully Bridge

Five-arch bridge carrying road over the Lowerymore River, built c. 1775, having V-profile dressed coursed stone cutwaters to piers with cut stone coping over. Bridge slightly humpbacked, rising to the centre from either end. Round-headed arches having dressed ashlar voussoirs; rubble stone constructed arch barrels. Random rubble stone construction to spandrels, wing walls, and to parapets. Modern repairs to the parapets in places, and with cement coping over. Tarmacadam deck. Located to the north-east of Donegal Town close to the point where Lowerymore River flows into Lough Eske to the north-west.

This impressive slightly humpbacked five-arch bridge retains its early character and form, and is an appealing feature in the scenic rural landscape to the north-east of Donegal Town. It is robustly-constructed in local rubble stone masonry, and its continued survival and use stands as testament to the quality of its original construction, and of the skill of the masons involved. The thickness of the piers and the small narrow arches suggests a relatively early date for this bridge, perhaps dating from the mid-eighteenth century or maybe earlier. A bridge is indicated at Tawnawully on Moll’s Map of Ireland dating to 1714 and it is possible that this is the bridge indicated. This fine edifice is one of a number of impressive bridges in this part of Donegal, and it represents an integral element of the built heritage and transport history of the local area, adding further appeal to its scenic location close the shores of Lough Eske.