Termonbarry Bridge, County Longford

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Multiple-arch road bridge over River Shannon, built c. 1845 and altered c. 1975 and c. 1993, over central island with three arches to east end and four to west end. Original metal swivel section to the west end replaced c. 1975 by concrete and steel lifting span on concrete and steel piers. Original parapets removed and road/footpaths widened with cantilevered reinforced concrete sections/decks to either side (north and south) having metal railings/parapets, c. 1993. Original bridge constructed of roughly dressed ashlar limestone. Segmental-headed arches having ashlar limestone voussoirs with V-profile edges. V-jointed ashlar limestone masonry to arch barrels. Rusticated ashlar limestone piers with rounded/U-shaped cutwaters to upstream and downstream elevations (north and south) having rounded ashlar limestone capstones over. Squared rubble limestone abutment with ashlar limestone coping to west end of bridge, and cobbled slipway to southwest corner. Rubble stone wing wall to the southwest end having rounded dressed ashlar limestone coping over. Single-bay two-storey control tower with flat roof adjacent to modern lifting section (west). Located to the northwest of Cloondara, joining County Longford with County Roscommon. Spans border between Leinster and Connaught.

Despite extensive recent alterations, this fine bridge represents a significant mid-nineteenth century engineering achievement and is an important element of the built heritage of Longford. It is well built using high quality ashlar limestone masonry, while the graceful profile of the arches identifies the civil engineering heritage significance of the site. The skilled craftsmanship involved in cutting and carving stone to provide channelled rustication and convex U-cutwaters is evident. The rounded/U-shaped cutwaters are typical of the many bridges built across the River Shannon by the Shannon Navigation Commissioners during the mid-nineteenth century. It was probably built to designs by Thomas Rhodes (1789 – 1868), the chief engineer with the Shannon Navigation Commissioners at the time of construction and the engineer responsible for a number of elegant bridges over the Shannon (including Lanesborough Bridge 13310001). This bridge at Termonbarry formerly had a metal swivel section to the west end, which was built to allow for the passage of river traffic along the Shannon Navigation. It was later replaced by a fixed span, c. 1975. The present bridge at Termonbarry replaced an earlier multi-span masonry bridge at this site. The marriage between traditional bridge building techniques and twentieth-century technology create an interesting structural form. Modern technology such as reinforced concrete and hydraulics create the lifting section of the bridge, which is a notable example of modern engineering. This altered but elegant bridge is a pleasing landmark feature in the landscape to the northwest of Cloondara, and is an integral element of the extensive transport heritage of County Longford.

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Despite extensive recent alterations, this fine bridge represents a significant mid-nineteenth century engineering achievement and is an important element of the built heritage of Longford.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 13401301

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Picture notes

Jonjobaker, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
瑞丽江的河水, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mike Searle, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Alvesgaspar, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

weir, sluice/sluice gate341 yd

Explorer Tom Weir, sluice or sluice gate in Cloondara has caught my eye in Cloondara, County Longford. I bet a weir, sluice/sluice gate with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Agharevagh HouseHouse · 632 yd

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Children's playground1520 ydComputer-made picture. It does not show this playground.

Explorer Tom Children's playground has caught my eye in County Longford. I bet a children's playground with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

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