Farmleigh Bridge
| Farmleigh Bridge Droichead Farmleigh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 53°21′41″N 6°21′55″W / 53.3613°N 6.3652°WCoordinates: 53°21′41″N 6°21′55″W / 53.3613°N 6.3652°W |
| Crosses | River Liffey |
| Locale | Dublin |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Box truss |
| History | |
| Opened | 1870s |
The Farmleigh Bridge (Irish: Droichead Farmleigh), also known as the Silver Bridge or Strawberry Beds Bridge,[1] is a disused bridge spanning the River Liffey and the Lower Lucan Road in Dublin, Ireland.
A single-span cast iron box truss bridge,[1][2] with stone and masonry supports, it was built in the 1870s to carry water pipes and electricity lines from the mill race turbine to nearby Farmleigh house.[3] Privately-built by the Guinness family, it was also used by staff who lived on the south side of the river (by Palmerstown) as a short-cut to the grand house.[4]
The bridge (near the Angler's Rest pub) is long disused, with no remaining base or platform to carry traffic. Though the elaborate stone gateway remains,[5] the tunnel is no longer accessible and has been collapsed.
As of late 2015, campaigners had initiated a petition for the bridge to be restored and used as part of a Liffey greenway plan.[6] However, as of mid-2016, no funding had been allocated by Fingal Council to renovation of the bridge.[7]
References
- 1 2 Farmleigh Bridge (or Strawberry Beds Bridge) at Structurae
- ↑ "Lower Road, Fingal - Bridge". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ↑ "Farmleigh Bridge". Bridges of Dublin. Dublin City Council. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ↑ "Farmleigh House Tour (including description of bridge)". Office of Public Works. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009.
- ↑ "Archiseek entry. With pictures". Archiseek Architectural Database. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008.
- ↑ "Call for Guinness Bridge Over Liffey to be Reopened as Part of Greenway". IrishCycle.com. 30 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hopes for Rise Again of River Park". Dublin Inquirer. 21 June 2016.
Until pedestrian safety issues are resolved [...] it is not safe to open up the bridge for access. No capital funding has been identified for the repair of the bridge