URBAN CULTURE BY FOTONIQUE

Mathew Bridge joins Georges Quay to Charlottes Quay in Limerick.

This bridge replaced an existing bridge called New Bridge which was constructed in 1762 linking Englishtown with the expanding and developing new town (Baal's Bridge was for a long time the only eastern connection between the Englishtown to the north and the south of the Abbey River to Irishtown). The bridge, with its commodious flat deck and finely crafted stonework, was erected to the designs of William Henshaw Owen. The bridge was opened in July 1846 and the contractor was John Duggan.

Theobald Mathew (1790–1856), was an Irish Catholic teetotalist reformer, popularly known as Father Mathew. He was born at Thomastown, near Golden, County Tipperary, on October 10, 1790.

Statues of Mathew stand on St. Patrick's Street, Cork by JH Foley (1864), and on O'Connell Street, Dublin by Mary Redmond (1893).

Description: Triple-span flat road bridge, built between 1844-46, to replace New Bridge, which had been constructed in 1762, connecting Rutland Street, Bank Place to the south with Merchant's Quay, Bridge Street and George's Quay to the north. Four semi-circular limestone ashlar breakwaters with semi-dome cappings to east side of piers supporting elliptical arches, with rusticated limestone ashlar voussoirs. Rock-faced limestone ashlar spandrels with a chamfered limestone plinth course beneath limestone ashlar parapet walls. Splayed abutments to north and south extending from abutment piers to square-plan outer piers all having a rock-face limestone ashlar finish. Modern metal lamp standards rise from parapets. Commemorative plaque to east parapet reads: 'Mathew Bridge contracted for in the year 1844 during the Mayoralty of the Right Worshipful William I Geary M.D. The expense of its erection borne by the Corporation and by presentments from the County and City Grand Juries. Opened in the month June 1846 The Right Worshipful E.F.G. Ryan Mayor W.H. Owen Architect John Duggan Builder John F. Raleigh Esqr. Town Clerk Francis I. O'Neill Esqr. Treasurer.'

Appraisal: This bridge replaced an existing bridge called New Bridge which was constructed in 1762 linking Englishtown with the expanding and developing new town (Baal's Bridge was for a long time the only eastern connection between the Englishtown to the north and the south of the Abbey River to Irishtown). The bridge, with its commodious flat deck and finely crafted stonework, was erected to the designs of William Henshaw Owen. The bridge was opened in July 1846 and the contractor was John Duggan.