Bridges of Dublin: The Remarkable Story of Dublin's Liffey Bridges

by Annette Black, Michael B. Barry, Michael Phillips (Introduction)

A vivid history of Dublin unfolds in this exploration of more than 1,000 years of bridges over the river Liffey. From the time of the Vikings and their simple wooden bridge, through Dublin's late 17th-century expansion, when four new bridges were built within 14 years, to the iconic Ha'penny Bridge, the story of a city and its bridges is told. Dublin's bridges are not mere structures. They are monuments to heroes and heroines, celebrations of a great literary heritage, romantic reminders of gentler times, and futuristic style statements of a city's confidence in itself. They are portals to the city's past, revealing tales of bloody battles, political intrigue, innovative engineers and architects, dubious developers, and romantic liaisons. From the oldest surviving, Mellows Bridge of 1768, to the newest, the Rosie Hackett Bridge of 2014, all 24 bridges and those they replaced are eloquently described. Striking photographs, reproductions of old maps, and illustrations, along with suggested walking tours, complement the remarkable story of the bridges of Dublin. Lavishly illustrated, the book is essential for all those who are interested in this important part of Dublin's history. *** "This glorious volume, a perfect gift for all ages, will be treasured for generations. We only wish these bridges could talk!" -- Celtic Connection, August 2016 [ History, Irish Studies, Architecture]

256 pages, Paperback

Published December 11, 2015

Reviews

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really lovely book. Not only covers what went into the building of each bridge, but a thorough history of the surrounding areas! All eras of Dublin are touched upon and the old maps and photos are great.

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

i don’t know if my rating has any accuracy as the technical language went straight over my head
actually a very interesting read and i love that it went into both history and structure details of bridges
the bridges were written about in order that they are on the Liffey rather than doing them by age or other criteria which made this book a very good visual aid
i wish i remembered more from it though as the amount of names and years ended up getting all mixed up in my head