Aghadavoyle Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This bridge (no.169) carries a single lane road over the double track Dublin-Belfast railway, just W of the main Dundalk Road.

It comprises a single semi-elliptical span of coarsely-dressed and irregularly laid granodiorite blocks throughout. It is embellished with tooled edges to the abutments, rusticated voussoirs, a finely dressed and chamfered string course through the arch at spring level and just above the crown, and similarly detailed slightly advanced parapet copings. There are shallow buttresses to the approach walls on either side (with tooled edges). The splayed wing wall are similarly coped and terminated with capped squared piers. The road is slightly humped where it crosses the bridge and turns sharply Southwest.

Historical information

Erected about 1850 by the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway Co. to designs by its chief engineer, Sir John Macneill; its construction was undertaken by William Dargan. This section of line, from Killeen to Dundalk, was opened in 1850. With the completion of the Craigmore Viaduct in 1852 the entire line between Dublin-Belfast became fully operational.

Secondary Source:
1. W.A. McCutcheon, 'Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland' (Belfast 1980).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This bridge is of some architectural interest on account of its design. It has historical associations with Sir John Macneill and William Dargan (‘father’ of Irish railways). It is similar to other rail-related bridges hereabouts, all of which form a coherent group dating from around 1850. It is also related to the adjoining railway station (HB16/15/022) to its immediate S (the ends of the platform are under the bridge arch).

General comments

In the first survey this bridge was recorded twice - the second time as HB16/15/037.