Bridges that Took Us Over The Water - part two

Once again we take a look at the main bridges that took people 'over the water' in times past and present between Castlebridge and Wexford.

In the previous issue we looked at the old oak bridge built in the 1790s that was situated almost on the site of the current bridge.

The 'new bridge' as we call it was opened in 1959. It was a major feat accomplished by some bridge builders from Holland. It was said to be the longest bridge in Ireland at the time and I am not sure if this record has been bettered.

Before that the primary access to the parish of Castlebridge was over what was known as 'the old bridge' or the Carcur Bridge.

The story is that the local Pierce Engineering firm built this bridge, which left Wexford at the present boat club on Redmond Road. The truth or otherwise of this statement is hard to establish. We can state that the company – renowned for over a century – did produce the railings for the bridge. These iron railings survived for decades after the destruction of the bridge and were to be seen along Redmond Road until recent years.

For many people alive today, the old bridge will be remembered with its old style traffic calming features. These were sets of two big barrels painted red and white with a plank going from one to the other. These sets were placed like a ski slalom course along the bridge to cause traffic to drive in a slow zig zag fashion. It is a pity that our primary recollection should be on the bridge in such a decrepit state. The calming was essential when we realise that the bridge dated from the era of the pedestrian, the horse and cart or maybe a stagecoach. As it was still used in the 1950s we must marvel at the capacity to accept the weight of the motorcar and I suppose its eventual destructor the lorry.

Sadly for many Wexford families it is the hearse and funeral cars that will be the abiding memory. From 1892 when St Ibar's Cemetery in Crosstown opened most residents of the town became more frequent visitors to our parish over this 'bridge of sighs'. It did have less mournful connotations. It was a beautiful walk on a summer Sunday, even if a cemetery visit was the ultimate reason. It also brought the people of the town and parish closer together and at least in my family it meant a uniting of the parishes.

Today with the new bridge under an almost continuous traffic jam we wonder at the shortsighted decision not only to close and demolish that beautiful old bridge but also to allow building on the abutment.

What a marvellous and healthy option it could have been as a pedestrian bridge giving easy access to Crosstown and a circular walk over the old and new bridges from the 1960s. If it had been left standing and rebuilt we might have had a unique option of another outlet for the traffic today.

One of the oldest connections of Wexford and Castlebridge is of course the Ferrycarrig Bridge. This was the first connection. Initially as a ferry point and later as a bridge it served a vital role, even if it did bring you through another parish en-route to ours. In my youth there was a lot of chat about walking 'the three bridges'. It is only on reflection I realise that I often got these wrong. I thought of them as Ferrycarrig, the old and the new bridges but now on mentally tracing the route I realise that the lovely little bridge heading for Edenvale is one of them – replacing either the old or new bridge.