I HOPE THAT SOMEONE DECIDES TO RESTORE THE SHERIFF STREET LIFTING BRIDGE
The story is complicated but the bridge is not as old as many claim it to be.
The wonderful thing about Dublin is that everything in the city has a history or a background story but the problem is that everyone has a different story.
When I first photographed this bridge, many years ago, a self appointed local historian told me that the lifting bridge was built by Earl Spencer the paternal grandfather of Diana Spencer. The problem with this type of story is that the facts may be “alternative” but they are often true so they cannot be easily dismissed. I did, however, have some problems with the story for the following reasons.
[1] Spencer Dock was originally known as the Royal Canal Docks [2] Diana’s Grand Father or his father had no connection with Ireland. [3] The bridge appears to have an electric motor dating from the 1940s or 1950s
Anyway I decided to check a history of the docklands published by Turtle Bunbury [by the way the book features one of my photographs] and I came across the following: “The new dock was a work of ‘entirely private enterprise’ and cost £58,000. On the beautiful afternoon of 15th April 1873, (Sir) Ralph Cusack, Chairman of the MGWR, opened the new dock and formally named it Spencer after the Lord Lieutenant, Earl Spencer, great-great grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.”
So there was some basis to the local historian’s claim however the bridge associated with the development was at the time described as “an ingenious hydraulic bridge” and it was the work of the railway’s engineer Mr Price. The bridge in my photographs does not really match the description above.
The available information is confusing. The bridge in my photographs appears to be referred to as the Sheriff Street Lifting Bridge but also as the Sheriff Street Spencer Drawbridge but it was built in 1941 as a replacement for an older swivel bridge dating from 1873.
Recently I came across this: On 17 October 1941 the Irish Times reported on the opening of the new Sheriff Street drawbridge, which had cost £18,000; it was a structure unique of its kind in these islands. This is interesting as the electric motor that can be seen in some of my photographs would be typical of the period in question.
Note: A pair of reclaimed panels carrying the emblem of the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland are believed to be from the earlier James Price (1831-95)-designed Spencer Swivel Bridge (1873) which itself was pioneering as the first mechanical crossing over Spencer Dock (Irish Builder 1st April 1873, 89).
ROYAL CANAL PREMIUM CYCLE ROUTE FROM SHERIFF STREET TO NEWCOMEN BRIDGE
The weather caught me by surprise today as it was a beautiful sunny day so I took the opportunity to visit the East Wall area of the Docklands.
Dublin City Council’s Royal Canal cycle route is a new 7km pathway and linear park(s) running from the North Quays to Ashtown. To the best of my knowledge the first 500m section was completed about twelve years ago.
The second section from Sheriff Street to Newcomen Bridge was completed in July 2020. This section consists of a segregated three-metre wide cycle track and two-metre wide footpath on a viaduct bridge alongside a new linear park.
The third section will run from the North Strand to Cross Guns Bridge in Phibsborough. The final section, from Phibsborough to Longford Bridge in Ashtown, has been divided into four phases the first of which was due to be completed by the end of 2020.
The Royal Canal Way is a 144-kilometre (89-mile) long-distance trail that follows the towpath of the canal from Ashtown, Dublin to Cloondara, County Longford. It is typically completed in three days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by Waterways Ireland. In 2015, Dublin City Council began extending the walking and cycling route along the Royal Canal from Ashtown to Sheriff Street Upper. The Royal Canal Way connects with the Westmeath Way west of Mullingar, and will eventually form the eastern end of the Dublin-Galway Greenway, the final part of EuroVelo Route 2, a cycling path from Moscow across Europe to Galway.
The Royal Canal Greenway is the greenway encompassing the Royal Canal Way between Maynooth and Cloondara, with a branch to Longford. It was launched in March 2021.
Perfecyly Fit For All The Occasions--Formal, Evening Prom, Party, Wedding, Cocktail, Night Club, Dating, Vacation, etc.
Suitable For All The Seasons--Spring, Summer, Autumn,Winter. Can Wear It Alone on Spring and Summer. If You Feel Cool or Little Cold, Windbreaker or Woolen Coat Would Be The Perfect Match.
Please refer to the size measurement below before ordering
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You must be logged in to post a comment.