Grattan Bridge

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River Liffey: Millennium Bridge in front & Grattan Bridge behind.

Grattan Bridge (Irish: Droichead Grattan) is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, and joining Capel Street to Parliament Street and the south quays.

The first bridge on this site was built by Sir Humphrey Jervis as Essex Bridge (named for Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) to join several of Jervis' developments (including Capel Street and Jervis Street) to the opposite side of the river and to Dublin Castle. Essex Bridge was an arched stone structure with 7 piers, and apparently partly constructed from the ruined masonry of nearby St. Mary’s Abbey on the northside.

In the 1750's the bridge was rebuilt by George Semple, to correct flood and other structural damage and as one of the first initiatives of the Wide Streets Commission. During this construction, some original features were removed. EG: A statue of George I on horseback, was moved and is now in the Mansion House garden.

From 1872, the bridge was further remodelled (on Westminster Bridge in London), being widened and flattened with cast iron supports extended out from the stonework so as to carry pavements on either side of the roadway. The bridge was (and is still) lit by ornate lamp standards also in cast iron.

The bridge was reopened as Grattan Bridge in 1874, being named after Henry Grattan MP (1746-1820).

[edit] Recent development

In 2003/2004 the Dublin City Council, planned and built what was intended to be a "European-style book market" on Grattan Bridge. The initiative included reconstruction of the bridge deck, with granite paving for the footpaths and a set of benches with wooden seats and toughened glass backs.

Several kiosks (prefabricated in Spain) have been built on the bridge, to create "a contemporary version of an inhabited bridge, such as the Ponte Vecchio in Florence". These kiosks are now occupied by an art gallery, a florist and other vendors.

[edit] Nomenclature

As is tradition among Dubliners, the name used locally for the bridge will vary from Capel Street Bridge, to Grattan Bridge and the original Essex Bridge.