Garfinny Bridge

Garfinny Bridge
Droichead na Gairfeanaí
Coordinates 52°09′00″N 10°13′38″W / 52.149939°N 10.227143°W / 52.149939; -10.227143Coordinates: 52°09′00″N 10°13′38″W / 52.149939°N 10.227143°W / 52.149939; -10.227143
Carries local road
Crosses Garfinny River
Locale Garfinny, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry
Followed by N86 bridge
Characteristics
Design Arch bridge
Material stone
Total length 16 metres (52 ft)
Width 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in)
Height 3 metres (9.8 ft)
No. of spans 1
Design life 500+ years
History
Construction start c. 1400
Designations
Official name Garfinny Bridge
Reference no. 612
Garfinny Bridge
Location in Ireland

Garfinny Bridge is a medieval stone bridge located in County Kerry, Ireland.[1][2] The bridge was designated as an Irish National Monument.

Location

Garfinny Bridge crosses the Garfinny River on the Dingle Peninsula, 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) east-northeast of Dingle.

History

The bridge is believed to have been built in the 14th or 15th century, and was supposedly crossed by Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton (Lord Deputy of Ireland) in 1580 with his men on the way to the Siege of Smerwick, where they killed hundreds of prisoners.

By the 19th century, the bridge had begun to collapse and people forded it nearby. Nowadays, road traffic crosses over a modern bridge to the north.[3]

Description

Garfinny Bridge is a dry stone bridge made without mortar: the arch consists of radial stones which ‘spring’ from stones projecting over the river in a corbelling technique.[4][5]

It is the only bridge to be an Irish National Monument.[6]

References

  1. Chatterton, Lady Georgiana (16 August 2017). "Rambles in the South of Ireland During the Year 1838". Saunders and Otley via Google Books.
  2. Durell, Penelope; Kelly, Cornelius (16 August 2017). "The Grand Tour of Kerry". Cailleach Books via Google Books.
  3. "Garfinny Bridge – erica goes traveling". ericagoestraveling.com.
  4. "Garfinny Bridge near Dingle, built around 1580 this medieval stone bridge was built entirely wit - Picture of Dingle, Dingle Peninsula - TripAdvisor". www.tripadvisor.ie.
  5. "Stone Art". www.facebook.com.
  6. Tibus, Website design and development by. "Garfinny Bridge - Attractions - Museums and Attractions - All Ireland - Republic of Ireland - Kerry - Dingle - Discover Ireland". www.discoverireland.ie.
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