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New bridge spans the years

Friday, 20 June 2008

A newly built bridge on the Southside that has been named after one of the heroes of the 1916 rising was formally opened recently.
Relatives of the commander at Boland’s Mills during the rising - General Sean MacMahon - and the Lord Mayor of Dublin officiated at a ceremony to mark the construction of the new MacMahon Bridge over the Grand Canal Dock at Pearse Street/Ringsend Road.
The bridge is the fifth to be constructed over the Grand Canal Dock at this location. Early records indicate that a wooden one - the Brunswick Bascule - was constructed at the site in 1791 and was replaced in 1857 by the Victoria Bridge. A new one with the same name in the early 1900s then replaced this bridge.
The fourth bridge opened in 1963 was named MacMahon Bridge after General Seán MacMahon who fought with Eamon deValera at Boland’s Mills in 1916 and who later became Chief of Staff of the Irish Army.
Sean MacMahon, the General’s grandson, attended the ceremony along with Brigadier General Dennis Murphy, General Officer Commanding 2 Eastern Brigade, who provided a guard of honour.
President Eamon deValera unveiled the original plaque on the bridge in 1963. This plaque has been refurbished and reinstalled on the bridge.
Speaking at the event, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Paddy Bourke, said that apart from its historic significance, the bridge was a crucial link in the traffic management of the city, carrying up to 16,000 vehicles per day, and is vital to the operation of the South Port.
“It also greatly facilitates the switch to public transport by commuters and residents and links the existing communities in the Pearse Street area with the newly developed docklands developments and the villages of Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount,” he said.
“This bridge is a symbol of our historical past. Having members of the MacMahon family present today makes this event all the more special,” he added.
In 2005, Dublin City Council adopted a proposal to replace the old MacMahon Bridge with a modern fixed span bridge with outer elliptical stainless steel glass clad arches.
The MacMahon Bridge consists of a cantilevered structure over the existing quay walls, for the full 90-metre length of causeway in order to provide adequate width for two traffic lanes and two bus lanes.
Works were completed in September 2007 at a total project cost of e4 million. The Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government and Department of Transport provided a grant of e2.5 million for the project under the National Development Plan.
Mott MacDonald Petit, Consulting Engineers in collaboration with Paul Arnold Architects, designed the bridge while SIAC Construction was the main contractor.

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