Survey Data
Reg No
50100321
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Technical
Original Use
Bridge
In Use As
Bridge
Date
1830 - 1835
Coordinates
316947, 233879
Date Recorded
07/06/2016
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Railway bridge, built c. 1833, carrying railway over Erne Street Upper, and comprising wide elliptical arch to centre, flanked by lower round pedestrian arches. Tooled ashlar limestone walling with cut limestone stringcourse and chamfered copings to parapets, that to north topped by recent steel fencing. Terminated by full-height tapered piers and abutted to each side by random ashlar limestone walls.
Appraisal
A robust, well-proportioned ashlar limestone railway bridge, built to carry the Dublin and Kingstown railway line. Opening on 9th October 1834, this was the first railway in Ireland, linking Westland Row in the city to Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire) Harbour. Although initially intended for the transportation of goods, from the outset the service was overburdened with passenger traffic. The bridge forms part of a larger network of bridges of matching design, all of which remain key to the transport infrastructure of the city. The rail network was one of the country's greatest engineering achievements and bestowed a wealth of industrial architecture and ancillary features that are testament to the skill and technical knowledge of those involved.