New Leenane bridge to open next month

New Leenane bridge to open next month


Anton McNulty

NEARLY two years after torrential rain swept away the 100-year-old bridge in Leenane, the new bridge going through the north Connemara village is expected to be opened to traffic next month.
The final stages of the new bridge are currently being completed and it is expected that it will be open for traffic before St Patrick’s Day. Work began on the bridge last October and the new design features three arches with stone facing in keeping with the old-style architecture of the original bridge.
Back in July 2007, the old bridge crossing the River Lahill was swept away when a deluge of rain fell in a few short hours. The collapse in the tourist village caused traffic mayhem for motorists travelling along the N59, leaving many to face 80km detours between Connemara and Westport.
A temporary bridge was erected by Galway County Council and a consultation process between the National Roads Authority, the Council and residents studied the best way forward for the village. Despite arguments put forward to locate the new bridge outside the village, it was decided to locate the new bridge on the site of the old one.
Michael O’Toole of the Leenane Development Association told The Mayo News that the new bridge will be a welcome addition which will look well in the village.
“The new bridge will have an old style to it with arches and stone facing, and will look well. I would have preferred the bridge to be outside the village as I felt it would allow more car parking in the village. However, there have been some nice footpaths put down and when it is all done it will look good, and everyone is happy with it,” he said.
The village attracted worldwide attention at the beginning of the 1990s when filming took place there of the John B Keane novel, ‘The Field’, starring Richard Harris. Tourism is important to the survival of the village and Michael admitted that the numbers were slightly down since 2007. However, he said he was hopeful that with the new bridge and an upcoming walking festival they would attract more visitors to the area in the coming year.