THE ABBEY BRIDGE IN LIMERICK
SORRY FOR THE DELAY
The Abbey Bridge is the latest bridge to be built on the river of the same name, Abbey river.
Construction started January 11, 1998. It was opened on the 8th December 1999. The bridge cost 2.3m to construct. The bridge was opened by the then minister for environment and local government Noel Dempsey along with the mayor of the time Jack Bourke.
Planning for the bridge began in the 1980’s as part of the Limerick Northern Relief Road in an attempt to relieve traffic from the inner city. The building of the bridge became a possibility due to the European finance Cohesion Funds in the early 1990’s.
This bridge being built was what started the King’s Island regeneration project.
Originally it was to be named after the late Jim Kemmy a former mayor of Limerick, politician and local historian who passed away in 1997. However the local people who lived on the river for generations disagreed with this and wanted the bridge to be named after the abbey fishermen. After some debate the name was decided and it became The Abbey Bridge.
Construction started January 11, 1998. It was opened on the 8th December 1999. The bridge cost 2.3m to construct. The bridge was opened by the then minister for environment and local government Noel Dempsey along with the mayor of the time Jack Bourke.
Planning for the bridge began in the 1980’s as part of the Limerick Northern Relief Road in an attempt to relieve traffic from the inner city. The building of the bridge became a possibility due to the European finance Cohesion Funds in the early 1990’s.
This bridge being built was what started the King’s Island regeneration project.
Originally it was to be named after the late Jim Kemmy a former mayor of Limerick, politician and local historian who passed away in 1997. However the local people who lived on the river for generations disagreed with this and wanted the bridge to be named after the abbey fishermen. After some debate the name was decided and it became The Abbey Bridge.