ALERT: 'Full closure' of Kilkenny bridge for a week of works
Major diversion for traffic from Monday, July 28
A full closure of a historic Kilkenny bridge will mean not even pedestrian access will be permitted during works.
The update came at the recent meeting of Callan Thomastown Municipal District councillors, in answer to a query from Cllr Brian Cleere.
Work on the Ferry Mountgarret Bridge, linking South Kilkenny to Co Wexford over the River Barrow, is scheduled to take place for a week, from Monday, July 28.
Closed
Kilkenny County Council engineer Padraig Slye explained the nature of the work means pedestrians can not be allowed across the bridge. The bridge will also remain closed to traffic overnight.
There will be significant diversion for traffic, which will be signposted.
The current Ferry Mountgarret Bridge was constructed in 1930 to replace a previous timber bridge that dated from 1794.
Before the bridge, that point of the river had a ferry crossing, so it has been used as a transport link between the counties for hundreds of years.
While the most visible part of the bridge is the metal superstructure, it is predominantly built from reinforced concrete.
The bridge used to open, to allow river vessels to pass through, up until the 1970s when it was struck by a barge. It has not opened since.
The steel rolling bascule bridge (another name for a drawbridge or lifting bridge) is one of only six in Ireland.
These works will maximise the remaining service life of the bridge.