O'Connell Bridge undergoes structural repair

Workmen repairing a damaged balustrade on Dublin's O'Connell Bridge yesterday. Concerns were raised recently by a conservation group over what it said were stress cracks, missing pillars and a missing section of parapet on the busy city-centre bridge.
Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

WORK IS under way to repair the damaged balustrade and pillars on Dublin's famous O'Connell Bridge.

The repairs, which began on Monday, include fixing its vertical pillars and part of the rail on the west side of the bridge.

Concerns were raised recently by a conservation group over what it said were stress cracks, missing pillars and a missing section of parapet on the busy city centre bridge.

"We noticed some pillars were missing, some were hanging by a thread and the top of parapet had cracked," said Damien Cassidy of the National Conservation and Heritage Group.

Mr Cassidy said he had notified Dublin City Council of the repairs needed.

A spokesman for Dublin City Council, which has responsibility for the historic bridge, said the works were part of normal routine maintenance which takes place regularly. However, he said, the balustrade and pillars were the main part of the repairs.

The council said an engineer would have examined the bridge and decided what needed to be repaired.

Maintenance of the 18th century bridge does not come under the remit of the Office of Public Works, an OPW spokesman said yesterday.

The conservation group is concerned that the damage was caused by rising tides hitting the top of the bridge.

"Pillars had become eroded with weather and water, and split and some fell into Liffey", Mr Cassidy said.

"The tide is getting higher and higher and water that should pass easily under the bridge hits the top of the bridge and splatters water against the parapet", he continued.

However, a council spokesman said as far the council was concerned, the work was part of "normal wear and tear".

Mr Cassidy was also concerned about damage to other bridges on the Liffey, including similar damage to the 19th century Butt Bridge near the Liberty Hall, and had asked the council to inspect all bridges.

"If Ireland's premiere bridge is to be eroded in that fashion I would worry about the rest of bridges," he said.

"Butt Bridge is in urgent need of attention," he added, noting that some gaps in the bridge were protected from the inclement weather by pieces of plastic sheeting.

The council said repairs would take place on Butt Bridge but that no date had yet been set for the start of these works.

Yesterday there was fencing around the pedestrian path of the west side of O'Connell Bridge. Workmen could be seen fixing a gap in the balustrade above the bridge's pillars.

A personnel hoist was also installed on the path providing access to the outer part of the bridge.

The maintenance work on O'Connell Bridge is due to finish in the next few days, a council spokesman said.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times